Cazoo officially winding up and liquidators appointed following shareholder vote Documents reveal Cazoo Ltd has nearly £190m of unsecured debt Stellantis boss on potentially pulling UK production, her love for the 2030 ban and what she needs to fix next Stellantis boss on late dealer bonus payments, cars stuck at ports and agency sales delay It may be impossible to order petrol and diesel cars later this year – Stellantis boss Peter Waddell LOSES High Court bid to have rights restored at Big Mot...
Jul 05, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep 165•Transcript available on Metacast Dire warning from Stellantis as it says it could close UK factories over EV quotas and demand Cazoo Group board votes unanimously to wind up company and announces EGM date Car manufacturers in China want 25% import tax on EU vehicles – report CDK Global tells car dealers hacked software unlikely to be restored before end of month Rosy picture for used car prices as June chalks up a minor 0.1% fall in values Car dealer is fined after trying to aid sale by going double the speed limit on test driv...
Jun 27, 2024•59 min•Ep 164•Transcript available on Metacast Car Dealer Briefing: What’s in this week’s subscriber-only Substack newsletter from James Baggott? Former Lookers director Tony Bramall invests in car subscription firm Fisker files for bankruptcy protection after failing to secure investments Volvo U-turns on estate cars and will reintroduce them to UK market Shareholders to vote on another bumper pay deal for former Pendragon boss Bill Berman Canadian Jaguar dealers gear up for legal fight over plans to go electric Interest in BYD rockets as...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr•Ep 163•Transcript available on Metacast Used car supermarket Motorpoint suffers massive deepening of losses in ‘most difficult year ever’ Huge row breaks out with EU set to announce additional 25% tariffs on Chinese EVs Family-owned Barretts of Canterbury sees profit plummet by almost three-quarters Family-run JCT600’s profits slide as move to agency hits turnover and franchises are ditched Motors closing in on cut-price deal for failed used car dealer Cazoo – reports Labour pledges to reinstate 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehic...
Jun 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 209•Transcript available on Metacast Car dealer group Caffyns reports loss of more than £1.5m after being in profit the year before Alexanders Prestige sees profits fall as bosses point to ‘challenging sector’ Greenhous Group looks to convert former Shrewsbury Waitrose shop into car showroom Choice and affordability of Chinese EVs will only benefit UK car buyers – Auto Trader EV Experts agree franchise partnership with Fisker as boss hails ‘exciting opportunity’ LCV sales rise for 17th month in a row but SMMT warns over electric up...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast Falling used electric car prices sees Hedin Mobility book hefty loss in Q1 Auto Trader Group sees revenue soar 14% and pre-tax profit top £345m in 2023 Bentley appoints Porsche vehicle development chief as new chairman and CEO Alfa Romeo to ditch famous off-set numberplates due to EU rule change Dacia to open new flagship dealership as brand prepares to put Spring EV on sale Nissan announces pricing for updated Qashqai as Sunderland plant ramps up EV production...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep 160•Transcript available on Metacast Used car supermarket founder Peter Waddell accused of ‘bullying’ and ‘intimidation’ as High Court ponders case Day 2: Peter Waddell’s conduct comes under intense scrutiny as High Court case continues Cazoo to be delisted on New York Stock Exchange after trading in shares is suspended G3 reveals plans for failed Cazoo’s Bedford site after swooping in for purchase Woman who stole vehicle keys so thieves could target used car dealership walks free from court Self-driving cars could be on UK roads w...
May 24, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Doncaster CarShop site earmarked for closure with more than 100 job losses under Sytner shake-up Used car dealer Big Motoring World linked to sale of CarShop sites Exclusive: Sytner to axe CarShop used car supermarket name, rebrand some stores and sell others in huge shake-up Updated: Arnold Clark and WJ King deny talks of a deal after leaked memo suggested sale was coming Motors linked with deal for failed used car dealer Cazoo as firm sits on brink of collapse Stellantis outlines Leapmotor pla...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 158•Transcript available on Metacast Cazoo files with High Court to place subsidiaries into administration Cazoo left things far too late to save itself from disaster, says top accountant Exclusive: Peugeot joins band of carmakers calling on government to help customers make switch to new EVs Ford may have to cut petrol and diesel sales in order to avoid hefty ZEV mandate fines JLR to give Range Rover and Range Rover Sport customers insurance boost for three years Video: Meet the man making millions selling supercars as we go behin...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 157•Transcript available on Metacast Bombshell Cazoo statement admits failed used car dealer may tumble into administration Aston Martin’s pre-tax loss almost doubles to nearly £140m for first quarter of year Aston Martin rejects agency sales as model ‘turns car dealers into prep centres’ Stephen James Group to be renamed Hedin Automotive after acquisition by car dealer outfit Stellantis posts difficult start to the year as shipments and revenues take a tumble New car market forecast to top over TWO million in 2024 but ZEV mandate ...
