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Ford's Mustang Design Chief Joins McLaren as British Supercar Maker Eyes Electric Future

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:57:28 +0000

The man who gave the Ford Mustang its current predatory stance has traded Detroit muscle for British precision. Kemal Curic, the design executive behind the sixth-generation Mustang's exterior transformation, has been appointed Design Director at McLaren Automotive, stepping into one of the most influential creative roles in the supercar world.

Curic's appointment signals McLaren's serious intent as the Woking-based manufacturer prepares to reinvent its entire lineup around hybrid and electric powertrains. His arrival comes at a moment when McLaren faces the challenge of translating its aerodynamic expertise and racing heritage into an electrified future while maintaining the visual drama that defines modern supercars.

At Ford, Curic served as Chief Designer for the Global Design Studio, where his most visible achievement was overseeing the exterior design of the 2015 Mustang refresh that transformed Ford's pony car from retro pastiche into genuine modern muscle. The angular headlights, pronounced front splitter, and muscular rear haunches that define today's Mustang GT and Shelby variants all bear his creative fingerprints.

The timing of his move reflects the automotive industry's broader design talent migration as traditional boundaries blur between American muscle, European luxury, and electric innovation. McLaren's current Super Series lineup, anchored by the 720S and 750S, represents the culmination of nearly two decades of development. The company now faces the task of creating successors that maintain McLaren's performance credentials while incorporating increasingly complex hybrid systems and eventual full electrification.

Before his Ford tenure, Curic honed his design philosophy at BMW Group, contributing to various BMW and MINI projects that emphasized the marriage of functionality and emotional appeal. That background positions him well for McLaren's technical demands, where aerodynamic efficiency and visual impact must work in perfect harmony.

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McLaren's design challenge extends beyond mere aesthetics. The company's next-generation architecture must accommodate battery packs, electric motors, and cooling systems while preserving the low-slung proportions and dramatic door configurations that McLaren customers expect. The 720S's distinctive dihedral doors and flowing side intakes represent more than styling flourishes; they're integral to the car's aerodynamic performance and cooling requirements.

The appointment also reflects McLaren's recognition that design leadership increasingly determines success in the ultra-premium segment. Competitors like Ferrari have demonstrated how distinctive visual identity can command premium pricing even as underlying technologies converge. Curic's challenge will be establishing McLaren's design language for an era when electric powertrains fundamentally alter packaging and proportions.

Industry observers note that successful automotive designers increasingly move between brands and continents, carrying cross-pollinated influences that reshape entire segments. Curic's journey from BMW's precise Germanic aesthetic through Ford's American muscle heritage to McLaren's British engineering culture represents exactly this kind of creative migration.

For Ford, losing Curic represents the departure of institutional knowledge just as the company navigates its own electrification challenges. The Mustang Mach-E's controversial SUV configuration and the upcoming electric Mustang sedan will test whether Ford can maintain the brand's visual DNA without his direct input. Ford's design teams must now prove the Mustang's aggressive character can survive the transition to electric power without the designer who defined its current appearance.

McLaren's bet on Curic suggests the company believes American muscle car sensibilities can enhance British supercar sophistication. Whether that cultural fusion produces the next generation of McLaren icons will depend on how successfully he translates Detroit's bold confidence into Woking's technical precision.

Sources: Industry reports on automotive design leadership transitions. Specific quotes and official confirmation would require verification from McLaren Automotive press releases and automotive trade publications.

Apr 13: Oil prices rise to record high; US blockade of Iranian ports; Honda Super N

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:49 +0000

Shopper footfall failed to meet expectations in March despite Easter and the school holidays falling earlier than usual, figures show.

Total UK footfall was up by 2.4% year on year, although this was distorted by the month’s inclusion of Easter, which fell in April last year, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic shows.

High street footfall increased by 2% in March, up from a drop of 5.4% in February, while shopping centre visits were up by 2.6%, an improvement on the 5.5% fall seen the month before.

North Sea oil price rises to record high amid tension over ceasefire

North Sea oil prices have risen to a new record high as traders rush to secure supplies.

It came as US president Donald Trump accused Iran of not abiding by a ceasefire agreement to immediately open the Strait of Hormuz.

Forties Blend, the marker used for cargoes of oil produced off the coast of the UK, rose to almost 147 US dollars (£109.50) a barrel late on Thursday.

Honda’s Super-N electric city car will go on sale in July

Honda has announced that the Super-N electric city car will go on sale in the UK in July.

The Super-N is the successor to the firm’s ‘E’ electric supermini and takes inspiration from the Honda City Turbo II hot hatch from the 1980s.

Honda has not revealed the size of the battery at this stage, but it has confirmed it will have a claimed range of up to 128 miles or 199 miles in city driving.

The FTSE 100 closed barely changed on Friday ahead of peace talks between the US and Iran at the weekend – which later broke down.

The FTSE 100 closed down just 2.95 points at 10,600.53. The FTSE 250 ended up 145.38 points, 0.7%, at 22,351.02, and the AIM All-Share rose 8.13 points, 1.1%, to 777.48.

The pound rose to 1.3472 dollars on Friday afternoon from 1.3437 dollars on Thursday. Against the euro, sterling ebbed to 1.1482 euros from 1.1484 euros.

US blockade of Iranian ports to start as Trump threatens to hit infrastructure

The US military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports on Monday, tempering president Donald Trump’s earlier vow to entirely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz as early reports indicated that ships had stopped crossing the waterway.

The move came after marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, and it set the stage for a showdown. Iranian leaders vowed to counter the blockade.

US Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning on Monday, to be ‘enforced impartially against vessels of all nations’.

Irish government announces 505m euro in fuel-cost measures after protests

Further reductions of duties on fuel and a delay in a carbon tax increase have been announced by Irish premier Micheal Martin after an emergency Cabinet meeting agreed on a response to the fuel crisis following major protests.

The size of the package announced on Sunday is around 505 million euro (£440m), and comes on top of 250 million euro (£218m) worth of measures announced almost three weeks ago.

The protests – including blockades of Ireland’s only oil refinery and other key depots – strangled fuel distribution across the country and prompted an escalated policing response that resulted in several arrests amid clashes between public order units and protesters.

It’s the court case that has gripped the motor trade for weeks, and both sides in the Peter Waddell legal saga are now facing an anxious wait to hear the result.

The government has announced that £700m of taxpayer funding has been assigned to boosting EV production in the UK – with more than half of the cash going on JLR’s new Somerset gigafactory.

Nissan has earned the ultimate seal of approval, after it provided a specially adapted Qashqai to help rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable wildlife along the north coast of Scotland.

Today starts sunny and dry for most, reports BBC Weather, but cloud will build through the afternoon with scattered showers and a risk of thunderstorms, especially in the north.

Tonight turns largely clear and dry, though some cloud and showers linger in western Scotland, with rain reaching southwest England and Wales by early morning.

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Oil prices hit record highs as US-Iran tensions escalate with planned port blockade starting Monday.

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Global energy security faces major threat as key shipping routes through Strait of Hormuz remain disrupted.

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Ireland allocates €505m for fuel cost relief following nationwide protests and refinery blockades.

Video: Used car prices continue to rise in March as dealers hold prices firm

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:45 +0000

Cazana data for the key plate-change month show the price of three-year-old used cars rose on average by 1% in March.

Cazana scrapes data from across the internet to monitor the prices dealers are advertising their cars for online.

Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer Magazine, used car pricing expert and consultant for Cazana, Derren Martin, said that despite the geopolitical situation, the used car market remains robust.

In a video, which you can watch at the top of this post, Martin said petrol and diesel cars went up 1%, hybrids went up 2% and electric vehicle values remained flat.

Martin said: ‘Petrol and diesel have both gone up by a similar amount – about 1% on average. I was expecting diesel to drop, but obviously the cars we’re looking at are on forecourts, so it’s good dealers aren’t slashing prices.’

Martin said he was surprised EV values had not surged in light of rapidly rising fuel prices and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

He said: ‘Electric vehicles have stayed level. I expected them to go up, but they haven’t. That’s not a negative – they’ve stayed stable, and as we all know EVs have been very volatile over recent years. There’s still lots of movement within the sector.

‘It’ll be really interesting to see what happens if this continues – particularly with concerns around the Strait of Hormuz and oil supplies.’

Source: Cazana, March data

Audi Q3 -9.6%
MG MG5 EV -7.8%
Land Rover Range Rover Sport Hybrid PHEV -7.3%
Volvo C40 Recharge EV -6.7%
MINI Cabriolet -6.6%
Lexus NX 450h Hybrid PHEV -6.3%
BMW 2 Series Coupe -4.9%
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque PHEV -4.4%
Volkswagen ID.4 EV -4.3%
Citroen C5 Aircross -4.2%

Source: Cazana, March data

Skoda Octavia 10.7%
BMW 1 Series Hatchback 10.3%
Kia XCee’d 9.9%
Ford S-Max Hybrid HEV 7.7%
Audi A3 Sportback 7.2%
Porsche Macan 7.2%
Dacia Sandero Stepway 6.4%
Audi A1 Sportback 6.0%
Audi Q4 e-tron EV 5.9%
Cupra Formentor 5.7%

Martin said he expects dealers to start pushing the prices of EVs up if demand continues to increase. Several used car marketplaces have reported soaring interest in used electric cars as fuel prices continue to go up.

In terms of brands, BMW and Mini were top performers with average prices up 3% and 2.8% respectively. Mercedes was third with a 1.8% price rise.

Martin added: ‘As in previous months, estates and hatchbacks remain sweet spots for dealers, as volumes of SUVs continue to dominate. With volumes of part-exchanges increasing from March plate change activity, it will be interesting to see whether retailers can continue to edge prices up, or whether the distractions of Bank Holidays in April and May will lead potential customers away from car buying activities.’

Watch the video interview and Martin’s update on the very latest used car prices at the top of this post.

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Used car prices rose 1% in March despite weakening consumer confidence, showing market resilience.

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Rising fuel costs are driving demand for electric vehicles, potentially reshaping the used car market dynamics.

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BMW and Mini led price gains at 3% and 2.8% respectively, while some luxury models actually declined in value.

Car dealer facing jail after scamming customers out of more than £30,000

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:42 +0000

Ryan Knox worked for Richard Hardie MG in Ashington, where he defrauded clients over a two-month period in the summer of 2025.

The new and used car sale executive gave customers his own bank details rather than those of his employer, allowing him to personally bag £33,600 that was meant for the dealer group.

Knox’s scam was eventually discovered by the firm and reported to the police, who arrested the 32-year-old and charged him with one count of fraud by abuse of position.

The Chronicle reports that since being uncovered, Knox has repaid £10,900 to the retailer after borrowing money.

However, he still owes a hefty £22,700 and last week appeared at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to the fraud offence.

The court heard from Prosecutor, Clare Haswell, who said that the scam took place between June 18 and August 20.

‘Richard Hardie car garage employed the defendant as a sales manager in summer 2025,’ she explained.

‘He had responsibility for a team and could sell stock himself. He then sold thirteen vehicles to other dealers, totalling £33,600, and, instead of Richard Hardie receiving the funds, the defendant gave his bank details and he received the funds.’

It was also heard that the starting point for the offence was three years in prison – placing it outside of the magistrates’ sentencing powers.

The case was therefore referred to Newcastle Crown Court and Knox was released on unconditional bail.

He will next appear in court on May 5.

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Car dealer Ryan Knox stole £33,600 by giving customers his own bank details instead of his employer's.

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This case highlights vulnerabilities in dealership payment processes and the need for stronger financial controls.

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Knox has repaid only £10,900 of the stolen funds and faces up to three years in prison.

Official: Huge used car supermarket Cargiant will close on April 24

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:38 +0000

Bosses have been consulting with employees for more than a month at the business which was once the most profitable used car supermarket in the UK.

Owner Geoffrey Warren has been weighing up his options for the site after the land was valued at nearly £100m.

Now, after weeks of consulting staff, employees have been told the business will close on April 24.

An insider said: ‘It was confirmed today (Friday) that the company will shut – as all other options are not viable – on April 24.’

Cargiant confirmed the news in a statement to Car Dealer Magazine this morning.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Cargiant’s retail operations.

‘This decision follows an extensive consultation process with our team, during which we carefully explored all potential options to secure a viable future for the business. We would like to sincerely thank our colleagues for their commitment, professionalism, and the constructive way they engaged throughout that process.

‘Unfortunately, despite those efforts, we have concluded that the business is no longer commercially sustainable in its current form. This reflects a combination of factors, including a continued reduction in the supply of used vehicles, primarily driven by the EV mandate, alongside rising operating costs and increasing complexity within the used car market.

‘Cargiant has been a major part of the UK motor industry for more than 50 years, pioneering the used car supermarket model and growing to become the UK’s largest independent car dealership.

‘Over that time, we have sold more than one million vehicles and supported thousands of people in building careers in the motor industry and beyond.

‘We are immensely proud of what has been achieved over that period, and we would like to express our sincere thanks to all our staff, past and present, as well as our customers, partners, and suppliers, for their loyalty and support over many years.

‘The business will now move into a managed wind-down, with remaining retail stock being sold over the coming weeks.

‘Our after-sales operation, including an office support team, will continue beyond the closure of retail activity to support customers and ensure that existing commitments are properly fulfilled.

‘While this marks the end of an era for Cargiant, it also represents a new beginning for many of our people, whose experience, resilience, and professionalism will continue to create opportunities well into the future.’

The firm is based on a sprawling near-50 acre site located at Park Royal/Old Oak Common in West London.

It is directly beside a planned HS2 interchange which will connect HS2, the Elizabeth Line, overland and other transport links.

The value of the land has yo-yoed in the company accounts over previous years but in its latest set a £98.8m value had been placed on the site.

Cargiant directors have been trying to find a buyer for the business and the land, but have now told staff that no suitable offers have come forward to keep the business running as a going concern.

The firm once had more than 2,000 cars for sale at the dealership and was one of the busiest used car supermarkets in the UK.

Last year Cargiant chalked up a £121.2m pre-tax profit thanks to the revaluation of the land. That pushed up pre-tax profits for the used car dealer from a pre-tax loss in 2023 of £22.4m.

Cargiant’s majority shareholder Warren was 70th on the Sunday Times Rich List last year with a net worth of more than £2.5bn.

The dealership was the 22nd most profitable car dealership in the UK according to the most recent Car Dealer Top 100 which looks at EBITDA profit.

Image credit: Google

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The UK's largest independent car dealership closes after 50 years, citing EV mandate and supply shortages.

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This signals major disruption in the used car market as traditional supermarket models struggle to adapt.

