Car Dealer Podcast

‘The shape of the day has changed’: Why new plate day still mattersCar dealers among 660 firms named and shamed for failing to pay National Minimum WageGarage hits back at HMRC after being named and shamed over minimum wage breachDVLA bans more than 500 ‘76’ number plates for being too rude or offensive for the roadVolkswagen Group set to axe Seat brand to focus on Cupra by 2029 – reportsVolkswagen Group announces plans to axe 50,000 jobs as it slashes model rangeSubaru dealers to offer free prostate cancer PSA tests to men aged over 50From Aldi supermarket to used car supermarket: Hilton Garage unveils used car collection centre

‘I’d seriously consider packing in MOTs’: Garage owners demand test fee increaseInterest in Chinese cars reaches record level as half of buyers say they are ‘open’ to switch‘Pay us and we’ll remove them’: Car dealers targeted by fake review blackmail scamBMW insists German agency delay will not derail wider rollout as UK switch remains on trackAgency sales three years on: What car dealer accounts really tell us about the model

Weekly Briefing: Car dealers reveal what business is REALLY like this summerMergers and acquisitions market ‘as difficult as it has been in 10 years’ for UK car dealersOmoda and Jaecoo strengthen warranties after experts criticise level of coverChinese carmaker Chery opens new UK R&D centre as part of ‘long-term’ growth planGovernment launches review of ZEV mandate as car dealers call for lighter targetsListers Group profits fall 15% as agency switch hits £1.3bn turnover

Used car dealer left playing ‘detective’ after being wrongly named in customer complaintCar dealers have their say: We want a US-style ‘lemon law’ to replace Consumer Rights ActMeet the dealer boss who failed exams but went on to build used car giantCar dealers could be BANNED from cleaning vehicles as water board applies for drought orderMotor trade manager makes incredible 411-yard hole-in-one that could be English record

Weekly Briefing: Now the Temu Range Rover has overtaken the real thingJLR put aside £50m to fight bad publicity after fake report electric Jaguar was faultyA welcome to AI Week from Car Dealer editor in chief James BaggottAre all used car dealers quiet – or is it just you? We ask the experts what’s really happening out there

How are car dealers actually using AI in their businesses right now – and is it really saving them time and money?In part two of our special AI Week podcast – The AI Revolution: Will it change the motor trade forever – James Baggott speaks to dealers who are already using artificial intelligence to buy cars, improve vehicle adverts, handle customer complaints and communicate with leads 24 hours a day.Steven Douglas, owner of Really Easy Car Credit and co-founder of Dealerway, explains how he used Claude to build a tool that analyses auction catalogues, identifies the cars he is likely to buy, values them and recommends how much he should bid.George Manning, director of Hilton Garage, reveals how AI is being used across its 1,000-car operation – from stock sourcing and advertising to checking vehicle adverts against Auto Trader best-practice guidance.Michael Bell, chief executive of Available Car, discusses how the business uses Impel to communicate with customers around the clock and support its contact centre team.Car Dealer editor-in-chief and @CleverCarCollection founder James Baggott also explains how he has used AI to help build and run his own used car dealership – and where the technology has caused problems as well as solving them.This is part two of The AI Revolution: Will it change the motor trade forever?, our special podcast mini-series produced for Car Dealer AI Week.

Artificial intelligence is changing the motor trade faster than any technology we’ve seen before. But is AI really going to transform the way car dealers sell cars... or is the hype getting ahead of reality?In this special Car Dealer Podcast for AI Week – which takes place from August 3-7 – James Baggott speaks to some of the biggest names in automotive technology to find out where AI is already making a real difference, where it’s falling short, and what the future of the motor trade could look like.From AI-powered customer conversations and lead handling to smarter vehicle buying, admin automation and the changing way consumers search for their next car, this podcast explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping every part of the dealership.On Wednesday, we’ll be publishing Part 2 of The AI Revolution: Will it change the motor trade forever? where the dealers tell us what they’re doing with AI in their showrooms.