May 03, 2024•55 min•Ep 156•Transcript available on Metacast Cazoo’s new digital marketplace goes live after online disruptor pulled out of used car sales Lithia confirms hundreds of job losses at Pendragon as US giant kills off CarStore Government rejects bringing back EV grants and other House of Lords report recommendations Fiat takes aim at ‘sleepwalking’ UK government with country ‘on the cusp of an EV crisis’ Renault reveals a new kind of dealership called rnlt© in central Paris Tesla slashes prices in several countries in move which could impact us...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 155•Transcript available on Metacast Inchcape agrees £346m deal to sell UK retail operations to US giant Group 1 Automotive What makes UK dealer groups so attractive to US investors? We ask industry experts for their take Alfa Romeo forced to rename upcoming ‘Milano’ after model accused of breaking Italian law Britishvolt gigafactory hopes set to end with Blyth site due to be sold to private equity firm GWM Ora to inspect condition of EV car batteries after crashes to cut waste Battery-electric vehicle sales poised to hit 414,000 m...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 154•Transcript available on Metacast Peter Waddell threatens High Court action after shock removal as Big Motoring World director Lotus racks up £593m loss for 2023 despite selling record number of cars FCA warns motor finance firms to prepare to pay out following discretionary commission review Barclays appeals against ruling which sparked FCA investigation into motor finance industry Keyloop reaches ‘definitive agreement’ over acquisition of Automotive Transformation Group Alfa Romeo reveals first ever EV as Italian brand takes i...
Apr 12, 2024•55 min•Ep 153•Transcript available on Metacast US dealer AutoNation eyeing move to pounce on Inchcape’s UK dealerships SMMT chief urges swift action and ambitious policies to increase EV adoption Saxton 4×4’s pre-tax profit slides by almost 50% despite turnover rising Used car market entering second quarter with momentum as new records set, says Auto Trader Motorpoint expecting to see full-year loss ‘at favourable end of expectations’ Aston Martin expands ultra-luxury retail strategy with showroom at five-star Tokyo hotel Thieves steal luxur...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 152•Transcript available on Metacast Volvo officially drops diesel with XC90 as manufacturer’s final derv car Hyundai to cut number of UK dealers it works with as it looks to ‘future-proof’ network Video: Omoda and Jaecoo brands aiming for 100 dealers and 10,000 sales in UK by end of 2024 Lookers opens its first multi-franchise car dealership hub after £6m investment Trading Standards calls for car dealers to be licensed as part of clampdown on rogue traders Investigation finds Luton airport car park blaze was started accidentally ...
Mar 29, 2024•58 min•Ep 151•Transcript available on Metacast Six new directors appointed at used car supermarket Big Motoring World Close Brothers conserves £400m as FCA’s car finance commission probe rumbles on BBC Watchdog highlights Toyota and Lexus keyless car theft problems Bentley performs U-turn on pledge to stop ICE manufacturing by 2030 Nissan and Honda join forces on developing electric vehicles and AI for cars Independent Garage Association welcomes government’s new £60m apprenticeship scheme...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 150•Transcript available on Metacast Now Audi ‘delays’ introduction of fixed-price car sales for its EVs as another agency model cracks Vauxhall boss calls on government to ‘immediately’ cut VAT on new electric cars Scrap ‘unfair’ WLTP system for testing range of EVs, says What Car? Watch Chinese car maker Yangwang show off SUV’s crazy pirouette on the spot party trick Leak reveals Cazoo boss wants to be ‘strong number two’ in used car ad space Updated: Big Motoring World’s Peter Waddell fuming as used car supermarket says he’s tak...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast Cazoo halts used car sales and plans to take on Auto Trader as advertising marketplace Senior carmaker execs hit out at government’s EV approach amid ‘frustrating’ Budget Big Motoring World’s Peter Waddell reveals rapid move to hoover up Cazoo stock after online used car dealer scrapped sales Peter Vardy opens conference on how Chinese EVs and tumbling margins have led to change in business model Diesel sales poised to fall to 3% by 2028 as market shares head for radical change, says Cox Automot...
Mar 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 148•Transcript available on Metacast Jaguar Land Rover cans fixed-price car sales plan and sticks with traditional franchised model Current climate makes it ‘almost impossible’ to get private buyers into electric cars – Fiat boss Chancellor is urged to bring in ‘fair taxes for a fair transition’ to boost EV uptake Sir Jim Ratcliffe accuses governments of forcing EVs on consumers Luca de Meo warns European car makers can’t flinch from EV challenge posed by China and US Supercar dealer Tom Hartley Junior makes £20m profit selling jus...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 147•Transcript available on Metacast Lloyds Banking Group puts aside £450m to deal with FCA investigation into motor finance Cars that aren’t Ulez-compliant set to be sent to Ukraine under scrappage scheme Genesis keen to boost brand and launches search for more dealers to add to fledgling network Fiat calls on government to reinstate plug-in car grant to boost EV demand These are the exciting new car brands that should be on your radar now The undesirables: Meet the used cars that took the longest to sell in 2023...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 146•Transcript available on Metacast Carwow buys car magazines Auto Express and Evo for undisclosed sum Close Brothers shares tumble as it scraps dividend amid fears over motor finance claims D.M. Keith snaps up Suzuki heavyweight dealer group Colin Appleyard JLR’s lead times become ‘far more acceptable’ as supply woes ease, says boss Selling Supercars: Meet the team behind supercar dealer Alexanders Prestige UK slides into recession after output shrinks more than expected, according to ONS Tax shake-up to close loophole for double...