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The closure frees up a £100m West London site next to a planned HS2 interchange for redevelopment.

West Motor Company agrees 'milestone' deal to buy former Harwoods Land Rover site

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:34 +0000

The dealer group has signed off on the acquisition of the ex-Harwoods Land Rover site in Edenbridge, marking its first acquisition outside of the M25.

Bosses say the location represents an ‘excellent opportunity’ for the business, after agreeing to pay an undisclosed fee.

Prior to Harwoods closing the site, the previous owners ploughed significant investment into the showroom, with the location now offering around 23,000 sq ft of built accommodation on a substantial 4.5‑acre plot.

West Motor Company now says it is ‘exploring future operational opportunities’ and an announcement on its future use is expected in due course.

Dubai firm DxB Auto Investments buys Harwoods’ JLR and BMW operations in UK expansion

A spokesman for the dealer group said: ‘We are delighted to have completed the purchase of the former Harwoods Land Rover site in Edenbridge.

‘The property represents an excellent opportunity, underpinned by its strong South East location, generous site area, and established automotive heritage.

‘We look forward to integrating the site into our portfolio and exploring future operational opportunities in line with market demand.

‘We would also like to extend our thanks to Pav Panesar of Knight Frank, who identified this opportunity and advised us throughout the acquisition process.’

The new showroom joins West Motor Company’s existing trio of sites in Bromley, Kingston and Barnes.

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West Motor Company expands beyond M25 for first time with Kent Land Rover site acquisition.

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This signals ambitious growth plans for the dealer group into new regional markets.

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The 23,000 sq ft site sits on 4.5 acres and joins three existing London locations.

Doncaster dealership sells off assets following collapse into administration

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:19:30 +0000

The website states the ‘entire contents’ of the dealership is up for sale and has been catalogued for the online auction.

Items range from official Volkswagen AG parts, new tyres, to workshop tools and lifts. Every showroom item from lighting and screens, to sofas and displays has been listed – even the artificial Christmas tree.

Hayselden told staff on December 5 that it would be closing down with immediate effect, leaving them out of work three weeks before Christmas.

At the time, staff told the Doncaster Free Press: ‘All the staff are gutted – everyone made redundant just before Christmas.

‘People have really been done over – some have more than 40 years’ service and have been treated badly.’

Administrators FRP Advisory instructed Walker Singleton to dispose of the company’s assets.

Joel Carroll, asset specialist at Walker Singleton, commented: ‘Hayselden has invested in plant, equipment and specialist tooling and we expect a significant amount of interest given the quality of the equipment.

‘Our team has transformed the dealership into an auction showroom and we are now presenting an opportunity for all German marque specialists and enthusiasts alike to benefit from main dealer quality.’

Those interested in the online auction can place their bids before 12pm on April 23. There will also be an open viewing day from 8am to 2pm on Tuesday, April 21 at the dealership.

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Hayselden VW/Skoda dealership's entire contents being auctioned after Christmas closure left staff jobless.

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The sudden shutdown highlights ongoing pressures facing independent car dealerships in challenging markets.

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Online auction runs until April 23 with viewing day April 21 for specialist tools and equipment.

Polestar hits quarterly sales record as dealer numbers double

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:46:29 +0000

Polestar, the premium electric car brand, has announced a quarterly sales record, with more than 13,100 new EVs hitting the roads.

A rapid rise in the number of Polestar dealers has helped to drive this growth, with sales points up by half in a year.

Polestar now has 230 retail sales points globally, and plans to hit 250 dealers by the end of 2026. This equates to growth of 20 percent in a year.

Dealer growth in the UK, Polestar’s largest global market, has already outpaced this in 2026.

Overall, Polestar’s global sales grew by seven percent in Q1 of 2026 to an estimated 13,126 cars, says the NASDAQ-listed firm.

“There was a strong performance in key markets such as Australia, Germany, Sweden, South Korea and the UK,” said CEO Michael Lohscheller, “testament to the hard work of our teams and our established brand position”.

The UK’s fastest growing premium brand

Sharp growth in Australia was particularly noteworthy as it came on the back of heightened concern around energy prices, particularly oil prices, due to the conflict in Iran.

Lohscheller said the performance shows resilience, “with market conditions becoming more challenging amid ongoing geopolitical developments”.

Around a third of Polestars sold in 2026 thus far were delivered to customers in the UK. Sales are up 12.3 percent year-to-date, with Polestar now bigger in Britain than Lexus, Jeep, Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

“Polestar UK has seen a record Q1 and remains the fastest-growing premium brand,” said UK MD Matt Galvin.

“We have seen a significant uplift in interest owing to ‘pump anxiety’ replacing the outdated term of ‘charging anxiety’.”

Motoring Research recently spoke to Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller. Look out for the full interview soon

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Polestars can now use Plug & Charge devices – including Tesla’s!

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Polestar achieved record Q1 2026 sales of 13,126 vehicles, driven by doubling dealer network to 230 locations.

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This growth amid geopolitical tensions shows electric vehicles gaining resilience against oil price volatility.

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The UK represents one-third of Polestar's sales, where it now outsells established brands like Lexus and Jeep.

Porsche Sales Slipped Early In 2026

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:37:48 +0000

Porsche is off to a slow start in 2026. In the first quarter, the sports car maker delivered 60,991 vehicles worldwide—down 15 percent compared to the same period last year.

Much of the decline is tied to weak demand in China and North America, particularly for the company’s electric vehicles. At the same time, Porsche is dealing with some self-inflicted challenges, including questionable strategic decisions.

Entry-Level Gap

Some of the brand’s issues begin at the lower end of its lineup. Production of the Boxster and Cayman has ended, while their electric replacements have been delayed. A new platform—also intended for Audi models—has been pushed back, leaving Porsche without either gas-powered or electric options in this segment. That gap is costing the company valuable sales.

There are also signs of strain in Porsche’s EV strategy. Under former CEO Oliver Blume, the company pushed aggressively toward electrification without fully securing the transition. Sales chief Matthias Becker says overall deliveries are meeting expectations, but points to the upcoming all-electric Cayenne as a critical focus. The SUV is expected to help drive demand starting this summer.

Weakening Demand in China

China remains Porsche’s biggest concern. Deliveries there fell 21 percent to just 7,519 vehicles. The company notes clear signs of buyer hesitation and has deliberately avoided heavy discounting. In a market defined by intense price competition, that strategy puts Porsche at a disadvantage, as local brands gain ground with more affordable and increasingly competitive models.

The situation is especially stark for the Taycan. Porsche’s first electric sports sedan has nearly vanished from the Chinese market, with fewer than 50 units registered across January and February combined.

Pressure In North America & Europe

North America is performing better than China, but it still saw a decline. Porsche delivered 18,344 vehicles in the region from January through March, down 11 percent. Profitability is also under pressure due to high US tariffs, since all models are imported from Europe. Without local production, these costs continue to squeeze margins.

In Europe, another strategic decision is weighing on performance. Porsche chose not to update the gasoline-powered Macan to meet current EU emissions standards, planning instead to transition fully to the electric version. As a result, the combustion model is no longer available in the EU—even though demand remains.

Globally, Porsche delivered 18,209 Macans in the first quarter, including 10,130 gas-powered units. The conventional version will remain available in markets outside the EU through the summer.

Macan Declines, While The 911 Holds Strong

Total Macan sales fell 23 percent. Porsche attributes this to the shift toward the electric model, the end of U.S. tax incentives for EVs and hybrids, and generally softer demand for electric vehicles. Together, regulatory pressure and a cooling EV market are hitting the SUV particularly hard.

Among individual models, the Cayenne remains Porsche’s best-seller with 19,183 deliveries, though that’s down 4 percent year over year. An all-electric version is expected to roll out gradually starting this summer. Meanwhile, the iconic 911 continues to perform strongly, with sales rising 22 percent to 13,889 units—helping stabilize the business in an otherwise challenging environment.

Financial Performance Takes a Hit

More concerning than the drop in deliveries is the financial impact. Profit after tax fell to €310 million last year, a steep 91.4 percent decline from nearly €3.6 billion in 2024. Revenue also dropped by about 10 percent to €36.3 billion.

Porsche says it is now reassessing its electrification strategy after recognizing that its original EV targets were too ambitious. The company is undergoing a broader course correction that will likely involve revisiting key product decisions.

Motor1's Take: Porsche sales continue to slip as the company hopes to rebound following a tumultuous 2025. With new products on the horizon—like the upcoming Cayenne EV—the company sees the tides turn over the next few months.

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Porsche's Q1 2026 deliveries dropped 15% to 60,991 vehicles due to weak EV demand and strategic missteps.

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The decline signals broader challenges in luxury EV transition amid cooling electric vehicle markets globally.

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Porsche's profit plummeted 91% last year while the iconic 911 remained strong with 22% sales growth.

Apr 9: Fuel price hopes; One-off Mini; Iran war latest; Temperatures soar

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:57 +0000

The UK’s average price of diesel has surpassed 190p a litre, having surged by more than a third since the start of the Iran war, new figures show.

But experts said the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran has raised hopes that pump prices could ‘top out’ in the coming days.

The average price of diesel was 190.6p on Wednesday morning, up 34% since February 28, the RAC said.

Lexus announces prices and specifications for ES electric saloon

Lexus has revealed prices and specifications of the ES electric saloon ahead of its on-sale date later this year.

The ES is a premium four-door saloon that is a left-field choice among British buyers, taking on cars such as the BMW i5.

The latest model will be available in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus and Takumi.

Mini creates one-off John Cooper Works Convertible for longtime enthusiast

Mini has created a one-off John Cooper Works Convertible for a long-serving customer.

Named the ‘Mini.01’, the car will be delivered to the client in the United States, while the vehicle was produced at the firm’s plant in Oxford.

The Mini.01 features a triple-layered two-tone paint finish in Midnight Black and a unique shade of metallic green chosen by the customer.

The markets

Stocks in London soared on Wednesday, as oil prices fell back sharply after the US and Iran struck a two-week ceasefire.

The FTSE 100 closed up 260.09 points, 2.5%, at 10,608.88. The FTSE 250 ended up 878.38 points, 4.1%, at 22,434.83, and the AIM All-Share rose 25.38 points, 3.4%, to 763.81.

In European equities on Wednesday, the Cac 40 in Paris closed up 4.5%, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt jumped 5.1%.

Failed supercar dealer GVE London has raised just £40,100 from asset sales against debts exceeding £1.1m. Administrators continue investigating disputed vehicle ownership, with some cars returned but others still under review as efforts to repay creditors continue.

FirstRand Bank plans to exit the UK by selling Aldermore after slamming the Financial Conduct Authority redress scheme as ‘unfair’. It has increased provisions to £750m, citing excessive costs and regulatory risk.

Close Brothers Group expects the Financial Conduct Authority redress scheme to cost about £320m, covering 720,000 loans. It says the impact is manageable, with average payouts around £500 and no change yet to its existing provisions.

Motorpoint expects FY26 pre-tax profits to jump 83% to £7.5m after record sales of 65,000 cars. Strong margins and AI-driven sales helped offset inflation, with further growth planned including a new Leeds site.

Iran ceasefire under threat as Tehran closes Strait of Hormuz again

The US has demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Republic closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

Tehran’s move cast doubt over whether an already precarious ceasefire to end more than a month of war would hold.

The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the agreement, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries.

Co-op plans to take over hundreds of shops in Southern Co-op deal

The Co-op Group is planning to take over Southern Co-op in a deal that would add hundreds of food and funeral shops to the retail giant’s chain.

The societies announced proposals that would need to be approved by members to go ahead. It involves bringing Southern Co-op’s 300,000 members into the seven million-strong Co-op Group, as well as its roughly 300 food, funeral and Starbucks coffee branches.

Co-op Group will also gain its three crematoria under the deal, enabling it to re-enter the growing market alongside its funeral services.

UK hits highest early April temperature in 80 years, Met Office says

Wednesday was the hottest day recorded in the first half of April since 1946, the Met Office said.

Temperatures reached a high of 26.6C in Kew Gardens, south west London, the forecaster said. The record temperature is the highest recorded in the United Kingdom during the first half of April in the last 80 years.

However, today is expected to see rain and cooler, showery weather moving southeast across the UK.

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Diesel prices hit 190.6p per litre, up 34% since Iran war began, but ceasefire may halt further rises.

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Energy costs directly impact household budgets and business operations across all sectors of the economy.

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The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20% of global oil transit, making it a critical chokepoint for energy markets.

FCA launches sale or return crackdown after sudden closures of GVE London and Targa Florio

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:52 +0000

In the past six months, Car Dealer has reported on the closures of GVE London and Targa Florio – both of whom had been operating a sale or return approach.

The demise of the duo sparked fury from customers, many of whom claimed they had been left out of pocket and without their cars.

Car Dealer reported yesterday (Apr 9) that GVE London is still holding some customer cars, months on from its collapse, with investigations ongoing to establish who actually owns the vehicles.

The situation has now piqued the interest of the UK’s financial watchdog, which is said to be writing to dealers who currently advertise sale or return.

Automotive legal firm Lawgistics, says that the FCA is ‘demanding evidence of robust risk controls, clear consumer communications and board-level oversight’.

The regulator has not yet to responded to our approach for a comment, but Lawgistics has warned dealers that they need to comply, should a letter come their way.

It is understood that the FCA is looking into issues around risk management processes; consumer understanding and communication; policies, procedures and oversight.

An FCA spokesperson said: ‘As part of our routine supervisory work, we engage with firms to better understand business models.

‘This helps us to operate as a smarter regulator so we can meet our strategic objectives and protect consumers from potential harm.’

Targa Florio collapsed with £500,000 debts as failed supercar dealer reveals liabilities

In a blog on the firm’s website, John McDougall, a legal advisor at Lawgistics, wrote: ‘It is never nice to see any business fail. However, it appears that a number of customers have been left without cars or money in these scenarios, which raises concerns for the FCA.

‘These high-profile cases have clearly piqued the interest of the FCA, and it has now started writing to firms to ascertain whether there is an issue in this space.

‘If you receive one of these letters, you must respond within the timeframe. Ignoring it is not an option for an FCA-regulated firm.

‘If you advertise that you offer sale or return on your website, do not be surprised if you receive a letter. Even if you do not handle much of this business, you will still need to comply with the FCA’s request for information.’

Prior to the crisis, Car Dealer visited GVE London as part of our Selling Supercars series. You can watch the full video below:

Context:

FCA targets sale-or-return car dealers after GVE London and Targa Florio left customers without cars or money.

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This protects consumers from losing vehicles and deposits when dealers using this risky business model collapse.

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Sale-or-return allows dealers to sell cars they don't own, creating complex ownership disputes when businesses fail.

