Sources claims BCA poised to purchase fellow car auction business Aston Barclay

Rumours are circulating that BCA are set to announce the takeover of fellow auction house Aston Barclay.

Sources told Car Dealer that a ‘deal had been signed’ and that Aston Barclay vendors have been contacted this morning to be told about the change.

Contacts from within the companies, who did not wish to be named, said the deal had been announced internally and that an announcement was due imminently.

Neither of the companies involved responded to Car Dealer’s requests for comment.

BCA is currently the largest used car auction group in the UK and the acquisition would add five new auction locations, including Aston Barclay’s two mega centres in Wakefield and Donnington Park.

Meanwhile, BCA has 24 locations from Scotland to the south of England.

It is part of Constellation Automotive Group, which also owns We Buy Any Car, Cinch, CarNext and Marshall among other car buying and owning platforms.

BCA was previously a publicly listed on the stock market but was taken private when it was bought by TDR Capital, owner of Constellation Automotive Group as well as Asda and Euro Garages, in 2019.

The auction group is also one of the oldest in the UK, first opening its doors in 1946 as Southern Counties Car Auction.

A management buyout of Aston Barclay took place in 2017 with Rutland Partners investing millions of pounds in the business.

Constellation Automotive Group also increased its stake in franchise car dealer group Vertu earlier this year, taking it over 10% for the first time.

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Renault takes cheeky swipe at Mini with new ad campaign outside London showroom

It may be a French icon but the Renault 5 has been donning the Union Jack at one UK dealership as part of a cheeky advertising campaign targeting Mini customers.

Billboards have been erected outside Renault London West carrying the slogan ‘make your neighbour jealous’, in reference to the Mini dealership next door.

A brand new Renault 5 E-Tech has also been mounted on a plinth outside the showroom, with a Union Flag on its roof in classic Mini style.

A car with the same paintwork even appears in the advertising posters – just in case anyone was unsure of the joke!

Inevitable comparisons have been made between the success of BMW’s Mini and the new Renault 5 and the topic recently came up at Car Dealer Live.

When asked by James Batchelor if the new 5 was Renault’s ‘Mini moment’, the brand’s UK boss, Adam Wood, said: ‘We are very excited.

‘The cars only arrived in the showrooms a couple of weeks ago but already we’re seeing a buzz in the sales teams.

‘Seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces when they see the car for the first time is great and I think that’s starting to build positivity and optimism for the future.’

Renault’s ad campaign comes less than a week after Ineos ran a similar campaign outside a Land Rover Dealership.

In that instance, a poster showing a Grenadier and a Defender nose-to-nose appeared beside Lookers Jaguar Land Rover West London with the tag line ‘let’s take this outside’.

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Lotus announces up to 270 jobs to go at UK factory due to ‘volatile market’

Norfolk-based sports car maker Lotus has announced up to 270 jobs will be cut from its workforce ‘amid a volatile and evolving market’.

This is on top of 94 jobs that were announced in November last year following a significant loss in its latest accounts.

It blamed in part the 25% tariffs from the US but also shifting demand for sports cars.

Lotus is owned by Chinese car company Geely Holding Group, which also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lynk&Co among other automotive technology businesses.

It has said that is it committed to the UK, but plans to ‘increase synergies’ with Geely.

A spokesperson told the BBC: ‘Lotus Cars has announced a proposed business restructure to ensure sustainable operations, amid volatile and evolving market conditions including the US tariffs and shifting consumer demand for sports cars.

‘The company plans to increase synergies across the wider Lotus brand and with its largest shareholder and technology partner, Geely Holding Group.

‘It will look at greater resource sharing and collaboration in technology, engineering, and operations.’

In 2021, Lotus spent £100m on its Hethel factory and has invested more than £500m to switch to electric vehicles, according to the Eastern Daily Press.

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Car dealer jailed after admitting to coercing vulnerable women into prostitution in exchange for drugs

A used car dealer has been jailed for seven years after he admitted to coercing vulnerable young women into working as prostitutes in exchange for class A drugs.

Oliver MacCormack, 71, spent several years working in the motor trade in the Lisburn area but he was hiding an dark secret which saw him ‘manipulate and control’ female victims as young as 17.

The shamed car salesman previously pleaded guilty to 40 offences, including charges of human trafficking and controlling prostitution.

He also admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice, witness intimidation and offences of supplying class A drugs and yesterday (Apr 10) he appeared for sentencing at Belfast Crown Court.