Weekly Briefing: Is the Stock Market really the right place for car dealers?Ford and Geely to create new cars at Valencia factory through new joint ventureFormer Stellantis UK boss Maria Grazia Davino joins Ford to lead European salesAutotrader ‘paused’ Deal Builder roll-out and is tweaking price flags following dealer feedbackBlue Motor Finance collapses into administration but immediately sold in pre-pack dealFunder behind car finance legal claims collapses following FCA redress scheme delaysFamily car dealership shares £170,000 bonus pot with every employee

Dealers perplexed as Carwow radically shakes up its daily auctions removing reserve pricesGovernment confirms pay-per-mile charges on EVs as plans get mixed responseArnold Clark profit hits £112.5m as Chinese brands help drive new car growthCar Dealer Power Cars of the Year – dealers pick their winners of 2026Car Dealer Power 2026: Who won what at this year’s awards?Ford criticises ZEV mandate as boss calls for ‘urgent review’ of eco targets

Volkswagen to cut models by up to 50% and reduce ‘complexity’Denza electric supercar set to become UK’s most expensive Chinese carSkywell dealers left in limbo as UK importer collapses with immediate effectWeekly Briefing: What is Carwow planning for its used car advertising site?

GVE London accountant denies defrauding supercar dealer but faces FOUR YEAR wait for trialFailed used car dealer Cazoo hit by fresh legal battle as creditor payouts put on holdReform ZEV Mandate NOW or risk jobs, investment and UK car production – SMMTIndependent Garage Association calls for MOT price rises ‘as a matter of urgency’Is the Consumer Rights Act keeping pace with today’s more advanced vehicles?

Car dealer Steven Eagell delivers ‘strong and resilient performance’ despite dip in profitsUsed electric cars sell fastest in June while prices continue to hold firmWeekly Briefing: Is the Consumer Rights Act too harsh on car dealers?What can car dealers expect from changes to Autotrader’s Buying Signals?

‘Dramatic cut coming to ZEV Mandate targets’ after PM’s intervention Weekly Briefing: Why is the government meddling in electric car targets again? Car buyers still prefer dealerships as online-only purchases declineCar dealer Caffyns slumps to significant pre-tax loss amid fall in new vehicle salesYeomans revenue hits record £609m after Mazda and Omoda & Jaecoo expansionJaguar Land Rover targets £1.7bn cost cuts as luxury car buyers fuel growth plans

Electric cars accounted for nearly half of UK’s biggest used car value risers in MayFormer Peugeot boss Linda Jackson joins Hendy as non-executive directorLogbook lies: DVLA insider jailed alongside dodgy car dealers over record tamperingCar finance compensation payouts pushed back until at least 2027Motorpoint announces soaring profits, sales and turnover in stellar set of final results

Vertu’s mystery investor revealed as Constellation increases holding in car dealer to nearly 20%Chinese carmaker Chery to build vehicles at Nissan Sunderland plant in major UK dealDrivers are falling in love with Chinese cars – and it’s not just because they’re cheaper

Ferrari unveils Luce grand tourer as Prancing Horse goes electric for the first timeUsed coupe prices increase more than other body styles as number of new models fallCitroen brings back 2CV as Stellantis targets affordable EV marketArnold Clark to sell car for just £1 as dealer group celebrates the opening of first Welsh dealershipWeekly Briefing: Why legacy car makers are jumping into bed with the Chinese

Autotrader profits near £393m but admits Deal Builder roll-out hurt numbersFord outlines product offensive with five new vehicles including potential Fiesta returnConsumers can now search for their next car on Autotrader using ChatGPTCar dealer Brindley agrees franchise deal to open its first Lepas showroom