Big Motoring World reveals record sales in Q1 as firm looks to move on from Waddell saga

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:47 +0000

The used car supermarket group has found itself in the headlines of late, with two rounds of redundancies coinciding with the firm’s founder Peter Waddell suing current bosses for for unfair dismissal, harassment and disability discrimination.

A verdict in that claim is expected over the coming weeks but in the meantime, the firm has revealed an upturn in trading.

More job losses expected at Big Motoring World as employees are left ‘without direction or support’

In a statement issued this morning (Apr 9), the firm says that it sold over 18,300 used vehicles across its 10 sites in the opening three months of 2026.

The result is up 25% on the previous year, and represents the group’s best ever Q1 by unit sales.

The business says it also set successive new single-month sales records in January, February and March – with two of its locations exceeding 1,000 sales in a single month for the very first time.

When it came to EV sales, electric transactions accounted for 26% of deals, with volumes rising by 79% compared to the same period last year.

‘Deeply unsatisfied’ Big Motoring World staff hit out as redundancies are confirmed

Reacting to the sales figures, Laurence Vaughan, CEO, at Big Motoring World, said: ‘These outstanding results reflect the huge efforts made by people at all levels in our organisation to transform how we operate.

‘From increased efficiency in vehicle preparation to the delivery of an improved customer journey, every element of Big Motoring World is being enhanced to maximise output and results.

‘We are determined to carry this momentum through the rest of 2026 to benefit our customers and our growing nationwide team.

‘We are determined to become the best used car retailer in the UK by offering the best choice, best value and best quality in the sector.’

Bosses will be hoping the improved sales will help to improve the business’s fortunes, after it slumped to a pre-tax loss of a £10.7m in its most recent set of annual accounts.

Despite being ousted as CEO, Peter Waddell remains the firm’s majority shareholder.

When approached by Car Dealer for comment he said the numbers were below where he would expect and he repeated his calls for CEO Laurence Vaughan to resign.

He said: ‘We used to be selling 4,300 cars with just five sites. Since then the firm has bought five massive sites and by my maths should be at around 27,000 sales in the quarter.

‘It is all well and good saying they’re up on last year, but last year was diabolical.

‘I have made it very clear that I want Laurence Vaughan gone. That time has now come.’

Context:

Big Motoring World posted record Q1 sales of 18,300 vehicles, up 25% year-on-year despite ongoing leadership disputes.

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Strong sales performance could help offset the company's £10.7m pre-tax loss and stabilize operations amid internal turm

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Founder Peter Waddell remains majority shareholder while suing current management, claiming sales should be much higher.

Mitsubishi appoints first new dealer partners return to UK sales edges nearer

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:42 +0000

Car Dealer reported in February at the outfit was in ‘advanced negotiations’ with potential partners, ahead of vehicles arriving in showrooms in May.

It has now been confirmed that 33 new sales sites will open in the first wave of the brand’s return, with further appointments expected soon, as bosses look to head towards 60 locations.

The initial uptake sees the return of a number of long-standing Mitsubishi dealers, including Humphries & Parks in Maidstone, Adam Purves in Galashiels and Fields of Bromsgrove, Celtic Mitsubishi in Swansea.

Other familiar names to the brand’s customers include JT Hughes in Shrewsbury and Tweedmouth in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Reacting to the news, Michael Deans, managing director at Tweedmouth Service Station Ltd, said: ‘The all-new Mitsubishi L200 and Outlander models look and drive fantastically well, as you would expect, and we can’t wait to get them to the dealership to show them off to our loyal Mitsubishi customers.

‘As a Mitsubishi dealer for now 44 years, we have lived and breathed the Mitsubishi franchise since 1982, and as a family business, we have always felt proud to represent the brand.

‘We look forward to a new chapter and to a great future once again.’

Mitsubishi to kick off UK return with new versions of Outlander PHEV and L200 pick-up

As well as the returning favourites, a number of new names have also signed up to represent Mitsubishi upon its return.

These include York Mitsubishi, F J Chalke in Wincanton, Jeffries of Bacton and Startin in Twyford.

Philip Jeffries, of newly appointed Jeffries of Bacton, said: ‘2026 is a year of celebration for us as we celebrate our 75th anniversary of trading in Bacton, near Stowmarket in Suffolk.

‘We are delighted to have been appointed as one of the new dealers for Mitsubishi Motors in the UK network and to represent the respected and well-known Japanese brand.

‘Jeffries’ family history is rooted in Suffolk agriculture, and many of our existing customers drive 4×4 pickups and SUVs, so the new Mitsubishi L200 Series 7 and Outlander PHEV are an exciting addition to our business.’

Bosses at the manufacturer say that their burgeoning dealer network, which also includes 105 operational aftersales sites across the UK, now has the necessary ‘experience, enthusiasm and knowledge’.

Sharon Townsend, head of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: ‘We are pleased to welcome back so many familiar dealers as authorised sales points.

‘The experience, enthusiasm and knowledge they bring to the network and our customers are vitally important, and it will be wonderful to see new Mitsubishi vehicles back in their dealerships.

‘We are also pleased to welcome some new partners to the franchise.

‘The news around Mitsubishi vehicle sales has generated considerable interest from customers and dealers alike, and we look forward to completing our new dealer sales network in the coming weeks.’

Context:

Mitsubishi announces 33 new UK dealer partners as Japanese brand prepares May showroom return.

Context:

This marks a significant comeback for the brand after withdrawing from UK sales previously.

Context:

The network will expand to 60 locations, mixing returning dealers with new franchise partners.

Apr 10: Fuel stocks fall; OpenAI fires warning to government; Cupra’s Renault 5 rival

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:37 +0000

Stocks of petrol and diesel at filling stations in the UK have fallen since the start of the Iran conflict, though the size of the drop varies across the country, figures show.

Petrol stock levels at garages averaged between 44% and 47% in the four weeks leading up to the start of the war on February 28.

But in the four weeks beginning March 1, levels across the UK averaged between 36% and 43%, according to data published on Thursday by the Department for Energy & Net Zero.

OpenAI says energy costs and regulation hold back major UK investment

ChatGPT developer OpenAI has halted plans for a major UK data centre project as it said energy costs and regulation were holding back investment.

The US technology giant had agreed to deploy its Stargate data centre project at a new artificial intelligence (AI) growth zone in the north-east of England.

Stargate UK was expected to be based across a number of sites including Cobalt Park near Newcastle and Blyth.

Cupra’s Raval arrives as key rival to Renault 5

Cupra has revealed its latest electric car – the Raval.

Building on months of teasers and camouflage models, the new Raval has now been showcased in production form ahead of its arrival in the summer.

The first of a new wave of small electric models from the Volkswagen Group – which will include cars such as the Skoda Epiq and Volkswagen ID.Polo – the Raval sits atop a new MEB+ platform which has been designed to maximise interior space while keeping exterior proportions compact.

The markets

The FTSE 100 nursed modest losses on Thursday as doubts grew over the strength and sustainability of the US-Iran ceasefire.

The FTSE 100 closed down 5.40 points, 0.1%, at 10,603.48, while the FTSE 250 ended down 229.19 points, 1.0%, at 22,205.64.

In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed down 0.2%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt declined 1.1%.

Financial Conduct Authority is investigating ‘sale or return’ models after collapses like GVE London. Dealers may face scrutiny over risk controls and customer protections, with warnings to respond promptly to regulator enquiries or risk further action.

Mitsubishi Motors has appointed 33 UK dealers ahead of its return, targeting 60 sites. The network includes former partners and new entrants, with models like the Outlander PHEV and L200 arriving in showrooms from May.

Big Motoring World sold 18,300 cars in Q1 2026, up 25% and a record performance, with EV sales surging 79%. The update comes amid ongoing redundancies and a legal battle with founder Peter Waddell.

UK tracked three Russian submarines in North Atlantic for a month, Healey says

The UK and allies tracked a Russian attack submarine and two spy submarines loitering over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic for a month before they retreated, John Healey has revealed.

A British warship and aircraft were deployed to deter ‘malign’ activity by Moscow in waters off the UK’s northern coast, the Defence Secretary said.

He said Vladimir Putin had sought to capitalise on the world being “distracted” by the Iran war and that he poses ‘the primary threat to UK security’.

Melania Trump denies ‘false’ Jeffrey Epstein smears in public statement

US first lady Melania Trump has denied ties to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and called for survivors to be able to give evidence to Congress.

Mrs Trump made the remarks in a rare public statement at the White House and it was not immediately clear what prompted her to speak out about the issue now.

The Epstein scandal and controversy over the release of official documents has been a political headache for her husband Donald Trump, putting a spotlight on his past friendship with the late sex offender, which he has said ended decades ago.

Weather outlook…

The UK will today experience a mixed and slightly unsettled spring day.

In the south, expect variable cloud with some sunny spells and temperatures around 12–13 °C. The Midlands will be mostly cloudy with occasional light showers.

In northern England and Scotland, it will be cooler and greyer, with patchy rain and highs near 9–11 °C, feeling fresher overall.

Context:

UK fuel stocks dropped 8-11% since Iran conflict began, affecting petrol and diesel availability nationwide.

Context:

Energy costs and regulation are deterring major tech investments, potentially weakening UK's AI competitiveness.

Context:

The new Cupra Raval launches this summer as part of Volkswagen Group's small electric vehicle expansion.

Weekly Briefing: Which car brands are most at risk of the Chinese newcomers?

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:32 +0000

For this week’s edition of the Car Dealer Weekly Briefing, he takes a closer look at the March new car sales figures and tries to work out which brands are most at risk of extinction.

As Chinese makers leap up the list – and the Jaecoo 7 tops the best selling cars chart – which legacy manufacturers will be soul searching about their future?

Also this week, Jaguar’s MD Rawdon Glover tells him what it’s like at the firm post-Gerry McGovern.

Also this week:

FCA crackdown on sale or return
Motonovo owner to pull out
Motorpoint’s record figures
New car sales: Best March since 2019
Mitsubishi appoints first dealers
Hendy accounts late
Allen Ford restructures
G3 Auctions sold

To read the weekly briefing, you usually need to be a subscriber on Substack, but this week’s post is free to all. You can sign up to the mailing list below.

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.

Context:

Chinese brands like Jaecoo are rapidly climbing sales charts, threatening established car manufacturers.

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This shift could reshape the entire automotive industry and force legacy brands to reinvent themselves.

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March 2024 saw the best new car sales figures since 2019, indicating a recovering market.

Peter Waddell v used car dealer Big Motoring World: What happens next?

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:27 +0000

Car Dealer has been covering all the drama from the High Court ever since proceedings got underway back in February, both attending proceedings in-person and pouring over thousands of pages of transcripts.

But what happens next in the case the whole of the motor trade has been hooked by? And just how much has it all cost?

Waddell is claiming unfair dismissal, harassment and disability discrimination by Bluebell Cars – the ultimate holding company of Big Motoring World – after he was ousted from the firm back in 2024.

The case has seen sizeable – and eye-wateringly expensive – legal teams battle it out for seven weeks, exposing the inner workings of Big Motoring World under the 59-year-old’s leadership.

Last week saw both sides deliver their closing arguments to Mr Justice Marcus Smith, who must now decide on a final outcome.

Sources close to the case have told Car Dealer that a decision is expected within six weeks, with a number of outcomes now on the table.

Should Waddell win, those in his camp claim he will regain control Big Motoring World and be able to buy back shares currently owned by investment group Freshstream, at market value.

Insiders close to the 59-year-old also insist that he would be due millions in losses, legal fees and reputational damage.

In a statement issued to Car Dealer via his team, Waddell said: ‘Freshstream will have to pay me £25m in losses, £20m in legal fees plus reputational damage for what they have done to the business.

‘They will also have to pay for the leases they have taken out on CarShop which they did without my approval.

‘I will then buy Freshstream’s shares at market value.’

Should the verdict go in favour of Bluebell and Freshstream, Waddell’s team say he will lose control of the board but remain the 64% majority shareholder.

In response, Freshstream’s legal team say that Waddell’s analysis of the situation is ‘wrong’.

They remain adamant that the former boss will not be resuming control of Big Motoring World, regardless of the outcome, and say that any remedy could still be subject to a future trial.

One insider, with an intimate knowledge of the case, told Car Dealer: ‘Mr Waddell’s representatives are wrong in their analysis.

‘If Mr Waddell’s claim fails, Freshstream will maintain control of Big (notwithstanding Mr Waddell’s majority shareholding).

‘Mr Waddell will not return to Big’s management and it is likely that the various respondents would seek orders that he pays their legal costs in the region of £25m.

‘The court has already ruled that, if it concludes that Mr Waddell has been unfairly prejudiced, the question of what remedy (if any) it should grant to Mr Waddell should be determined in a different, later trial.

‘As such, even if the Court finds that Mr Waddell has been unfairly prejudiced, it would not make orders in its judgment that he regains control of Big and/or is entitled to damages.

‘Mr Waddell would have to seek those orders at a second, contested trial in the future.

‘There is also the possibility of appeals by the parties.’

Waddell’s demands

Throughout the evidence, the court heard from a number of witnesses who outlined abuse and misconduct that they saw from Waddell.

Among the most bizarre exchanges came when it was alleged that Waddell demanded an employee write him an apology card and bring him a lemon meringue pie, following a disagreement.

The incident was confirmed by Big Motoring World’s commercial director, Neil Hodson who told the court he ‘drove the colleague to the shop to get the lemon meringue pie and was in the meeting room when it was delivered’.

During cross examination, Waddell’s barrister, Alan Gourgey KC suggested that the demand had been a joke – an assessment that Hodson disagreed with.

Elsewhere, a female employee alleged that Waddell made a string of inappropriate remarks including a comment about liking women ‘on their hands and knees’.

Another colleague claimed to have heard Waddell tell a July 2023 meeting that he had a ‘big car’ and a ‘little willy’.

The comments were just a small selection of the allegations put to the court, with Freshstream outlining a culture that left Waddell ‘free to give vent to the sexist, racist and bullying aspects of his character’.

Misconduct allegations pour in

Throughout the case, the defence have argued that Waddell was ousted from the used car supermarket group as a result of his own misconduct.

In the early stages, James Laddie, KC, representing Bluebell Cars, said that Waddell had ran Big Motoring World as a ‘fiefdom’.

The court later heard about a string of misconduct allegations from Waddell’s time at the top of the company.

Car Dealer was in court on day 10 of proceedings when it was heard that the motor trade tycoon had nicknamed one of his employees ‘Ching the P***’ and was accused of labelling another a ‘muslim w***er’. He also admitted to referring to Hindus as ‘Hyundais’.