The court heard that nine victims were involved in MacCormack’s case, one of whom never got to see her tormentor brought to justice after she tragically died of sepsis due to intravenous drug use.

Prosecutors outlined that the victims had vulnerabilities including drug addiction, homelessness and mental health issues.

MacCormack became the fourth man to be sentenced following a sexual exploitation investigation conducted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) modern slavery and human trafficking unit.

The court heard the women involved were heroin addicts and MacCormack would exploit their vulnerability to force them into prostitution in exchange for him supplying them with the drug.

Passing sentence, Judge Gordon Kerr KC said MacCormack, whose address was given as Maghaberry prison, used heroin as a means to control his victims.

The former car dealer appeared in court dressed in a grey suit and striped tie. At the conclusion of the hearing, some of the victims and their families shouted abuse at MacCormack, who did not react to their comments.

Half of MacCormack’s seven-year sentence will be served in jail and the other half on licence. However, the time he has already spent in prison – having been in custody since May 2022 – will be factored in.

‘I hated MacCormack so much’

After the sentencing, one of MacCormack’s victims described how her life was upended overnight, leaving her manipulated, controlled and dependent on drugs.

The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in a statement that MacCormack got her hooked on heroin and ‘orchestrated it that I became completely dependent on him to get my fix’.

She said: ‘One day I went from being employed in (a company), aged in my early 20s, to overnight becoming an advertised escort, a heroin addict waking up sick every day, and stealing from my family to buy heroin from him.

‘MacCormack manipulated me and used coercive control. He would supply me with heroin every day at the same place and at the same time.

‘However, if I refused to have sex with one of the sex-buyers he had set me up with, he would not sell me any heroin and would block my phone number, leaving me sick for days.

‘With MacCormack, I lost the right to say yes or no as a girl and as a woman.

‘Sex with paying customers just became so normal. I would wake up every day merely existing and not living.

‘I hated MacCormack so much, but he had me needing him because of his heroin. I was addicted to heroin for seven years because of MacCormack and, in that time, I was often in trouble with the police.’

She said she is now free from heroin and felt ‘stronger than I have in a long time’. ‘I will never let anyone treat me the way MacCormack did,’ she added.

‘MacCormack came between my mother, nanny and I. I was very close to my nanny and feel like I didn’t get to spend the time with her that I should have before her death.

‘I’m trying to do the best I can now. I have a great family. I will get through this and not let what MacCormack did to me define me.’

‘Girls have been used, controlled and treated appallingly’

Following the hearing, police paid tribute to MacCormack’s victims, who suffered ‘horrific exploitation’ at the hands of the pensioner.

PSNI Detective Inspector Rachel Miskelly said: ‘He groomed and encouraged them to become involved in sex work, and controlled their prostitution by arranging meetings with sex-buyers, transporting them to and from appointments.

‘The defendant himself also engaged in sexual acts with the individuals.

‘They formed part of a network of older local men who actively targeted young, vulnerable, local women for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

‘The women, who were mainly trafficked around the Greater Belfast area, were vulnerable due to mental health issues, homelessness and their dependency on drugs.

‘This horrific exploitation has happened by local men and on our own doorsteps.

‘They lined their pockets at the expense of young women while using them for their own sexual gratification. The girls have been used, controlled and treated appallingly.

PSNI Detective Inspector Rachel Miskelly urged other victims to come forward (Liam McBurney/PA)

‘It’s hard for most of us to truly imagine what trauma these girls have endured.’

She added: ‘These young women have been inspirational and I truly hope that others who may be suffering will be encouraged to come forward.

‘I promise you that we are here to listen and to help you, and to bring those who would seek to use and abuse to justice.

‘I’m also asking others to be mindful of the tell-tale signs of human trafficking. This isn’t something you can ignore, and if you see or hear any activity that causes you concern, please contact us on 101.’

MacCormack was the fourth member of the same gang to be sentenced as part of the PSNI’s investigation.

Derek Brown, 61, was last month handed a six-year sentence for human trafficking, controlling prostitution for gain, sexual assault, paying for sexual services and drugs-related offences, including being concerned in the supply of a class A controlled drugs.

The police said one of Brown’s victims has also since died of a suspected overdose.

Meanwhile, 74-year-old Kenneth Harvey, of Old Road, Lisburn, was sentenced to two years in December for human trafficking and paying for sexual services. Two months earlier, he was sentenced to three years for similar offences.

Another pensioner, Robert Albert Rodgers, 79, of Antrim Road in Belfast, was given a two-year probation order in October after admitting brothel keeping and three counts of controlling prostitution for gain.