Peter Vardy sells last remaining dealerships to Dutch dealer group Van MosselPeter Vardy’s CarMoney eyes expansion after sale to Japanese trading group ITOCHUVertu profits drop despite strong used car and aftersales performanceEV consideration hits record high as nearly one in four expect to make switchVideo: Used EV market rose in April as high petrol prices pushed buyers to electricLotus scales back pure-electric future – and announces new hybrid V8 supercar

Land Rover Discovery named Britain’s most unreliable used car as brand dominates listRevealed: The used vehicles that even car dealers avoid buying at all costsBlue Motor Finance ‘teetering on the brink of collapse’ with £50m redress bill – reportsExclusive: Police investigating huge £10m ‘Ghost Car’ finance fraud after dealers ‘go rogue’Nissan to close production line at Sunderland plant as part of Europe-wide restructure

In this podcast we explain how scammers have used ghost cars, rogue dealers and fake finance applications to take the industry for more than £10m.In this special Car Dealer Podcast episode, James Baggott speak to finance brokers hit by the scam, including DSG’s Rob Woollen and Octane Finance’s Daniel Horner, who reveal exactly how the con works and find out why it’s been so hard to stop.This is not a victimless crime. Dealers have lost their businesses, brokers have taken huge financial hits, and even genuine customers have been caught up in the chaos.In this episode, you’ll hear:– How ‘ghost car’ fraud actually works– Why real customers are being used in the scam– The role of rogue (and sometimes unwitting) dealers– How criminals are exploiting the finance system– The scale of the losses — and why it could keep growing– What dealers MUST do to protect themselvesThe Metropolitan Police has confirmed this is an active investigation — and this could be one of the biggest frauds the motor finance industry has ever seen. Join us as we explain how it works.

Hendy Group falls to huge loss as late accounts finally posted – plus 2025 will be bad tooCazoo positioned as ‘credible challenger’ to Autotrader as Motors ditches brandAutotrader’s AI tools write 2.5 million car adverts in first 12 monthsVertu Motors to receive £3.4m insurance payout after JLR cyber attack disruptionVolkswagen finally reveals its new electric supermini – the 282-mile ID. Polo

Staff at car dealer Lookers claim they ‘face fresh threats of redundancy’Weekly Briefing: What dealers said at Autotrader’s customer advisory groupsFCA faces legal challenge over £9.1bn car finance compensation schemeFamily-run Swansway sees profits and turnover soar in impressive set of 2025 accounts

Official: Huge used car supermarket Cargiant will close on April 24 Car Dealer Recommends: The best used car advertising platforms rated and rankedVolkswagen reveals overhauled ID.3 Neo hatchback – now with added buttonsWeekly Briefing: What happened at luxury Chinese brand Denza’s big launch?Losses more than double to £5.7m at car dealership group Norton Way

Chinese car tops UK sales charts as EVs power best March since 2019Weekly Briefing: Which car brands are most at risk of the Chinese newcomers?FCA launches sale or return crackdown after sudden closures of GVE London and Targa FlorioMitsubishi appoints first new dealer partners return to UK sales edges nearerMotorpoint backs profits to soar to £7.5m after record-breaking year of sales in 2026Big Motoring World reveals record sales in Q1 as firm looks to move on from Waddell saga

In the final episode of our podcast series, Car Dealer talks to the man at the centre of the Jaguar relaunch: Rawdon Glover.The brand’s managing director speaks about what it was like being inside Jaguar when that controversy broke the internet.We cover the personal attacks he and his team faced, why Jaguar needed to be so dramatic and find out whether Gerry McGovern leaving the business will change the direction.You can catch up with all the episodes of Jaguar Rebrand: Mistake or Genius now.