Graeme McPherson KC, who represents current Big Motoring World CEO, Laurence Vaughan, labelled Waddell a ‘foul tempered bully’ as he outlined a slew of allegations about his conduct.

The court heard that the businessman told a male employee in Peterborough that he would ‘bend him over the desk and f*** him up the a***’, while he subjected another to a ‘utterly humiliating experience’ by ‘screaming’ at him.

Later in the hearing, Big Motoring World employee Tom Clarke told the court he had been left in ‘absolute shock’ after Waddell told him his home and office had been bugged.

A sweep of the office found that Waddell’s claims were untrue there were untrue, but it was never established whether or not his home was under surveillance or not.

It was also revealed that Waddell told members of staff when he had sex the previous night, and would ask male employees if they had as well.

When the comments were put to him, the car dealer said he used the tactic to be ‘motivational’ and compared his behaviour to the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’.

Investigation was ‘unfair and discriminatory’

Waddell was dismissed from Big Motoring World after an internal investigation upheld several misconduct allegations against him.

Legal papers reveal that Freshstream investigated 27 allegations, some of which Waddell denies and some of which he claims were taken out of context.

However, throughout the proceedings, his legal team have raised a number of concerns about the way the investigation was conducted.

On the opening day of the hearing, Waddell claimed he had been victim of a ‘coup’ to oust him,

During proceedings, it was also revealed that Tom Clarke and Neil Hodson – both of whom sat on the investigation committee into Waddell – received a ‘PW bonus’ after his departure.

Waddell’s eventual replacement as CEO – Laurence Vaughan – was the final member of the investigation committee and he received a £100,000 bonus for 2024, despite profitability dropping ‘very significantly’ compared to the previous year.

Gourgey suggested the bonuses were inappropriate and questioned whether they were effectively rewards for participation in the investigation – something Vaughan dismissed as ‘complete nonsense’.

Vaughan was also accused of being ‘paid by two masters’ after the court heard that he was paid a £145,000 ‘consultancy fee’ by Freshstream in late 2023 in a payment which was kept ‘secret’ from Waddell.

Earlier in proceedings it was also revealed that Waddell was kept in the dark about the allegations that led to his ousting for almost a month after being suspended from the firm.

Waddell was suspended from his position as CEO of the used car supermarket group on March 7, 2024 – following a number of misconduct complaints.

However, evidence presented in London revealed that the formal allegations were not provided to him until April 2 – almost four weeks later.

The court also heard that Waddell was asked to attend an investigation interview on April 9, giving him just six days to respond to the allegations, with a written response required 24 hours before the meeting.

Freshstream insisted that Waddell – who was signed off with anxiety at the time – did not ‘engage’ with the process and accused him of interfering with witnesses.

Disabilities come under the microscope

During his own evidence, Waddell told the court he suffers from severe dyslexia and that he uses nicknames to help remember people.

A medical professional who assessed the car dealer as part of his High Court trial says that the Big Motoring World founder suffers from ‘severe’ dyslexia that would be ‘nearly impossible’ to fake.

Dr Vana Avgerinou added that 59-year-old’s condition affects his reading, memory and language processing – giving results that could not be ‘exaggerated’.

Big Motoring World’s lawyer, James Laddie, questioned the severity of the motor trade tycoon’s condition, saying that he is is able to ‘read complex information and retain it’.

However, Dr Avgerinou disagreed, telling the court that her conclusions were based on a full diagnostic assessment, as well as multiple reports.

The six respondents in the case are Bluebell Cars Bidco Ltd, Bluebell Cars Holding Ltd, Bluebell Cars Topco Ltd and Big Motoring World directors Lawrence Vaughan, Reza Fardad and Thomas Clarke.

Mr Justice Marcus Smith is now considering his decision.

Government announces £700m of funding to support EV manufacturing in the UK

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:23 +0000

The measures include spending on training staff, major research and development projects and smaller battery innovation projects, in a move that ministers say will create a ‘thriving sector in the UK for decades to come’.

The news was confirmed by business secretary Peter Kyle, who said that the investment could allow automotive firms to operate with ‘stability and confidence’.

Of the £700m of taxpayer grants and support, the majority – £380m – has been assigned to ongoing work on JLR’s car battery plant in Somerset.

The landmark project was announced by the carmaker back in 2023 with the brand set to pour billions into development.

It was rumoured at the time that the then-Tory government had agreed to offer millions of pounds of support to the development, in order to secure the site for Britain, amid talks of it being built in Spain instead.

Labour has now confirmed what that support will look like, with building now well underway by Agratas – a construction firm that shares the same owner as JLR.

Speaking at the Bridgewater site, Kyle said: ‘In an unstable world, our modern industrial strategy is providing investors with the stability and confidence they need to plan not just for the next year but for the next ten years and beyond.

‘It will help ensure advanced manufacturing remains a thriving sector in the UK for decades to come.’

Of the remaining money, £90m is being provided to both JLR and Nissan to support EV research and development (R&D).

Elsewhere, The Times reports that £100m has been assigned to ‘tooling-up and training staff in the future electric vehicle supply chain’.

There will also be an additional £47m for R&D in other smaller battery innovation projects, with other funding on offer to help smaller firms adopt digital technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics.

Ministers also want to spend money on providing skills training in sixth forms and higher education, in order to secure the long-term security of the industry.

Writing for The Times, business secretary Kyle added that ‘Britain is done hesitating on the future of automotive’.

Competition for automotive investment is intensifying at speed, with major economies committing vast sums to secure manufacturing, batteries and supply chains for the long term. Against that backdrop, certainty and stability are decisive,’ he said.

‘So, we are going further than previous governments to make big commitments to British industry, so we can support a thriving private sector that is better protected to deliver the jobs and opportunities people need.

‘That is why delivering our modern industrial strategy matters so much.

‘By setting a clear, long-term direction — backing British manufacturing, strengthening supply chains and supporting the transition to electric — it gives investors and industry the confidence to commit capital, create jobs and build here in the UK.

‘In a volatile world, policy certainty is not a slogan; it is a competitive advantage.’

Pictured (via PA Images): Peter Kyle on a visit to the site of the upcoming JLR gigafactory in Somerset yesterday (Apr 9).

Context:

The £700m investment aims to secure UK's position in the global EV manufacturing race.

Context:

This funding could determine whether Britain remains competitive as countries pour billions into electric vehicle produc

Context:

JLR's Somerset gigafactory was nearly built in Spain before UK government intervention secured the project.

Nissan gets seal of approval after stepping in to help injured coastal wildlife

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:28:17 +0000

The special version of the SUV has been adapted for use by the Caithness Seal Rehabilitation and Release, a coastal wildlife sanctuary near John O’Groats.

Run by founders Phil and Clare Boardman and a team of volunteers, the charity rescues injured, abandoned or sick seal pups and nurses them back to health before returning them to the ocean. Since 2022, it has rescued and released more than 130 pups.

The model has been given all-season tyres, capable of handling wet and greasy slipways; a waterproof bootliner for transporting seal pups and additional roof bars to help carry emergency stretches.

The car, which is powered using Nissan’s e-Power hybrid setup, has also been given emergency lighting and a customer livery.

The team at the sanctuary say they thrilled with the new addition to their herd – which is now loved by seals and humans alike.

Clare said: ‘’The Qashqai e-Power has been very useful to us here at Caithness Seal Rehab and Release and Nissan have adapted it perfectly to suit our needs.

‘The car is wonderfully quiet so it’s ideal for transporting seals and it’s really comfortable – a dream to drive in fact!

‘As a small charity, we rely mainly on donations from the public. The costs of nursing a seal pup back to full health are considerable, so anything that improves our financial position is always welcome.

‘Our Qashqai has certainly been helping us reduce our transport costs. It’s a very fuel-efficient car, which is important, because we cover large distances when we’re picking up seal pups.’

The vehicle has been loaned to the group for four months free of charge and Nissan say they are ‘proud’ to partner with the team.

Cédric Benouarieche, head of product marketing (passenger vehicles) at Nissan Motors GB, said: ‘Our latest e‑Power technology delivers EV‑like refinement with the convenience of petrol and range of a diesel.

‘It’s fantastic to see the Caithness team putting the Qashqai to work where it really matters, helping protect Scotland’s coastal wildlife. We’re proud to support Phil, Clare and their incredible volunteers.’

Context:

Nissan provided a specially adapted Qashqai to help Scottish charity rescue over 130 seal pups since 2022.

Context:

Corporate partnerships with wildlife charities demonstrate how automotive innovation can support conservation efforts.

Context:

The hybrid e-Power vehicle's quiet operation makes it ideal for transporting stressed marine animals during rescue missi

Tesla Is Back on Top. The Numbers Behind That Headline Are More Complicated.

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:01:19 +0000

The headline is real. Tesla delivered 358,023 battery electric vehicles in the first quarter of 2026, edging past BYD's 310,389 pure EV sales to reclaim the quarterly lead it lost across all of 2025. The margin of roughly 48,000 units was enough for the win.

Everything else around that number is less clean.

Tesla: the win and the questions

As InsideEVs reports, BYD's Q1 dip was driven substantially by external factors rather than competitive weakness. Chinese New Year falls in Q1 and consistently depresses domestic EV volumes. On top of that, the Chinese government ended full EV purchase tax exemptions at the start of 2026, replacing them with a 5 percent levy, which added meaningful cost to domestic purchases at precisely the wrong moment. BYD's overseas business, by contrast, is accelerating hard: March alone saw 120,083 export shipments, a 65 percent year on year increase, with roughly 40 percent of monthly sales now coming from outside China for the first time. The 2025 full year numbers remain stark: BYD delivered 2,254,714 BEVs last year to Tesla's 1,636,129. A quarterly swing in Q1 does not change that gap.

Tesla's own quarter had real problems underneath the headline. The company produced 408,386 vehicles but delivered only 358,023, adding over 50,000 units to inventory in a single period. That production to delivery gap is the largest in the company's history. The 358,023 figure itself missed Wall Street's consensus of 365,645 by around 7,600 vehicles, and Tesla's stock fell more than 5 percent on the day the numbers were released. The company has now shed roughly 20 percent of its market value since January.

Europe was the bleakest market. Cars24 reports that Tesla's European sales fell 49 percent year on year, squeezed by competition from both legacy manufacturers and Chinese brands expanding on the continent. The Shanghai plant remains the company's engine room, contributing nearly 60 percent of global volume at 213,398 units.

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The Cybertruck was the one unambiguous bright spot, surging 111 percent year on year to 38,500 deliveries. The Model S and Model X have been discontinued to free up factory capacity for the Optimus humanoid robot and Cybercab robotaxi projects. Elon Musk's pivot away from conventional cars toward autonomous vehicles and robotics is now operational rather than rhetorical.

The question the quarter leaves open is whether Tesla's core business has genuine demand behind it or whether the inventory build signals a ceiling. Beating Q1 2025 looks less impressive when you note that Q1 2025 was Tesla's worst quarter in years, depressed by simultaneous production shutdowns across all four factories for the Model Y refresh. Beating a trough is not the same as demonstrating recovery.

As Jalopnik's Morning Shift put it, Tesla retook the EV selling crown as everyone seems to forget the sins of its very recent past. The brand damage in Europe from Musk's political activities, the customer boycotts, the collapsed sales figures across multiple markets: those are not ancient history. They are Q1 2026.

Audi: the deal that may not hold

Audi struck what it called an "Agreement for the Future" with its works council in March 2025, committing to cut 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029 while extending job protection guarantees until the end of 2033. The deal was presented as a settled framework.

It is not settled. Automotive News reports that labour representatives are now warning CEO Gernot Döllner to hold to the existing plan after he signalled that further efficiency measures may be necessary on top of what was already agreed. Döllner's public position has been consistent: Audi must become faster, more agile and more efficient, and that cannot be achieved without personnel adjustments. Workers at the Neckarsulm plant, where the future of the site remains formally unresolved despite €250 million in promised transformation funding, are particularly exposed to whatever comes next.

The broader VW Group context makes Audi's position harder. Volkswagen confirmed more than 35,000 job cuts across its German operations late last year. Porsche is cutting 1,900 positions. The combined reduction across the group runs to more than 40,000 roles. Audi has already shed around 9,500 jobs since 2019. The question its workers are now asking is whether the March 2025 agreement was a floor or a ceiling.

Two very different stories. One company trying to convince the market its recovery is real. Another trying to convince its workforce that the restructuring is finished.

Sources:

Apr 8: Student loan changes; Juke 'Pulse Edition; Trump agrees ceasefire

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:27:03 +0000

Activity in the UK’s services sector slowed last month as business and consumer spending were hit by war in the Middle East while cost inflation accelerated, increasing the risk of ‘stagflation’, according to a new survey.

The S&P Global UK services PMI survey, which is watched closely by economists, showed a reading of 50.5 in March, down from 53.9 in February.

This marked the lowest score for 11 months, but remained above the 50.0 threshold which indicates that activity is growing.

Millions of graduates to have student loan interest capped at 6%

Millions of graduates will have the interest on their student loans capped at 6% from September after mounting criticism over repayment costs as the UK braces for the economic fallout from the Iran war.

Ministers said the move would help ‘defend against the consequences of far-away conflicts in an uncertain world’ by protecting borrowers from the risk of rising inflation.

Plan 2 student loans are those taken out for undergraduate courses and Postgraduate Certificates of Education since September 1 2012 in Wales, and between September 1 2012 and July 31 2023 in England.

Nissan adds ‘Pulse Edition’ to Juke line-up

Nissan has added more appeal to the Juke model line-up with the ‘Pulse Edition.’

The Juke was the trailblazer of the compact crossover market in 2010, and sixteen years later, the Japanese brand has sold more than 1.4m units in 50 markets across the globe.

The Juke Pulse Edition adds more style with the exterior boasting a sound-wave inspired roof decal with the Pulse name integrated into the graphic. The car is finished off in Ocean Deep paint, a contrasting black roof and door mirror caps, as well as 19-inch Aero alloy wheels with Ocean Deep inserts.

The markets

European stocks retreated on Tuesday as investors took to the side-lines ahead of the latest deadline in the Iran war.

The FTSE 100 closed down 87.50 points, 0.8%, at 10,348.79.

In European equities on Tuesday, the Cac 40 in Paris closed down 0.7%, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt fell 1.1%.

Rawdon Glover said Jaguar’s controversial rebrand brought intense online backlash and personal attacks, including threats to staff. Despite this, he defended the bold overhaul as necessary to secure the brand’s long-term future and relevance.

Car Dealer explores Jaguar’s controversial relaunch, with experts saying the bold reset was necessary but possibly mistimed. While it generated huge attention, concerns remain over demand for luxury EVs and whether the gamble will pay off.