Feb 16, 2024•58 min•Ep 145•Transcript available on Metacast Martin Lewis’s car finance complaint tool receives 262,500 inquiries in opening days Financial incentives are needed NOW to boost new and used electric car demand Trading Standards clamp down on used car dealers’ ‘unfair’ admin fees Google to take wraps off its Vehicle Ads solution for motor trade at Car Dealer Live Gap insurers agree to suspend sales immediately after FCA voiced concerns Vertu Motors buys back 200,000 shares as car dealer remains a ‘sitting duck’ for investors...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 144•Transcript available on Metacast Battleground: How will car makers hit tough 2024 EV targets? And do car buyers REALLY want electric cars? Honda boss on hitting electric car targets, used cars and what 2024 has in store for car dealers Shock as SUV Prestige is forced to close due to ‘difficult trading conditions’ for used car dealer Inchcape confirms it could offload all its UK dealerships but says a sale isn’t certain Used car prices drop just 0.1% in January as falls begin to level out – video update Group 1 set to axe about ...
Feb 02, 2024•56 min•Ep 143•Transcript available on Metacast FCA ‘effectively banning’ car dealers from selling Gap Insurance from February Geneva Motor Show could appear in more countries, despite Qatar event controversy Which car manufacturers will and won’t be attending the Geneva Motor Show? Arnold Clark owner pays £78.3m tax bill as the largest car dealer tax payers are revealed Stellantis expands used car sales potential in UK with launch of Spoticar Direct service Sources say Lookers owners are fishing for fresh funds to refinance buy-out deal Used...
Jan 26, 2024•57 min•Ep 142•Transcript available on Metacast Trading Standards warns of dangers of buying from used car dealers posing as private sellers on Facebook Tesla and Volvo to halt European production after Red Sea shipping attacks by Houthi rebels Now Lookers ‘asks staff to work weekends and longer hours due to staff shortages’ Electric car price war expected this year as Chinese brands eye large slice of UK market by 2030 Single franchised car dealer enjoys another stellar year as it rakes in impressive £1.4m profit Used car dealers missing out...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep 141•Transcript available on Metacast Used car dealer Cinch lost £181m in 2023 results reveal ZEV mandate comes into force prompting calls for EV incentives and better infrastructure Lookers staff at threat of redundancy claim car dealer group is ‘cutting corners’ Whistleblowers claim Jaguar Land Rover dealership ramps at ‘serious risk of collapse’ Successful Toyota dealership to pass into hands of employees as owners step down My reasons to be cheerful (and not) for the motor trade in 2024...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast Used car dealer Cazoo says it faces going under as it reveals new cash crisis Used car prices tumble again in December – but will begin to stabilise in 2024 JLR launches insurance product for Range Rover customers in face of rising thefts Could Lookers acquisition fall foul of Takeover Panel rules after wave of redundancies? SsangYong rebrands as KGM Motors in UK and adopts new global slogan Going, going, gone! Much-loved auctioneer to bring down gavel one last time...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast Why do banks hate used car dealers so much? The AI Car Dealership Project Part 3 More redundancies looming at Lookers as business managers and sales teams now face cuts Now Christmas parties are ‘cancelled’ as car dealer Lookers axes even more staff Family business JCB Group agrees deal to buy Marshall Volkswagen site in Kent Car dealer group Sytner’s American parent company to buy Rybrook chain of showrooms Data shows Land Rover profit margins are booming for used car dealers How crashing used ...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast We got things wrong and for that I’m sorry – Stellantis boss opens up about mistakes and why it’s delaying agency sales yet again Comment: How new Stellantis boss handled horrible questions from car dealers Wheeler Dealer Mike Brewer’s top tips for my used car dealership powered by AI Outspoken Cazoo founder Alex Chesterman finally bows out of used car dealer No-haggle agency sales ‘underestimate’ value dealers bring to sales process – Suzuki UK boss CEO Mark Raban ‘stepping down’ at end of the ...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast Tesla FINALLY rolls out hotly anticipated Cybertruck after years of delay Exclusive: I’m starting a used car dealership of my own – with the help of AI Electric car discounts have rocketed by average of 323% in a year – report Leaked memo reveals two MORE senior directors have quit Marshall Motor Group Cinch and We Buy Any Car owner ups its stake in Vertu for the THIRD time this year Used car price ‘correction’ continues with trade values falling 4.2% AGAIN in November Daksh Gupta accepts role...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast 