In episode two of our three part podcast series, Car Dealer again looks in detail at the Jaguar Rebrand – this time talking to branding experts and dealers.Following our video on the relaunch, available now on the Car Dealer Magazine YouTube channel, we have created a three part series of the interviews we conducted.In this episode, The Controversy, we talk to experts including Jon Evans, host of the CMO Uncensored Podcast, Nick Ede, a brand and PR guru, as well as car dealers Peter Smyth, a former Jaguar franchise holder, and used Jaguar dealer Tim Atkinson.We also get a view on the relaunch from Professor David Bailey of the Birmingham Business School about just why Jaguar needed to be so dramatic in the first place.Coming up in the third and final episode, we’ll hear from Jaguar’s managing director Rawdon Glover himself. In a detailed interview, he speaks about what it was like being inside Jaguar when the controversy broke the internet.We cover the personal attacks he and his team faced, why Jaguar needed to be so dramatic and find out whether Gerry McGovern leaving the business will change the direction.Episode three of our Jaguar Relaunch: Mistake or Genius? podcast will be published on Easter Monday.

In the first of a three part podcast series, Car Dealer looks in detail at the Jaguar Rebrand. Following our video on the relaunch – available now on the Car Dealer Magazine YouTube channel – we have created a three part series of the interviews we conducted.In episode one of Jaguar Rebrand: Mistake or Genius?, we hear The Journalists’ View on the Jaguar relaunch. We hear what it was like being at that big event at JLR’s headquarters in Gaydon back in November 2024 and their reaction to the rebrand and the Type 00.We hear why some elements of the media branded it as ‘woke’, and from journalists who have been behind the wheel of the new car.In this episode we chat to Ray Massey, motoring editor the Daily Mail, Steve Fowler from The Independent, Ginny Buckley from Electrfying.com and Stuart Gallagher, editor of drivers’ bible Evo and Wayne Scott, the editor in chief of Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine.In episode two, The Controversy, we talk to branding experts including Jon Evans, host of the CMO Uncensored Podcast, Nic Ede, a branding and PR guru, as well as car dealers Peter Smyth, a former Jaguar franchise holder, and used Jaguar dealer Tim Atkinson.And in the third and final episode, we’ll hear from Jaguar’s managing director Rawdon Glover himself. In a detailed interview he speaks about what it was like being inside Jaguar when the controversy broke the internet.We cover the personal attacks he and his team faced, why Jaguar needed to be so dramatic and find out whether Gerry McGovern leaving the business will change the direction.Episodes two and three of our Jaguar Relaunch: Mistake or Genius? podcast will be published over Easter. 

£7.5bn compensation scheme for motor finance scandal revealed by FCATarga Florio collapsed with £500,000 debts as failed supercar dealer reveals liabilitiesG3 Auctions acquired by US-based firm America’s Auto AuctionsGovernment begins review of ZEV mandate prompting hopes of revised EV sales quotas

This week Chris Green from Regit joins James and Rebecca to talk about the biggest news of the week. Weekly Briefing: Cargiant staff told date used car supermarket may closeAutotrader investigated by CMA as part of crackdown on ‘fake and misleading’ reviewsVIDEO: New VAT scam targeting the motor trade – here’s what you need to knowLamborghini hits record sales in 2025 as margins come under pressureBig Motoring World director left in ‘absolute shock’ by Waddell’s bugging and surveillance claims

Join us for more best bits from Car Dealer Live 2026. The event took place on March 19 at the British Motor Museum. In a second special podcast, James Baggott rounds up some of the highlights from our headline speakers and some of the brilliant research sessions. To catch up on all the news from the event check out the Car Dealer Magazine website and to watch back all the sessions, grab a replay ticket at CarDealerLive.co.uk

Motor finance scandal and £85m of cost savings forces Close Brothers to cut 600 jobsStellantis injects £35m into its dealer group after a staggering £47.9m loss in 2024Bentley announces plans to cull hundreds of UK jobs as carmaker sees profits slumpLack of EV confidence is ‘a problem that we can’t seem to solve’ – Electrifying founder