The SMMT reported March registrations rose 6.6% to 380,627 – the best since 2019 – driven by private demand and record EV sales. However, EV uptake still lags targets, with the Jaecoo 7 topping the charts.

Allen Ford has launched a major restructure after a £12.5m loss in 2025, down from a £3.5m profit. Asset write-downs, weak sales and higher costs hit performance, prompting redundancies, site closures and franchise exits to restore profitability.

Lloyds Banking Group will keep its £1.95bn provision for the car finance scandal despite Financial Conduct Authority rule changes. A £7.5bn scheme is expected, but legal action and uncertainties mean the final industry cost remains unclear.

Wireless Festival cancelled after Kanye West blocked from entering UK

Wireless Festival has been cancelled after US rapper Kanye West was blocked from entering the UK.

Music fans who have purchased tickets for the three performances by West, now known as Ye, scheduled for July in London’s Finsbury Park, will now be refunded.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Gold Digger rapper, who has used Nazi imagery and faced accusations of antisemitism, should never have been invited to headline the festival.

Trump agrees to halt bombing of Iran for two weeks subject to strait reopening

Donald Trump has agreed to a provisional two-week ceasefire in the Iran war after pulling back at the last-minute from his apocalyptic warning that ‘a whole civilisation will die’ unless Tehran met his demands.

Less than two hours before his deadline passed for Iran to agree a deal, the US president said he was suspending his threat to widen the military offensive to power plants and bridges subject to the reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway.

He said Tehran proposed a 10-point plan that provided ‘a workable basis on which to negotiate’.

April 7 UK’s warmest on record and hottest day of the year so far

The UK has experienced its warmest April 7 on record, the Met Office said as the country also enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far.

Temperatures soared yesterday (Tuesday), with 24.8C recorded in Mona, on the island of Anglesey in Wales.

Today is set to feel even warmer, particularly in central and south-east England, where temperatures could reach 26C, which is ‘well above’ the early April average of 12C to 15C.

Context:

UK services sector hits 11-month low as Middle East conflict dampens business confidence and spending.

Context:

Student loan cap protects millions from inflation while geopolitical tensions threaten broader economic stability.

Context:

The 6% cap applies to Plan 2 loans taken out between 2012-2023, affecting undergraduate and teaching courses.

Failed supercar dealer GVE London starts selling off assets as it continues to hold customer cars

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:26:59 +0000

That is according to new documents, recently published via Companies House, which show that returns to date remain modest.

Car Dealer reported back in October that Arvindar Jit Singh and David Hinrichsen of FRP Advisory had been appointed as administrators of the stricken firm, after their predecessor walked out after just 22 days.

At the time, it was reported that the business had 14 company creditors, owed a combined £449,111.89, as well as nine consumer creditors, to whom GVE owed £700,869.30.

Amid such sky-high debts, work to recoup money via asset sales, including proceeds from showroom equipment and trailers has been ongoing ever since.

The documents reveal that the sale has raised just £40,100 – well short of what would be needed to clear the outfit’s debts.

Issues also remain around the firm’s controversial sale or return model, with a number of ownership disputes over customer cars remaining live, months after GVE’s collapse.

In the latest progress report, covering the period from September 2025 to February 2026, administrators say: ‘A number of vehicles have been returned to their respective owners where ownership could be established.’

However, the report goes on to confirm that a number of cases remain unresolved, adding: ‘There remain a number of vehicles in storage where ownership is currently under review.’

With work ongoing to establish who owns the cars in question, administrators say they have ‘asserted a lien over these vehicles’ while investigations continue.

Administrators now say they will continue to ‘progress the administration in line with the stated objectives’.

Overall, previous administrator Farheen Qureshi is owed £137,840 plus VAT for her short time in the role, while the current duo’s bills come to £52,945 plus VAT.

The business, based in Uxbridge, specialised in the sale of super and hypercars – selling a large number of them on a sale or return basis.

Once sold, customers would expect to be paid for their cars at the agreed price at the point of consignment and the supercar dealer would pocket the difference. This would cover their work and any warranty claims.

However, the model appears to have failed spectacularly, leaving the firm teetering on the brink of collapse.

Once news of the potential administration broke, customers with cars enlisted for sale with the business began turning up at the premises in an attempt to get them back.

One video of the dealership site, seen by Car Dealer, showed large crowds of customers huddled outside the various entrances to the dealership on the Trade City Business Park, Uxbridge.

Prior to the crisis, Car Dealer visited GVE London as part of our Selling Supercars series. You can watch the full video at the top of this story.

Context:

Asset sales raised only £40,100 against debts exceeding £1.1 million at failed supercar dealer GVE London.

Context:

The collapse highlights risks in sale-or-return car models where ownership disputes can trap customer vehicles.

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Administrator fees alone total over £190,000, further reducing funds available for creditors and customers.

Motorpoint backs profits to soar to £7.5m after record-breaking year of sales in 2026

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:26:53 +0000

The used car supermarket group has this morning (Apr 8) published a trading update via the London Stock Exchange, in which it reveals its ‘continued outperformance of the used car market’.

Bosses are expecting the outfit to post a pre-tax profit of around £7.5m in the 12 months to the end of June – 83% up on last year’s return of £4.1m.

EBITDA – the measure by which the Car Dealer Top 100 is ranked – is also set to shoot up 13% from £23.9m to £27m.

Directors have put the success down to a record-breaking year when it comes to retail volumes – with the group shifting a best-ever 65,000 cars.

They also pointed to ‘record metal margin performance’, which allowed Motorpoint to ‘offset inflationary pressures’ throughout the year.

Elsewhere, the year saw the business launch a new agentic AI tool to reactivate historic closed quotes, which generated to an additional 900 sales, while a new site is also set to open in Leeds this summer.

Reflecting on the period, Mark Carpenter, chief executive officer of Motorpoint Group PLC said: ‘The group had an excellent year in FY26, and I am delighted to report record sales volumes and an 83% increase in profit before taxation.

‘FY26 has been a step change year for Motorpoint, where the use of data became fundamental within the business and we started to embrace the benefits of AI.

‘Whilst the macroeconomic uncertainty in recent weeks leads to a degree of caution due to the risks of increased inflation and interest rates, our superior customer service, omnichannel business model and exciting growth plans mean we are well placed to take advantage of opportunities to further increase market share and build long term value for shareholders.’

The company’s full accounts are expected to be published in June.

Context:

Motorpoint expects £7.5m pre-tax profit in 2026, up 83% from £4.1m, after selling record 65,000 cars.

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Strong used car performance shows resilience amid economic uncertainty and demonstrates AI's growing retail impact.

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The company used new AI tools to generate 900 additional sales from previously closed customer quotes.

Close Brothers Motor Finance estimates 720,000 of its loans will qualify for redress scheme

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:26:50 +0000

It revealed that around 720,000 UK regulated motor finance loans it wrote between April 6, 2007, and November 1, 2024 would qualify for the scheme.

Of this 640,000 were discretionary commission arrangements and 80,000 weren’t. It expects the latter will be classed as ‘tied’ arrangements or ‘high commission’.

Now the details of the scheme have been published by the FCA, it believes that this will cost it £320m – slightly higher than its provision in January of £294m.

In the statement it said: ‘As set out below, the estimated cost of the scheme as published is c.£320m, broadly similar to the group’s existing provision, and can be comfortably absorbed by existing capital resources, leaving the group well positioned to continue delivering its strategy.’

However, it adds that its average payment will be around £500, which is lower than the average compensation quoted by the FCA of £829 as its loan values are smaller than the rest of the industry and therefore commission payments are lower.

‘At this stage, no provision changes have been recognised.’

Close Brothers also estimates that delivering these repayments will cost it £66m on top of the £14m it has already spent.

It added: ‘The group’s £294m provision is based on a number of probability weighted scenarios, one of which is the implementation of a redress scheme in line with the FCA’s original consultation paper published on 7 October 2025.

‘The c.£320m estimate reflects one scenario only, being the FCA’s policy statement, as well as a number of changes to the scheme itself relative to the FCA’s original consultation paper.’

Context:

Close Brothers faces £320m cost for motor finance redress covering 720,000 loans from 2007-2024.

Context:

This highlights the industry-wide impact of regulatory action on discretionary commission practices.

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Average compensation of £500 per loan is below the FCA's £829 industry estimate due to smaller loan sizes.

Motonovo owner to pull out of UK in protest at FCA's 'deeply flawed' redress scheme

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:26:47 +0000

The South African banking group has hit out at the scheme, announced by the UK’s financial watchdog last week, labelling the model ‘problematic’.

It now says it aims to withdraw from the UK market by selling its challenger bank, Aldermore – through which it owns Motonovo.

According to the FT, FirstRand coughed up £1.1bn to buy Aldermore in 2017, but has now decided it is no longer worth the risk.

The lender confirmed the news in a lengthy statement to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, in which it also announced it was upping its provision to handling claims under the scheme.

The bank says it will take an additional £510m provision to pay all motorists who are entitled to compensation, bringing the total to £750m.

Bosses say the figure significantly exceeds the £275m total profits the bank has earned from the UK motor finance over a decade.

FirstRand says: ‘The group has now undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the [FCA] statement.

‘The legal teams and economic specialists that provided input to the FCA’s consultative process have also reviewed the Statement.

‘FirstRand acknowledges that whilst the FCA has made some changes to the scheme, that can be viewed as responses to issues raised by the group and other lenders during the consultative period, any mitigation arising from these changes has been more than offset by other amendments.

‘These amendments are problematic in that they result in a financial impact above the group’s expectations.

‘Therefore, FirstRand remains firmly of the view that for the group the final redress scheme proposed by the FCA is disproportionate and unfair.’

It added: ‘Whilst the group believes that Aldermore Bank is a resilient and sustainable business serving an important need in the UK market, with a management team that is executing on a sensible strategy to diversify asset classes and funding, extract greater operational leverage and improve the current ROE, the UK as a consumer finance jurisdiction will not deliver the returns the group requires.

‘Therefore, the business case for FirstRand to own and operate a UK consumer finance entity, particularly given its disciplined financial resource allocation principles, coupled with the legal and regulatory look-back risk, is not within the group’s risk appetite.

‘Cognisant of protecting shareholder value and ensuring Aldermore’s future success the group will work with the Aldermore board and respective regulators to facilitate an orderly ownership transition.’

The news was also confirmed in the UK, where Aldermore announced the decision in a filing to the London Stock Exchange.

In its own update, the bank said: The group is itself a wholly-owned subsidiary of FirstRand Group which today announced that following the analysis of the impact of the redress scheme, the business case for FirstRand to own and operate a UK consumer finance entity is outside of FirstRand’s risk appetite.

‘The Aldermore Board will work closely with FirstRand and respective regulators to ensure an orderly ownership transition that will support Aldermore’s growth ambitions going forward.

‘In the meantime, the Bank remains committed to its strategy to continue to drive significant positive outcomes for all of our stakeholders.’

FirstRand was one of two banks involved in the initial Court of Appeal hearing that sparked the crisis, along with Close Brothers.

Close Brothers today announced that it is sticking to its own provisions to handling the redress scheme, having put aside £320m to settle claims.

Aldermore now says that it has carried out a ‘preliminary assessment’ of the watchdog’s scheme and expects to increase its own provision from £73.1m to £280.0m.

Context:

FirstRand is exiting the UK market after FCA's motor finance redress scheme made operations unprofitable.

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This signals how regulatory penalties can force major financial institutions to abandon entire markets.

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The £750m provision exceeds FirstRand's total UK motor finance profits over the past decade.

Apr 7: Trump deadline looms for Iran; Resident doctors go on strike; Hyundai's Defender rival

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:22 +0000

Supermarkets are being urged to restore worker pay in line with the real living wage after a raft stepped back from matching the salary benchmark in recent years amid soaring industry cost pressures.

Investor activists ShareAction is calling on the UK’s biggest grocery chains – and some of the country’s biggest employers – to reinstate pay at the level of the real living wage.

Players in the sector announced pay rises in recent weeks ahead of the April 1 increase in the national minimum wage, which rose to £12.71 per hour for those aged 21 and over across the UK. While many are paying shop workers above the minimum wage, few now match the higher real living wage – a voluntary independent industry designed to be calculated on the real cost of living, and is currently set at £13.45 an hour and £14.80 in London.

Barclays planning return to high street branches

Barclays is planning to return to the high street by opening new branches and bringing back ‘bank managers’, The Times has reported.

Vim Maru, chief executive officer at Barclays UK, told the paper he does not want customers to get ‘stuck in some chatbot’ when they need help.

Since 2018, more than 800 Barclays branches have closed – leaving 206 still open around the UK, according to the company’s latest annual report. Maru has paused the closures and plans to expand again.

Hyundai’s Boulder Concept is a rugged Defender rival

Hyundai is aiming to tackle the rugged off-roader market with its new Boulder Concept.

Unveiled at last week’s New York Auto Show, the Boulder Concept follows a traditional body-on-frame design and is expected to reach production by 2030.

The boxy SUV – which is designed and developed in America – features a new ‘Art of Steel’ design which reflects the truck’s primary material, US-made steel.

Before the Easter break, UK markets closed strongly with the FTSE 100 closing at 71.50 points, up 0.7%, at 10,436.29. It traded as high as 10,465.24 and as low as 10,287.90 on Friday.

The FTSE 250 ended down 45.89 points, 0.2%, at 21,642.30, and the Aim All-Share fell 4.64 points, 0.6%, to 734.61.

The pound fell to 1.3238 dollars on Thursday afternoon from 1.3324 dollars at the equities close on Wednesday. Against the euro, sterling eased to 1.1463 euros from 1.1476 euros.

UK to host Hormuz planning meeting as Trump deadline looms for Iran

Britain will host a meeting of allied military officers to discuss plans for securing the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the waterway looms.

The US president has given Tehran until 8pm on Tuesday Washington time (1am on Wednesday UK time) to end its blockade of the strait or be bombed ‘back to the Stone Ages’.

Ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, Britain’s Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood, outside London, will host a meeting of military planners to discuss long-term measures to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Resident doctors in England to strike for six days

Resident doctors in England are to begin a six-day walkout as the row with the Government over jobs and pay intensifies.

Tens of thousands of resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, will down their stethoscopes from 7am on April 7.

NHS officials have said the strike will be ‘difficult’ but urged patients to come forward as normal.

It’s a question the industry and the brand’s fans have been pondering since the relaunch: Was Jaguar’s rebrand genius or a big mistake?

Stellantis has issued a recall of 44,000 vehicles due to an issue which could cause vehicles to catch fire.