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Weekly Briefing: Has the used car market gone off the boil and what happens to car sales in 2030?

In this week’s Car Dealer Briefing James Baggott rounds up the motor trade news you cannot afford to miss.

In the Car Dealer Weekly Briefing, his subscriber-only newsletter, he has been chatting to used car dealers who have said April isn’t quite as busy as they’d hoped – what’s causing the problems?

And with the government changing tack on its ZEV Mandate plans, he looks ahead to what the car market might be like in 2030.

Also featured in this week’s briefing are:

  • Mercedes’ success with agency
  • Lexus most profitable used brand
  • XPeng dealers open
  • BYD growth
  • Fastest selling March cars
  • Ineos’ cheeky ad

To read the weekly briefing, you need to be a subscriber on Substack.

Subscriptions to the Substack newsletter cost £10 per month, or £100 per year, and there are discounts for companies who want multiple subscriptions for their staff. 

You can sign up to read your first newsletter for free today – visit the Substack website and subscribe.

There’s also a list of the top 10 most popular stories on the CarDealerMagazine.co.uk website this week which always makes for interesting reading as you can see what has piqued everyone else’s interest too.

Find it on the Substack website now.

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Dusty Windshield: Car dealer slams manufacturing giant which keeps covering stock in filth

A used car dealer says ‘nightmare’ levels of dust from a neighbouring chipboard production plant are causing chaos with his long-standing business.

Les Jewitt has been running Tyne Valley Car Sales in Hexham since 2006 but says that air pollution is now reaping havoc with his day-to-day activities.

The company’s site sits a short distance from a plant where furniture giant EGGER makes chipboard and Jewitt says the issue of dust has been getting worse and worse for the last 18 months.

He has now hit out at EGGER for ‘not cleaning their wagons properly’ which is leading to dust and wood shavings being spread throughout the community.

The situation has got so bad that Jewitt now finds himself cleaning his stock three times a week in a desperate bid to keep on top of the filth.

Tyne Valley Car Sales sits just 0.2 miles away from the EGGER site and the firm’s boss says the situation is now getting ‘beyond a joke’

‘I mean, there’s dust everywhere. I’ve just washed the cars for the third time this week.’ he told the Hexham Courant.

‘If I’m full, like I normally am, it’s the whole day – which is a lot out of my working week.

‘EGGER have got a massive yard down the back of the factory. I walk my dog down there, and there is just mountains and mountains of dust.

‘When the winds coming from the east, it is horrendous, but most of it is off the wagons coming out, because they’re not cleaned properly before they leave.’

‘I’ve got nothing against them as an employer. I realise that they’re very important to the local economy. But it’s just getting beyond a joke what I’ve got to put up with.’

In response to Jewitt’s claims, EGGER said that the site was subject to quarterly checks, with measures in place to ensure that dust is managed correctly.

Tom Nestfield, environmental and energy manager for EGGER, said: ‘EGGER is committed to environmental protection.

‘Our environmental permit includes conditions such as dust management.

‘The site is subject to quarterly inspections by Northumberland County Council to ensure compliance with permit requirements, and reports annually a dust improvement and management plan.

‘The site’s Environmental Management System recently underwent a surveillance audit against the benchmark standard, in which no non-conformities were identified.

‘We will always listen to concerns of the local community and endeavour to address these in a positive and timely manner.’

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Dealer Auction reveals March’s most profitable used cars with BMW enjoying stellar month

The Ford Kuga was the most profitable budget model for used car dealers last month – despite the Nissan Qashqai selling significantly faster.

That is according to new data from Dealer Auction, which found that BMW was the most profitable used brand overall for vehicles retailing at under £10,000.

The outfit’s research revealed that the Kuga – with an average retail margin of £2,225 – was the used model with the must profit-making potential for dealers.

The result placed it well clear of the second and third-placed Peugeot 2008 and Volvo XC60, which made an average margin of £2,215 and £2,175 respectively.

When it came to days-to-sell none of the Kuga (32 days), 2008 (29 days) or XC60 (34 days) could live with the Nissan Qashqai which sold at an average of just 26 days throughout March.

The Sunderland-built model also had the highest Auto Trader Retail Rating of any sub-£10,000 model, with an average score of 91.