Car Dealer Live 2026 took place on March 19 at the British Motor Museum. In this special podcast, James Baggott rounds up some of the highlights from Chinese challenger brands to how car dealers are using AI. To catch up on all the news from the event check out the Car Dealer Magazine website and to watch back all the sessions, grab a replay ticket at CarDealerLive.co.uk

VIDEO: Watch as we catch scamming used car dealer conmen in the actSMMT blasts EV sales targets, branding them a ‘fantasy’ – but government rejects early reviewReform UK pledges to ditch Electric Car Grant and scrap 2030 ban if it wins next electionCourt hears Big Motoring World TrustPilot score fell after Waddell exitWaddell kept in the dark over misconduct allegations as investigation faces scrutinyIs used car dealer Cargiant up for sale as redundancy process begins with staff?

Waddell nicknamed employee ‘Ching the P***’ because ‘his father ran a corner shop’Daksh Gupta held talks over becoming Big Motoring World CEO after Marshall departureWeekly Briefing: High Court hears there was ANOTHER bidder for Big Motoring WorldNew car registrations enjoy best February in 22 years – but ZEV mandate fears returnCar finance redress scheme to be confirmed this month as FCA considers ‘implementation period’Dubai firm DxB Auto Investments buys Harwoods’ JLR and BMW operations in UK expansion⁠Time is running out to secure your Car Dealer Live tickets with just two weeks to go⁠

Stellantis falls to first annual loss since merger, but new CEO promises growthCarGurus remains ‘fully operational’ despite falling victim to ‘cybersecurity incident’New Chinese brand Lepas confirms first model for UK – and it’s an SUV!Mitsubishi brings back L200 pick-up to UK market – priced from £36,295Government to roll out expanded grant to help EV drivers install home chargersMeet the brands set to shake up dealerships in 2026 at Car Dealer Live

Used car sales generated more than 18,500 customer complaints in 2025 – Motor OmbudsmanFCA agrees to climbdown over car finance redress scheme with carmakers set for exemptionPeter Waddell accused of using disabilities as a ‘fig leaf’ as High Court trial continuesWaddell ran ‘fiefdom’ and complained about ‘too many muslims’, court hearsPolestar boss hails ‘renaissance of the dealers’ as brand unveils biggest product push yetCar Dealer Live 26 manufacturer panel now complete with Subaru and Xpeng chief joining line-up

Weekly Briefing: Are US car dealers really that more advanced than the Brits?Ferrari confirms ‘Luce’ name for first EV and reveals iPhone-inspired interiorSuzuki GB boss confirmed for Car Dealer Live 26 as event line-up growsNew Dacia UK brand director to take to Car Dealer Live 26 stage on March 19

American car dealers want to block Chinese manufacturers from gaining a foothold in the USAmazon Autos UK launch ‘lined up for 2026’ as web giant to go head to head with AutotraderDoes anyone really know what they’re doing when it comes to using AI?TikTok: Car dealers should encourage everyone to create video content Cargurus AI used car search function could be rolled out to the UK

Car Dealer Recommends: Autoglym products tested and rated – do they get our seal of approval?CMA green-lights BCA owner’s Aston Barclay takeover in provisional rulingWeekly Briefing: How have Chinese car brands grown so quickly?Group 1 to axe more UK jobs and dealerships despite clocking up record revenues in 2025The rampant rise of Chinese car brands – and how they’ll change the UK car market for goodNetworking break-out space added at Car Dealer Live for more inspirational conversations

Police investigating sudden collapse of supercar dealer Targa Florio CarsFamily-run T.C. Harrison becomes latest UK car dealer to sign up with Omoda and JaecooFamily-run Chariots Specialist Cars named as BYD’s first UK Retailer of the YearWeekly Briefing: How dangerous is a sale or return model for car dealers?