G3 Auctions has announced it has been acquired by a US-based company America’s Auto Auction.

The High Court has been told that Big Motoring World investors Freshstream may have ‘reverse-engineered’ a plan to remove chief executive Peter Waddell.

Much of the UK will enjoy warm, sunny and dry weather today, though cloud will increase in western Scotland with some afternoon rain.

Tonight, north-west Scotland stays wet and cloudy, while the rest of Scotland and Northern Ireland remain mostly cloudy but dry. Elsewhere, skies will be largely clear.

Context:

Major UK supermarkets urged to restore real living wage pay amid cost pressures and worker strikes.

Context:

These developments highlight growing tensions between corporate profits and worker welfare across key sectors.

Context:

The real living wage is £13.45/hour compared to the £12.71 minimum wage that took effect April 1.

Jaguar boss on the personal attacks that followed firm’s controversial rebrand

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:18 +0000

Speaking exclusively to the Car Dealer Podcast, Glover revealed what it was like being inside Jaguar when its controversial rebrand exploded across the internet.

The firm relaunched in November 2024 with a social media teaser video that showed sci-fi characters and bold statements – but no car.

It was ridiculed online and blasted ‘woke’ by President Donald Trump, lambasted by Nigel Farage while Tesla boss Elon Musk asked if the manufacturer ‘even sold cars’.

There were hundreds of thousands of comments about the brand online and for three days straight it was the most talked about thing on the internet.

Glover was personally attacked in a number of comments on social media while some staff even received death threats.

Jaguar director Santino Pietrosanti was also targeted in a series of articles by the Daily Mail which have since been removed from the newspaper’s website.

Glover spoke at length about what it was like being behind the scenes at Jaguar during this extraordinary time for the brand in the third episode of our special Podcast series Jaguar Rebrand: Mistake or Genius? You can listen to it now on your favourite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

He said: ‘Personally, I felt a great amount of responsibility to the team here.’

He explained it was a ‘tough time’ for a number of the individuals on the receiving end of that online attention.

‘I felt a responsibility to look out for them,’ he added. ‘I felt a responsibility to defend what we’re doing and to defend them.

‘If I think about things that are written about me, less so really. Because if somebody writes something on social media about me and I don’t know who they are… why would their opinion matter?’

Glover also tells the podcast about the moment Elon Musk tweeted about Jaguar as the brand started to go viral on social media.

He said: ‘It’s quite surreal looking back on it now. It’s almost like it happened to somebody else.

‘I do remember exactly where I was when Elon Musk had tweeted and we were like, “well, what do you do with that? How do you respond to that?”

‘I wouldn’t say we were walking around high-fiving. We weren’t also walking around with our head in our hands thinking, oh my goodness, the person with the most reach on social media anywhere has just posted.

‘We responded to Elon. We actually invited him to Miami to the launch. We said, “you should come and join us for a cup of tea.” He didn’t join us.’

Glover also spoke about why Jaguar needed to relaunch in such a bold way.

As part of the rebranding it has shed most of its dealers, explained only 10% of its current owners will buy its new car and said it will launch an electric GT car at a £120,000 price point.

He said: ‘Jaguar was becoming less and less relevant in commercial terms. The range we had was connecting to a smaller and smaller audience.

‘Jaguar needs to change – commercially it needs to change. We think we need to make a big bold step rather than just small iterative changes to the brand.’

He said that before the relaunch the brand was not ‘commercially viable’ and competing with big German manufacturers was almost impossible.

‘If I think about the main competitors in that space, they’ve got a completely different operating model,’ he explained.

‘Volkswagen Group is buying components for 10m cars, not 300,000 or 400,000 cars. Look at the manufacturing efficiencies they’ve got. Look at the platform efficiencies they’ve got.

‘So the ability for Jaguar to really compete in that space was very challenging.’

To make the brand stand out, Glover said the launch needed to be ‘a big bold step’ rather than ‘small iterative’ changes, hence the huge rebranding.

However, he said JLR was not expecting the video to go viral and said it was never intended as a ‘social or political’ statement.

He added: ‘It’s probably fair to say that for a period, it was very difficult to control the narrative, particularly when much of that plays out on social media.’

Glover said that now his job was to ‘secure the next 90 years of Jaguar’.

‘We talk about being a custodian of a brand,’ he added.

‘That’s why everybody involved with Jaguar, me included, are here.

‘The brand is permanent. My tenure will be temporary.’

You can listen to the interview with Rawdon Glover in full in episode 3 of Jaguar Rebrand: Mistake or Genius?. All episodes are available now wherever you get your podcasts. A video of the podcast – complete with mics and cuts – has been published on our second YouTube channel CarDealerMagazine2 and at the top of this post.

Context:

Jaguar's rebrand sparked massive online backlash, with staff receiving death threats and personal attacks.

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The controversy highlights how brand transformations can become lightning rods in today's polarized social media landsca

Context:

Jaguar's sales had become commercially unviable, selling only 300,000-400,000 cars versus competitors' millions.

‘They’ve bet the house on it’ – the experts’ view on Jaguar’s controversial relaunch

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:15 +0000

Car Dealer has spoken to a host of experts to discuss the relaunch for a special video and three-part podcast series.

We asked why they thought Jaguar needed to be so dramatic and, with the car’s launch just a few months away, do they think its bigger problem might actually be its timing?

Our video can be watched at the top of this post and the first episode of the podcast series is out now on your favourite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In 2024, Jaguar’s now infamous rebrand was met with a vicious reaction online with its sci-fi model marketing movie branded by some as ‘woke’.

Nigel Farage, Donald Trump and Elon Musk piled in – labelling it a disaster – and then two weeks later came the car.

The Type 00 was the bright pink concept car launched at an art fair in Miami and caused as much of a stir as the teaser video.

But what was it about that campaign that caused so much controversy?

‘I think it was badly timed,’ said Ray Massey, motoring editor of the Daily Mail.

‘If they’d done that 18 months or two years earlier, they might have got away with it.

‘But by late 2024, there was already a backlash against what people call “woke” – rightly or wrongly – and they walked straight into that.’

Episode 1, The Journalists’ View

Massey believes the marketing was ‘out of step’ with the mood at the time and he could understand why the ‘androgynous’ characters in the video were lambasted by Trump and Musk.

The Daily Mail motoring editor thinks Jaguar got the ‘tone wrong’ and, despite wanting to see the British brand succeed, he believes the firm is still in ‘denial’.

Massey was at the launch in November 2024 and said it was one of the most ‘bizarre’ events he had attended in his 40-year career as a journalist.

Other writers at that event were also bemused by the stark marketing messages Jaguar presented which included a promise to ‘delete ordinary’ and ‘copy nothing’.

That event was led by the then chief creative officer Gerry McGovern who told journalists this was a ‘complete reset’ for the brand. He has since left the company.

‘If I was to put it into one word, I would say bold and brave,’ said Steve Fowler, The Independent’s electric cars editor and one of the most experienced motoring journalists in the UK.

Fowler has edited Autocar, What Car? and Auto Express during a career that spans decades. He’s also been at pretty much every JLR launch during that time.

‘Part of me at the time was thinking foolish as well, but for Jaguar – what else could they do? It was a failing business, so something had to be done.’

Fowler explained there had always been a lot of focus on the Jaguar brand from the UK media, but this relaunch saw it written about across the world.

He added: ‘I was surprised at the vitriol. Maybe that’s just the world we live in now. I think the spiteful nature of some of the comments was surprising and probably not deserved.’

Ginny Buckley, editor in chief of Electrifying.com, said nothing had prepared her for the moment ‘Jaguar unveiled a big pink car’.

‘I think extraordinary is the only word you can apply to what Jaguar have done over the last 18 months,’ she said. ‘And if I had a second word, I’d say bloody brave because it’s a bold thing that they’ve done.’

All the journalists I spoke to were in agreement, though, that Jaguar needed to do something.

For years, Jaguar had been trying to compete in the hyper-competitive luxury premium segment.

Battling the big three German rivals – BMW, Audi and Mercedes – was always going to be tough for a smaller scale business like JLR and eventually management caved and called time.

The relaunch saw Jaguars taken off sale in what the firm called a ‘fire break’ between the old and the new and at the same time dealership numbers were slimmed down from around 80 to less than 20.

‘It was quite clear they had to do something,’ added Buckley. ‘What they were doing wasn’t working.’

Stuart Gallagher, editor of Evo magazine, added: ‘They had to do something. As they said at the time, Jaguar was going nowhere.

‘They couldn’t go back into that volume premium space, because everyone appears to be a volume premium brand.

‘You have to put a line in the sand and move on otherwise you just get, “nice old Jaguar”, and that hadn’t worked.’

Jaguar ditched a model range that included small and medium sized SUVs in the E and F Paces, a critically acclaimed sports car in the F-Type and a range of saloons in the XE, XF and XJ. In their place, an electric GT car would arrive some time in 2026.

Professor David Bailey, from the Birmingham Business School, said the shift up market ‘made sense’ and it was something JLR had already managed successfully with its Range Rover brand, phishing prices well above £100,000 for new models.

However, the timing of a premium electric car launch could be the issue.

Episode 2, The Controversy

Bailey said: ‘Repositioning towards the luxury end is probably the way to go. Taking on Rolls-Royce and Bentley, though, is going to be difficult.

‘They don’t seem to be doing that head-on. What they appear to have identified is a sub-luxury space between the top end of premium and the bottom end of luxury, and that’s where they’re going first.

‘But whether there is actually a luxury electric market is another matter entirely, because what we’re seeing is the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce rowing back from some of their electric ambitions because of slow take-up.’

Rolls Royce has just canned its plan to be fully electric by 2030 and Bentley has pushed its target to be fully EV to 2035 – focussing instead on plug-in hybrids.

Bailey added: ‘I think timing is a real issue. Demand for electric vehicles is growing, but not growing quickly enough.

‘This is a bespoke platform for Jaguar, so it’s very expensive for them to do this. And I’m not entirely sure there really is a luxury electric car market yet. So they are going to have to go out and create one, and that will be very challenging.’

To push the brand up-market, Jaguar needed to make some noise and it did that with an initial teaser campaign that faced a backlash online.

The car maker saw mentions of the brand surge 10 times from around 40,000 a week to more than 725,000 the week after the announcement.

That teaser video (above) had tens of thousands of comments on YouTube and the campaign reached 70m users on social media in seven days.

If it was noise Jaguar wanted, they got it.

‘I don’t think it was intended to be as provocative as people interpreted it,’ said Jon Evans, host of the CMO Uncensored Podcast and someone who has closely followed the marketing story that unfolded from Jaguar’s rebrand.

‘This was about signalling a complete change – going back to the idea of being a “copy of nothing.” It was designed to grab attention, and it was deliberately timed ahead of the concept car launch as part of the communications strategy.

‘What they didn’t anticipate was the timing. It came just after the Trump election, when there was already pushback against what people call ‘woke’ advertising. That definitely amplified the reaction.

‘So yes, it was planned – but the scale of the response wasn’t.’

Evans labelled the campaign as ‘marketing genius’ and said that the brand had to do something after years of decline. He said there was ‘no amount of money’ that could have got them the same level of attention as the teaser campaign did.

Branding and PR expert Nick Ede didn’t agree. He was quoted extensively by the national newspapers after the campaign and told Car Dealer it felt like an ‘April Fool’.

‘I think people see it as a bit of a joke brand now, to be honest,’ he said.

‘The advertising didn’t really show you what the vehicle was. It felt more like an advert for a Magnum ice cream than it did for a car.

‘Jaguar is seen as a heritage brand and has been associated with the royal family. I think they were probably thinking, maybe we can make this a bit more Dubai, give it that bling vibe, and appeal to younger millionaires who don’t want the old style but might want the new one.’

At the same time as unveiling a new logo and look for Jaguar, the firm said it would be leaving as much as 90% of its previous owner base behind.

With the new electric Jaguar priced at around £120,000, there would be few current owners who would transition along with the firm, or move to electric.

Tim Atkinson, a used Jaguar specialist, runs Sports & Touring in Andover, Hampshire. He told Car Dealer that many of his current customers didn’t get the rebranding, even if he did think it was genius.

He said: ‘A lot of them didn’t like it. There’s a fierce loyalty among Jaguar customers that goes back a long way, and many weren’t open-minded about the change.

‘But importantly, much of that reaction wasn’t really about the marketing. It was about the move away from internal combustion. They felt let down by that, and that frustration came out as criticism of the rebrand.’

He described a typical buyer for his mostly F-Type stock as ‘white, middle-class British male, aged 50 to 70’.

Peter Smyth is a director of the Swansway Group, a previous Jaguar dealer and one that lost the franchise in Crewe as part of the reset. He still represents Land Rover.

He said: ‘If you actually looked at the demographics of our customers, it isn’t unusual to see a box of tissues on the back shelf and a trilby. They were quite old.

‘I think it had become a little bit of an old, staid type of brand. Now, that did change a little bit with the SUVs, but I think people regarded Jaguar as an old person’s car. And I think it needed to be made sexy.

‘So I actually understand the direction they’ve gone in.’

The big question now, though, is whether this huge gamble will pay off. As rolls of the dice go for car firms, never has so much been riding on one hand.

‘They’ve bet the house on it,’ said the Daily Mail’s Massey. ‘Cats have nine lives. I’m not sure what number Jaguar is on…’

You can hear what these experts and more told us about the Jaguar relaunch in a special three-part podcast series Jaguar Rebrand: Mistake or Genius? out now on your favourite podcast platforms.

Episode 3: The Insider

Context:

Jaguar's controversial electric relaunch divided experts, but all agreed the struggling brand needed bold action.

Context:

The timing coincided with a cultural backlash, turning a risky rebrand into a global lightning rod.

Context:

Former creative chief Gerry McGovern led the "complete reset" before leaving the company.

Chinese car tops UK sales charts as EVs power best March since 2019

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:11 +0000

New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) published this morning (Apr 7) show 380,627 new vehicles were registered, representing a 6.6% rise.

In a welcome change, the growth was driven by private demand, rising 10.1% to 162,470. Fleet registrations increased 3.5% to 208,853 units, while the smaller business sector grew 18.8% to 9,304 units.

March was also the best month for electrified vehicles – PHEVs rose 46.9% to take a 13.0% market share, while hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) increased 7.3% to take 15.8% of the market.

BEVs set a new record, up 24.2%, to 86,120 registrations in the month. However, the SMMT noted that with EVs accounting for a 22.6% share of the market for the month, and 22.4% year to date, uptake is still ‘adrift’ of the ZEV mandate’s 33% quota for 2026.

The body again called for the government’s review into electric car sales targets to be expedited.