March’s most profitable cars (under £10,000)

  1. Ford Kuga: Average Retail Margin – £2,225; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 32; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 83
  2. Peugeot 2008: Average Retail Margin – £2,215; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 29; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 89
  3. Volvo XC60: Average Retail Margin – £2,175; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 34; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 74
  4. BMW 1 Series: Average Retail Margin – £2,150; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 28; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 85
  5. BMW 3 Series: Average Retail Margin – £2,125; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 36; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 68
  6. Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Average Retail Margin – £2,115; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 37; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 68
  7. Kia Sportage: Average Retail Margin – £2,075; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 32; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 78
  8. Honda CR-V: Average Retail Margin – £2,050; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 35; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 68
  9. Mini Hatch: Average Retail Margin – £2,000; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 34; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 71
  10. Nissan Qashqai: Average Retail Margin – £1,900; Average Auto Trader Days to Sell – 26; Average Auto Trader Retail Rating – 91

The data was collected as part of Dealer Auction’s Retail Margin Monitor, which revealed a strong showing from BMW in both the brand and model charts.

The premium brand continued its solid 2025 performance by heading up the top 10 makes for models with a retail value of under £10,000 for the third month running, with an average retail margin of £2,200.

Commenting on the findings, Dealer Auction’s marketplace director, Kieran TeeBoon, said: ‘BMW has registered an emphatic performance so far in 2025.

‘It’s been a competitive year so far – in March, only £325 separated first and tenth place in the top 10 sub-£10,000 profit-making models.

‘It’s also interesting to see these trends within the chart itself, with certain profit-making models being particularly fast out of the blocks.

‘The key messages to dealers for 2025 are clear: profit and speed!’

March’s most profitable brands (under £10,000)

  1. BMW: Average Retail Margin – £2,200
  2. Mercedes-Benz: Average Retail Margin – £2,175
  3. Audi: Average Retail Margin – £2,150
  4. Mini: Average Retail Margin – £2,125
  5. Mazda: Average Retail Margin – £2,000
  6. Volvo: Average Retail Margin – £1,875
  7. Citroen: Average Retail Margin – £1,830
  8. Kia: Average Retail Margin – £1,825
  9. Renault: Average Retail Margin – £1,800
  10. Fiat: Average Retail Margin – £1,790

When it came to models prices over £10,000, Land Rover topped the most profitable brand list and dominated the Top 10 models.

The Discovery Sport topped the chart with an average retail margin of £4,325, followed by the Range Rover Evoque (£3,750).

TeeBoon added: ‘Used cars are moving quickly on our platform and it seems to be a common trend – AutoTrader have also just announced that Q1 represented the fastest rate of used car sales ever recorded.

‘With hot competition for quality stock, dealers are harnessing the power of digital to stay on the front foot.

‘By including digital auctions as part of their stock-buying portfolio, they can be in several places at once and snap up profitable stock from a variety of sources.’

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Mercedes toasts agency model success after selling 100,000th new car since making the switch

Mercedes has hailed the success of its controversial agency model after selling it’s 100,000th new car since making the switch.

The German brand changed to the direct-to-consumer approach back in 2023 as more and more carmakers looked to change how they sold cars.

And while the majority of brands have since abandoned the model after failing to make it work, Mercedes is one of a handful of success stories.

It has now delivered 100,0000 private retail buyers since it implemented the change with the landmark car being a Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4Matic+.

The honour of completing that sale went to the team at Mercedes-Benz of Guildford, part of the Sandown Group, who say that the switch to agency has given them an edge over the competition.

Gavin McAllister, group managing director at Sandown Motors & head of the Mercedes-Benz Retailer Board said: ‘It is a privilege for Sandown to serve the 100,000th private retail customer to purchase a Mercedes-Benz under the Agency model.

‘This is a significant milestone for Mercedes-Benz Agents and our partners at Mercedes-Benz UK, and underlines the considerable success we are achieving together: a desirable and competitive model range aligned with the trust that customers have in our contemporary and transparent pricing proposition.

‘The Agency model has proved to be a game-changer for the Mercedes-Benz network by enabling a high volume of profitable new car sales and it’s undoubtedly giving us an edge in the market.’

The subject of agency sales was a key topic of discussion at Car Dealer Live earlier this year, with Volvo boss Nicole Melillo Shaw explaining how the Swedish brand has managed to make the model work.

She added that, despite initial concerns from dealers, customers actually prefer the brand’s ‘transparent pricing’ structure, which means that everyone gets the same deal.

The news about Mercedes’ success comes just a day after Car Dealer revealed that the brand’s in-house dealer group – Mercedes-Benz Retail Group – has now ceased trading after years of heavy losses, which mostly came before the switch to agency.

Reflecting on the success of the brand’s agency model, Sally Dennis, sales and marketing director at Mercedes-Benz UK, said: ‘Mercedes-Benz customers are full of praise for the seamless, personalised car buying journey we have developed.