Treasury eyes EV charging cost cuts as pay-per-mile tax sparks sales concernsFraudsters target used car buyers on Cazoo by hacking emails and offering fake discountsEuropean Union sets out framework for Chinese EVs to avoid punitive tariffsJeep quashes exit fears as Stellantis reviews American brand’s future viabilityFrom ‘Touch my Bum’ to ‘Would you like this A1?’: The Cheeky Girls now sell cars for AudiTime is running out to book NADA Show 2026 – fly in style with our last-minute deal

Huge £112.9m loss revealed for auction firm BCA and We Buy Any Car’s ownerWeekly Briefing: How did Constellation lose so much money in 2025?Video: The car manufacturer winners and losers of 2025New car market topped two million in 2025, but EV discounts can’t continue – SMMT

In this special festive edition of the Car Dealer Podcast, hosts James Baggott, Jon Reay, James Batchelor, Joe Wallington and Rebecca Chaplin pick the Car Dealer stories they think were the most important of the year.And in the second half they take on The Car Dealer Big Fat Christmas Quiz of the Year. Play along with them too and see if you can beat our experts. Merry Christmas to you all and a very happy New Year from the Car Dealer team.

EU scraps 2035 new petrol and diesel car ban, leaving UK out on a limb‘Delusional’ EV new car targets are leaving the UK out of step with world – Vertu bossFCA could adjust proposed motor finance compensation scheme after pushbackMost Wanted: Which used cars were the most in demand in 2025?MG posted £6.9m pre-tax profit in 2024 as prior year restated accounts show lossJLR denies sacking design boss Gerry McGovern as rumours about departure continue to swirlMitsubishi to kick off UK return with new versions of Outlander PHEV and L200 pick-up

Auto Trader tweaks Deal Builder product making reservations optionalCox says BCA could command ‘unassailable market position’ following Aston Barclay dealFord to utilise Renault 5 platform as carmakers agree ‘landmark’ strategic partnershipVolvo cancels dealer’s contract with immediate effect after it moves into temporary showroomFast growing used car dealership boss and Peugeot MD to take to Car Dealer Live stage

Which car dealers make the most profit? The Car Dealer Top 100 2025 details revealedReports suggest JLR design boss Gerry McGovern has been ‘removed with immediate effect’UK car market set to return to pre-pandemic levels next year but major challenges remainZipcar to pull out of UK after car-sharing model fails to catch on among British driversCar Dealer Live 26 line-up announced with early bird tickets now on sale

Premium car brands rocked by last minute changes to Motability as legal challenge mootedEV drivers to pay 3p per mile, while Expensive Car Supplement for EVs raised to £50kGovernment postpones axing Employee Car Ownership Schemes until 2030IMDA claims 165 dealers have cancelled Auto Trader in wake of Deal Builder roll-out 

Auto Trader to launch dealer advisory groups in wake of Deal Builder fall outMitsubishi Motors to introduce new vehicles in the UK next yearFord kills off the Focus – iconic car ends production after 27 yearsGroup 1 confirms BMW and Mini closures less than a month after axing all JLR sitesDutch retail powerhouse Van Mossel snaps up Breeze Motor Group and Ocean AutomotiveBiggest car dealer groups in Europe revealed as Brit-based businesses dominate list

Car dealers threaten mass cancellation of Auto Trader contracts in light of Deal Builder‘Hundreds’ of car dealers claim they have cancelled Auto Trader packages as part of mass protestElectric vehicles to lose Congestion Charge exemption as per-mile charge looms largeVans set to be exempt from new per-mile EV levy but plug-in hybrid drivers face extra billSupercar dealer Tom Hartley Jnr sees profits soar in year that included ‘historic’ Ecclestone sale

Government’s 33% EV sales target is ‘wholly unrealistic’ and will lead to ‘rationing’ – Vertu boss'Poll tax on wheels': Experts warn about impact of proposed per mile charges on EVsRenault officially unveils new Twingo with retro-looking EV set to arrive in the UK in 2027TV star Mike Brewer blames the government as he SHUTS DOWN Sheffield used car supermarket