The Jaecoo 7 was the top-seller in March with 10,064 units, followed by the Ford Puma (9,193) and Nissan Qashqai (8,718).

The Puma still leads the year-to-date chart with 16,128 units, followed by the Jaecoo 7 (15,569) and Kia Sportage (14,190).

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, ‘The strongest new car market since 2019, with the highest ever volume of EV registrations, is a boost to the industry and the economy.

‘However, the headlines belie the costs incurred and the challenges involved. Much of March’s performance will be from orders placed before the start of the Iran conflict, which threatens to raise the cost of living, undermining consumer confidence.

‘Against this backdrop, and with the EV market falling further away from mandated levels despite record levels of incentives, an urgent review of the transition is required to secure a sustainable market, economic growth and the UK’s net zero ambitions.’

‘March’s figures underline a resilient and growing new car market, driven by improving affordability, availability and increased competition from new entrant brands. Consistent sales growth through the first quarter shows that strong offers are bringing buyers back into showrooms.

‘While electric vehicles still account for fewer than one in four sales and remain below the ZEV mandate target, there are clear reasons for optimism. Interest has picked up sharply as fuel prices rise, with new EV enquiries on our platform surging between February and March — the equivalent of one every minute last month. If that online intent converts into sales, progress will follow.

‘With a wave of new models, deeper discounts and lower running costs, more buyers are starting to see EVs as a way to take control of their energy costs.’

Ian Plummer, chief customer officer, Autotrader

‘While the plate change has given the market a seasonal boost, the underlying trend is clear – we’re seeing fuel costs front of mind and more drivers actively shifting towards electrified options.

‘We’re expecting hybrid demand to remain strong through the second quarter. During the first three months of 2026 we saw the volume of hybrid-related enquiries passed to Carwow dealer partners increase by 43% quarter-on-quarter, outperforming those of BEVs, which grew 35% over the same period.’

Philipp Sayler von Amende, global chief commercial officer, Carwow

‘With uncertainty around the cost of fuel, electric vehicle (EV) enquiries are on the up, as consumers look to electric as an attractive alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles. While concerns around the cost of living persist, manufacturers and dealers face the challenge of enticing consumer spending at a time when many are protecting their budgets.

‘When it comes to EVs, incentivising buyers will not only come from an attractive price point, but in the form of equitable charging infrastructure for all – particularly those without access to off-street parking.’

Jamie Hamilton, automotive partner and head of electric vehicles, Deloitte

‘March delivered robust headline growth, with record EV volumes and overall registrations up around 6% YoY. This performance, however, has been significantly influenced by plate-change seasonality and intensified manufacturer and fleet activity, which have inflated both total demand and EV uptake.

‘Beneath the surface, EV growth remains volume-led rather than share-led, with penetration still materially below mandated targets, highlighting a clear structural gap between market reality and policy ambition.

‘At the same time, fragile consumer demand, affordability pressures, and the continued strength of hybrids and ICE underscore that the transition is not yet self-sustaining. This picture shows a moving market, but one that will likely require regulatory recalibration to better align targets with prevailing economic and demand conditions.’

Philip Nothard, insight director, Cox Automotive

Context:

Chinese Jaecoo 7 topped March sales while EVs hit record levels but still lag government targets.

Context:

Rising fuel costs are driving consumers toward electric vehicles as an alternative to petrol and diesel.

Context:

UK car sales reached their strongest March performance since 2019 with 380,627 new registrations.

Dealer group Allen Ford carries out restructure after slumping to hefty pre-tax loss

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:08 +0000

Accounts recently filed via Companies House show that Allen Ford (UK) Limited made a pre-tax loss of £12.54m in the 12 months to the end of June 2025.

The figure represents a complete collapse on the previous year’s £3.52m profit, with bosses bemoaning ‘lower new vehicle retail volumes, weaker used vehicle pricing and margins, and higher interest costs’.

The bulk of the hit came from non-cash impairment charges, where the company wrote down the value of sites and assets linked to closures, franchise exits and weaker future cash flow expectations, rather than from day-to-day trading losses.

However, the accounts do reveal a difficult year generally for the historic dealer group, with revenue also falling from £704.1m in 2024 to £669.26m in 2025.

In response, directors have ‘taken actions to restructure the business’, which have included multiple redundancies as well as the ‘exit from certain loss-making lines of business and franchise relationships’.

The documents show that redundancy and restructuring costs totalled £1.2m throughout 2025, forming part of wider exceptional costs of £10m.

The retail group also spent £8.2m on the ‘impairment of fixed assets’ as well as £0.6m on ‘goodwill impairment’.

At the end of the accounting period, the company had net assets of £49.4m and cash balances of £6.7m. Despite the loss, directors say the business remains financially stable, with sufficient funding in place.

Writing in the accounts, director Niall Hooper said: ‘During the year, the company committed to exit certain loss-making lines of business and franchise relationships.

‘As a result of revised future cash flow expectations, uncertainty over the recoverability of associated assets and unavoidable lease commitments through to lease expiry, the carrying values of related owned and leased site assets were no longer fully recoverable and were written down accordingly.

‘The redundancy and restructuring costs reflect management actions taken to align the cost base and operating footprint of the business to current market conditions.

The directors’ focus during the current financial year ending 30 June 2026 is on completing the restructuring of the business to restore profitability and improve cash generation.

‘Actions taken and underway include the exit from certain loss-making lines of business and franchise relationships, site consolidation where appropriate, headcount reduction, supplier contract review and broader cost reduction measures across the business.

‘In addition, the company has expanded its brand portfolio with new franchised brands introduced during and after the year end, which are performing profitably and are contributing positively to cash generation.’

Elsewhere, the accounts show that the firm spent £51.99m on staff costs in 2025, compared to £52.8 in 2024. This was helped by a 2.18% drop in the amount spent on wages and salaries, which came in at £46.63m.

Throughout the year, the car dealer averaged 1,148 employees, compared to 1,222 in 2024.

Bosses are now hoping that the changes will bear fruit over the coming years and are backing the firm to return to profitability in 2026.

‘The directors have started to see the initial benefit of these actions in post year-end trading and cash generation and are expecting a return to profitability for the year ended 30 June 2026 and continuing in 2027,’ Hooper added.

‘In response to evolving market conditions and our ongoing focus on operational efficiency, the group continues to undertake strategic consolidation and closures on parts of its current dealership structure.

‘This initiative aims to optimise cost structures and ensure long-term sustainability while continuing to deliver high levels of service to our customers.’

Context:

Allen Ford swung from £3.52m profit to £12.54m loss due to weak vehicle sales and asset writedowns.

Context:

The restructure highlights broader challenges facing UK car dealers amid changing market conditions.

Context:

The company cut 74 jobs and exited loss-making franchises while adding new profitable brands.

Lloyds sticking with £1.95 billion provision for handling motor finance compensation claims

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:55:03 +0000

Car Dealer reported last week that the UK’s financial watchdog had finalised its final rules on who will be due compensation for being mis-sold vehicle finance.

The scheme is likely to be worth a staggering £7.5bn – although some experts put the figure at closer to £9bn – with customers getting an average payout in the region of £830.

Lloyds had already ring fenced the most money of any major bank to handle the crisis and says it does not believe any change is necessary

In a statement issued today, the banking giant said it had assessed the scheme and ‘does not currently believe any change to the provision for this issue is required’.

However, bosses have added that there ‘remain a number of uncertainties’ including the rate of customer responses, operational costs and any legal proceedings.

Lloyds is also set for legal action from law firm Courmacs Legal, which is expected to file a claim on behalf of around 30,000 car loan customers, seeking some £66m in damages.

It would represent a major legal challenge to the lender’s Black Horse motor finance brand, outside of the FCA’s scheme.

The regulator has repeatedly said consumers do not need to use lawyers or claims management firms to complain, warning that they risk losing more than 30% of their compensation as a result of fees.

It has set up the free scheme to compensate people who were treated unfairly when they took out a motor finance agreement between April 2007 and November 2024.

Most of the deals covered involve so-called discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs), which were banned in 2021.

This refers to arrangements whereby brokers, including car dealers, were able to increase interest rates on car loans so they could get more commission.

The FCA said this led to unfairness for customers who were not properly informed about the arrangement and therefore did not have the opportunity to negotiate or find themselves a better deal.

Context:

Lloyds maintains its £1.95bn provision despite the FCA's £7.5bn industry-wide compensation scheme confirmation.

Context:

This reflects confidence in their exposure estimates while the broader scandal could reshape motor finance practices.

Context:

The scheme covers unfair discretionary commission arrangements between April 2007 and November 2024.

Marcos Is Back. Again. This Time It Might Actually Happen.

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:01:42 +0000

Marcos was founded in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin, the name is a portmanteau of theirs and over the decades it built a quietly extraordinary reputation. Its first car, the Xylon, had a chassis made of timber and was raced by Jackie Stewart and Derek Bell. The Mini Marcos became the only British car to finish the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the 1990s the LM600 placed seventh overall at Le Mans, an astonishing result for a small independent manufacturer. The last production Marcos, the TSO GT, was tested by Richard Hammond on Top Gear and was considered a genuine rival to the best sports cars of its era.

Then in 2007 it was gone again, the latest in a series of collapses that had taken the company down in 1972, 2000 and various points in between.

It has now been brought back, once more, by businessman Howard Nash, who acquired the original Marcos assets in 2022 including the tooling, moulds, production rights and the still-active Heritage Spares division. Nash told Hagerty:

"I used to look after a very, very quick Hillman Imp and a Mini Marcos joined the series and absolutely left us standing. It blew us all away. I've never forgotten that."

That memory, from late 1980s club racing, is where this revival starts.

The Mosquito and what comes after

The first new car from what Nash calls Marcos Motor Company is codenamed the Mosquito, a modern interpretation of the Mini Marcos built on the running gear of an R53 Mini Cooper S. It is a track-ready lightweight, drawing directly on the legacy of the 1966 Le Mans car. According to Hagerty, Nash expects it to be in customers' hands before the end of 2026 and is already developing plans for a dedicated race series around the model.

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A second car is already underway. As Yahoo Autos reports, it will be a mid-engined road and track car with around 350 horsepower and a target weight of approximately 650 kg. That puts the power to weight ratio in the same territory as a Bugatti Veyron. The rolling chassis has been built and crash tested. Nash has been clear that these will not be bespoke million pound machines the intent is for a Marcos to be within reach of serious driving enthusiasts rather than trophy collectors.

Longer term plans, as Autoblog outlines, include a successor to the V8 powered GT cars targeting 2030, and the tantalising possibility of a strictly limited recreation of the 1968 Mantis XP, the wild endurance racing car powered by a three litre Repco Brabham Formula One engine that ran once, at the 1000 Km of Spa, and retired.

Nash also holds the original body moulds for almost the entire Marcos back catalogue, meaning continuation cars built from original tooling form a third strand of the business. The Heritage Spares arm has been running continuously since 2000 and serves existing owners.

There is a twist

Auto Express and Autoblog both flag something that complicates the story. At almost exactly the same time Nash's plans became public, a completely separate company called Marcos Cars Ltd also announced it owned the rights to the Marcos name. Its CEO is William Storey, best known as the founder of energy drink brand Rich Energy and the man behind one of the more chaotic Formula One sponsorship arrangements in recent memory, when Rich Energy's partnership with the Haas team ended abruptly mid-season in 2019. Storey's company claims it will launch an F1-inspired supercar and has described Nash's operation as "misleading."

Nash's Marcos Motor Company holds the original physical assets the moulds, the tooling, the jigs, the build records and the Heritage Spares business. The legal question of who owns what appears unresolved in public.

This is, it must be said, exactly the kind of thing that tends to derail British sports car revivals. The history of the genre TVR, Jensen, Allard, Bristol is littered with names that burned bright on announcement day and then quietly faded as legal disputes, funding gaps and production realities accumulated.

Nash sounds like he has thought about this. He told Hagerty:

"Apart from power steering, there are no gadgets to stop it going sideways."

If the Mosquito arrives on schedule, a small, loud, sideways British sports car with Le Mans history will be back on track by Christmas. That is a sentence worth hoping turns out to be true.

Sources:

Huawei Says 3,000km on a Five Minute Charge. Here Is Why That Needs Context.

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:41:01 +0000

Huawei is not a car company. It is not a battery manufacturer. What it is, increasingly, is a company filing patents in territories where it wants to be taken seriously in the future. Its latest submission to that category is a doozy.

As reported by CarNewsChina and covered by Top Gear, Huawei has filed a patent for a sulfide based solid state battery that the company claims could deliver a driving range of 3,000 kilometres under China's CLTC test cycle and fully recharge in five minutes. That is roughly 1,860 miles of range. A Tesla Model S Long Range manages around 400 miles. The current best in class, the Lucid Air, manages 410.

So what is actually being claimed here, and how seriously should it be taken?

What the patent describes

The battery in the filing is a lithium sulfide solid state design, where a sulfide based solid electrolyte replaces the liquid found in conventional lithium ion cells. Paired with a lithium metal anode, this combination offers better ionic conductivity than standard batteries. Carbon Credits reports the energy density target sits between 400 and 500 watt hours per kilogram, which would be two to three times greater than most current lithium ion cells. Top Gear notes the chemistry could theoretically reach 600 Wh/kg.

The key innovation is nitrogen doping of the sulfide electrolyte, using nitrogen derived from cyanide. According to Top Gear, this process reduces side reactions at the lithium interface that cause dendrite formation, a form of internal degradation that gradually kills batteries. Cleaning up those reactions is what enables both the faster charging cycle and the extended operating life the patent claims.

Each car would also be shipped with the battery topped up with all fluids required for normal operation, ready to drive from the point of delivery.

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Why the numbers need treating carefully

SlashGear points out something worth sitting with. To reach 500 Wh/kg at the kind of capacity needed to power a full sized EV to 3,000 km, the battery pack would still need to weigh in the region of a tonne. That is lighter than the GMC Hummer EV's battery but roughly one and a half times the size of the Tesla Model S pack. The physics of energy storage do not disappear because the chemistry changes.

Top Gear is blunter, noting that the 3,000 km figure uses China's CLTC test cycle, which is broadly regarded as the most optimistic test standard in use anywhere. Under the stricter EPA standard used in the United States, the same battery would likely deliver over 2,000 km — still a staggering number, but a meaningful reduction from the headline claim.

Industry experts cited by autoevtimes are consistent in their caution: the claims remain theoretical. A patent describes what a design could achieve under ideal conditions. It says nothing about whether it can be manufactured at scale, at a viable cost, or with the reliability needed for a consumer product.