‘Rating us with an average of 4.85 out of 5 stars, both new and returning Mercedes-Benz customers express satisfaction with the experience we deliver in collaboration with our network partners.’

Elsewhere, Mercedes has also confirmed that Michelle Brogden has now taken over from Andrew Dean as the firm’s UK head of sales.

The move came into effect from April 1 with Dean now having taken up the post of director of change & innovation at Lithia UK.

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Swansway to open third BYD dealership as group confirms acquisition of ex-Bravoauto site

Dealer group Swansway is to open its third BYD franchise as part of a major investment into Stoke-on-Trent.

Car Dealer reported yesterday that the retailer had began work on a new Motor Match store in the city, at what used to be a Bravoauto site.

Now however, we can exclusively reveal that the site will also house the firm’s latest BYD dealership as well as the used car supermarket operation.

Boss Peter Smyth confirmed to Car Dealer this morning (Apr 9) that Swansway has bought the 15,316 sq ft site, which had been listed for sale at over £1m by Savills.

He added that builders are now working around the clock to get the premises up to scratch ahead of an ‘onslaught’ of new stock from BYD.

It is hoped that the site will be up and running in early May, when the Chinese brand will be represented at a state-of-the-art ten car showroom.

The new business will join existing Swansway’s existing BYD showrooms, which are located in Crewe and Chester.

Confirming the news, director Smyth told Car Dealer: ‘We will be having a Motor Match but ostensibly, it’s going to be the new BYD dealership for Stoke-on-Trent.

‘We are delighted with the relationship we have with BYD and are really excited about the future.

‘It’s a big site. I’m not going to tell you the amount we paid but I think it’s fair to say we got it at a very good price!

‘We are currently making major developments and there’s building work going on to make into a compliant BYD showroom.

‘We are hoping to have it up and running in very early May so we’re working round the clock to get it ready for an onslaught of exciting new stock which is coming our way from BYD!’

The store was previously one of eight Bravoauto showrooms to be shut as part of a cost-cutting exercise by then-owners Inchcape back in November 2023.

As well as being Swansway’s third BYD site, the plot will also become Motor Match’s sixth UK stores, joining centres in Bolton, Chester, Crewe, Stafford and Stockport.

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Cazoo announced as headline sponsor of British Motor Show following latest relaunch

There was a time when it felt like you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing a team or event which was sponsored by Cazoo.

It was a policy which took the used car dealership to complete collapse but the brand is now enjoying a new lease of life as Motors’ new flagship marketplace.

And while the halcyon days of multi-million pound partnerships with the biggest sports clubs in the world may now be a thing of the past, the brand’s new owners have shown that they themselves are not adversed to a good sponsorship deal.

That is because Cazoo has been named as the new headline sponsor of this year’s British Motor Show, which will be held at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre in August.

The show is set to deliver a mix of live entertainment, interactive displays, new tech and driving experiences, as well as the chance for visitors to see the latest cars and supercars, alongside much-loved classics.

Throughout the event, stunt shows will be held in the specially-created Cazoo Live Arena, which will also be the place to see supercar showdowns, the Red Devils parachute display team and a new Strictly Cars Dancing challenge.

Elsewhere, the Cazoo Family Zone is set to offer family-friendly interactive activities hosted by Cazoo brand ambassador and TV personality Grace Webb.

The show will also see a host of dealer groups attending, including Marshall Motor Group (BMW, Mini), Sandown Group (Mercedes-Benz), Group 1 (Toyota), Charters of Aldershot (Peugeot and Citroen) and Sparks Commercial Motors (Renault LCV, Renault Trucks).

Commenting on the new deal, Lucy Tugby, marketing director at Motors and Cazoo, said: ‘The British Motor Show is now firmly established as a popular live festival for car buyers, enthusiasts and families, so we’re delighted to have this opportunity to introduce them to the all-new Cazoo marketplace and put them in touch with our dealer partners from across the UK.

‘Last year’s show was a huge success for the Motors brand in terms of positioning and awareness, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to invest in showcasing Cazoo as an all-new marketplace and reintroduce it to car buyers.’

Meanwhile, Andy Entwistle, CEO of the British Motor Show, said: ‘We are thrilled to have Cazoo as this year’s headline sponsor.

‘This builds on the partnership we established with Motors last year and enables us to associate the show with one of the UK’s best known automotive car brands.

‘With over 60,000 visitors expected, this year’s British Motor Show will be an unmissable event.’

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