Why it still matters

None of that makes this a non-story. Huawei filing in this space is significant regardless of when or whether this specific chemistry reaches production. Carbon Credits notes that Chinese companies now file over 7,600 solid state battery patents per year, accounting for more than a third of all global activity in the sector. CATL has solid state production in its sights for 2027. Toyota's 2023 prototype demonstrated 1,200 km of range. The race is real and moving fast.

Huawei also filed a separate patent in early 2025 covering sulfide electrolyte synthesis, the manufacturing process that makes this chemistry viable. That is a company building a position across the supply chain, not just registering a headline number.

Whether Huawei ever makes a battery that goes into a production car is an open question. Whether the underlying chemistry it is working with will reshape what is considered possible in EV range and charging speed is far less uncertain.

3,000 km in five minutes is not happening next year. What is happening is that the gap between today's EVs and what the technology could eventually deliver is closing faster than most people in the industry expected.

Sources:

Update on cost of living; Energy price drop short-lived; Car finance lenders shares rise

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:07:08 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to provide an update on the cost of living amid concerns over the amount energy bills could rise as a result of the Middle East conflict.

The prime minister is due to speak at a press conference later on Wednesday morning after he vowed to ‘protect the British people at home and abroad’.

It is thought Sir Keir’s Downing Street press conference will cover both the conflict and Government support for households as rising prices bite.

Short-lived energy price fall

Household energy prices are falling by 7% from Wednesday in a ‘short-lived respite’ for homes already braced for a predicted 18% hike from July.

Ofgem’s price cap has dropped from £1,758 to £1,641 – a reduction of £117 or around £10 a month for the average household using both electricity and gas.

This is an 11% fall year on year, but still £600 more than bills were in the winter of 2020 to 2021.

Updates to Volkswagen Caddy range

The Volkswagen Caddy range has received several updates to keep the popular commercial vehicle looking fresh.

The Caddy is Volkswagen’s smallest van and is a competitor to the Ford Transit Courier and Toyota Proace City.

For 2026, the Caddy gains revised exterior bumpers, fresh paint colour options and the choice of updated 16-inch and 18-inch wheel designs.

Changes have also been made to the van’s cabin, with a new, larger, free-standing central display. However, Volkswagen will reveal more details on interior specifications later this year.

The FTSE 100 continued its strong start to the week on Tuesday amid reports that Donald Trump is prioritising diplomatic efforts over continued military escalation in Iran.

The index closed up 48.49 points, 0.5%, at 10,176.45, the FTSE 250 ended up 249.21 points, 1.2%, at 21,203.71, and the AIM All-Share advanced 7.00 points, 1.0%, at 717.12.

The Wall Street Journal cited US administration officials as saying the president and his aides had come to the conclusion that a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz waterway would extend the length of the conflict past his four to six-week timeline.

Car finance lenders shares rise

Shares in major motor finance lenders have risen after the UK watchdog finalised its compensation scheme, which has seen the total bill for the industry cut by about £2 billion.

Lloyds Banking Group and Close Brothers were among the lenders to say they were assessing the details of the scheme after several changes were announced.

But investors appeared to be soothed by the final rules, with Lloyds and Barclays shares up by more than 1% and Close Brothers rising by around 2.5% on Tuesday.

Renault’s UK boss says dealers remain central to the brand’s EV strategy, as it attracts new customers, invests in retailer training and expands its network of EV technicians despite growing competition.

Lepas has appointed Gary Lan as UK CEO to lead its launch and growth in Britain, alongside managing director Ray Wang, with initial sales through existing Chery dealer networks.

Lawgistics has paid tribute to colleague Jide-Ofer Okagbue, who has died after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, remembering her for her warmth, positivity and care for others.

Car Care Plan is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of growth into a global vehicle protection provider working with over 30 manufacturers and 2,500 retailers worldwide.

Independent dealers at Car Dealer Live 2026 warned that rising preparation costs and ongoing stock shortages are squeezing margins as competition for used vehicles intensifies.

Rain will slowly move southeast across the UK today, according to the Met Office, starting in northwest Scotland and gradually weakening as it reaches northern England and north Wales by the evening, with a generally cloudier feel overall.

Tonight, the rain will fade as it continues southeast, leaving clearer spells and a widespread frost developing across northern areas.

Thursday will be mostly dry with some sunshine, although the far southeast may see early drizzle and fresh rain will arrive in the northwest later, with temperatures around average for early April.

Gov to work with supermarkets over inflation; Moon mission; CX-5 from £31,550

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:07:05 +0000

Reeves to work with supermarket bosses amid fears over food inflation

The chancellor and supermarket bosses agreed to explore together how to ease the cost of living for consumers amid a warning that the Middle East conflict could see food inflation soar higher than 9% by the end of 2026.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents 12,000 food and drink manufacturers, hiked its inflation forecast for the year in light of the conflict.

Rachel Reeves and energy secretary Ed Miliband hosted supermarket bosses, including from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi, for talks at No 11 on Wednesday.

Factory input price inflation jumps by most since 1992 due to Iran war – survey

Britain’s manufacturing sector has seen the biggest monthly jump in input prices for more than 30 years as the Iran war wreaks havoc on supply chains, according to a survey.

The S&P Global UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey, watched closely by economists, showed that the input price inflation index jumped by 15 points between February and March – the biggest rise since the UK withdrew from the European Exchange Mechanism (ERM) on so-called Black Wednesday in 1992.

The report also showed that delivery delays worsened due to the Middle East conflict as ships have been forced to re-route around the blocked Strait of Hormuz, which is a key shipping route. Manufacturing production also contracted for the first time in six months in March, according to the survey.

Mazda CX-5 goes on sale priced at £31,550

Mazda has announced that the new CX-5 has gone on sale priced from £31,550.

Entry-level Prime-Line gains a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display and a 12.3-inch infotainment system, while top-spec Homura gets ambient lighting and tan leather upholstery.

All models are hooked up to a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated ‘e-Skyactiv G’ petrol engine with 24-volt mild-hybrid technology.

European stocks rallied on Wednesday as comments from both sides of the Middle East war gave some conviction for a near-term end to hostilities.

The FTSE 100 closed up 188.34 points, 1.9%, at 10,364.79. The FTSE 250 ended up 484.48 points, 2.3%, at 21,688.19, and the AIM All-Share advanced 22.13 points, 3.1%, at 739.25.

The pound rose to 1.3324 dollars on Wednesday afternoon from 1.3205 dollars at the equities close on Tuesday. Against the euro, sterling firmed to 1.1476 euro from 1.1463 euro. The euro stood higher against the greenback at 1.1608 dollars from 1.1523 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading lower at 158.66 yen compared to 159.02 yen.

‘Build up some delayed courage’ and grab Strait of Hormuz, Trump tells nations

Donald Trump has said countries which rely on the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane for oil should ‘build up some delayed courage’ and ‘just grab it’.

The US president also said after the Iran conflict was over, the critical waterway would ‘just open up naturally’.

But while there were thinly veiled jibes at allies that had refused to take part in his offensive against Tehran, more strident criticism was missing from the American leader’s 19-minute address to the nation.

Lift-off for first manned Moon mission in more than 50 years

Nasa’s first manned Moon mission in more than 50 years that will take astronauts deeper into space than any human has gone before has blasted off.

The 322-foot rocket, carrying four crew members, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 6.36pm local time (11.36pm BST).

The four astronauts reached orbit ahead of circling the Earth for about 25 hours before catapulting towards the moon, their flight tracked from Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall.

Europe’s ‘largest used Land Rover dealer’ saw profit bounce back into the black last year after a punishing 2024.

Low mileage and nearly-new petrol cars dominated March’s fastest selling vehicles, according to the latest data from Cazoo and Motors.

A Nissan dealership in Cambridgeshire was involved in a special event at a local college of further education recently.

Car buyers are keeping hold of their vehicles for longer due to cost-of-living concerns and confusion over EVs, an delaying their next purchase.

Sunny for many at first, but cloud will build from the west through the day, reports BBC Weather. Heavy rain and stronger winds will reach Northern Ireland and western Scotland later.

Overnight, rain spreads east with hill snow in Scotland, while elsewhere stays breezy, cloudy and showery, especially in western areas.

Freshstream accused of 'weaponising' behaviour to oust Peter Waddell, High Court hears

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:07:02 +0000

The High Court has been told that Big Motoring World investors Freshstream may have ‘reverse-engineered’ a plan to remove chief executive Peter Waddell.

During closing submissions on Monday (March 30 and day 26 of the hearing) into a case brought by Mr Waddell, who is claiming unfair dismissal, harassment and disability discrimination by Bluebell Cars – the ultimate holding company of Big Motoring World – Alan Gourgey, KC, representing Mr Waddell, argued that Freshstream’s use of ‘step-in rights’ and disciplinary processes was part of a wider strategy to oust Waddell and take control of the company.

He told the court that Freshstream had recognised ‘the legal limits of step-in rights’ and that those powers alone ‘would not enable it to remove Mr Waddell as a director or as CEO’, adding that this led to what he described as ‘reverse-engineering to find a route to achieve those aims’.

Mr Gourgey went further, alleging that Waddell’s conduct was deliberately used against him, describing it as ‘the weaponisation of Mr Waddell’s behaviour that had long been known to them’.

He argued that this formed part of a broader ‘plot’ to remove the CEO, telling the court that key individuals were ‘taking the steps they did pursuant to the plot that had been put in place and which they were now implementing’.

Mr Waddell was removed as CEO in April 2024 and replaced by director Lawrence Vaughan, who was preferred by Freshstream to industry legend Daksh Gupta.

Mr Waddell has also accused senior figures of conflicts of interest, submitting that Mr Vaughan ‘stood to benefit by Mr Waddell being removed as director and CEO’, alongside others involved in the process.

A central plank of Waddell’s case is that concerns about his behaviour were not acted on until it suited the investor’s objectives.

Mr Gourgey told the court that the Freshstream had ‘extensive knowledge throughout 2023’ of the alleged conduct, yet ‘only sought to exploit their knowledge when it came to the end of 2023 where they were seeking to weaponise that conduct for their purposes of obtaining complete control of the business’.

He added that if the conduct had truly been serious, action would have been taken earlier, arguing that the issues were allowed to ‘continue for months and months and months’.

The trial so far…

However, the defence strongly rejected the suggestion of any coordinated plot.

Representing Mr Vaughan, Graeme McPherson KC, told the court on Wednesday (April 1, and day 28) that the idea of a single, pre-planned decision was ‘just nonsense’, arguing instead that events unfolded over time.

He described the process as ‘an evolution’ with ‘different decisions being taken by different people at different times on the basis of different information’, rather than a conspiracy.

Mr McPherson said the investor’s actions were driven by concerns about both business performance and Mr Waddell’s conduct, telling the court: ‘It’s a prudent, careful, sensible thought process, it is not a sinister plan’.

The High Court judge, Mr Justice Marcus Smith, acknowledged the competing narratives, noting that the case required careful analysis of how events developed over time.

He observed that the court would need to consider ‘the factors that gave rise to’ what the claimant describes as a plot, rather than focusing solely on when it became fully formed.

He also simplified the core issue at the heart of the dispute, asking whether the case could ‘be put a little more simply… that it was all about control?’

The court heard that the alleged ‘plot’ spans several months, with Mr Gourgey arguing it developed ‘from mid to late December onwards’, ultimately culminating in the removal of Mr Waddell from management.

The case now turns on whether Freshstream’s actions were a legitimate response to concerns about the business and its leadership, or whether, as Mr Waddell alleges, they were part of a premeditated strategy to seize control.

A judgment is expected to follow at a later date.

G3 Auctions acquired by US-based firm America's Auto Auctions

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:07:00 +0000

G3 Auctions has announced today it has been acquired by a US-based company America’s Auto Auction.

This is the firm’s first acquisition outside of the United States and shows UK automotive businesses continue to be hot property.

The acquisition includes G3’s two auction locations in Castleford and Bedford.

America’s Auto Auction was founded in 2009 by Matt Dale and Amanda Holtby and it has been expanding it’s footprint across the States so far.

CEO of America’s Auto Auction Chuck Tapp commented: ‘Entering the UK market is a defining moment for our company, and there was only one way we wanted to do it, with a partner that is already setting the standard.

‘G3 has built something truly differentiated in how they serve customers and evolve the auction experience.

‘That made this the right first step internationally. We are not here to change what is working.

‘We are here to invest in it, support it, and help take it even further.’

Matt Dale, joint founder of G3 Vehicle Auctions said: ‘It became apparent as soon as we engaged with America’s Auto Auction that they would be excellent custodians of the company.

‘It was critical that the values, culture and long-term vision aligned with our future ambition for G3. This deal will provide a multitude of personal development opportunities for the existing team and further bolster G3’s position as the UK’s go-to remarketing partner for both vendors and purchasers.

‘We are immensely proud of the sustained, profitable growth of G3 since its inception and are equally confident the business will continue to flourish under the stewardship of the existing senior management team and under America’s Auto Auctions wider guidance.’

Stellantis recalls 44,000 UK cars due to potential fire risk

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:06:59 +0000

Stellantis has issued a recall of 44,000 vehicles due to an issue which could cause vehicles to catch fire.

The fault affects certain Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Vauxhall, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat models made between 2023 and 2026.

It means that there could be insufficient space between a petrol particulate filter pipe and a protection cup for the 48-volt starter generator system.

Stellantis says that in ‘wet conditions’ there could be contact between the components, causing water to enter the engine bay. In a ‘worst-case scenario’, this could result in a ‘potential risk of fire in the engine department’.

In a statement, Stellantis said: ‘Having customer safety and satisfaction at the core of its values, Stellantis is voluntarily recalling an estimated 44,000 vehicles in the UK due to a potential issue concerning the clearance between the gasoline particulate filter pipe and the belt starter generator (BSG).

‘Stellantis will immediately reach out to affected vehicle owners, asking them to contact their dealer to schedule an appointment. The corrective action involves replacing the pole protection cup of the 48V belt starter generator (BSG) to one with higher insulation.

‘Additionally, the clearance between the gasoline particulate filter pipe and the BSG will be checked and adjusted if necessary. This service takes approximately 30 minutes and will be performed free of charge.’

Key vehicles affected by the recall include the Citroen C3, Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Mokka, though owners are being contacted to request that they speak to their nearest dealer to organise a repair.

Was Jaguar’s relaunch a marketing masterpiece or massive mistake?

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:06:57 +0000

It’s a question the industry and the brand’s fans have been pondering since the relaunch: Was Jaguar’s rebrand genius or a big mistake?

In November 2024 Jaguar unveiled a whole new look, dropping its famous growler logo and releasing a teaser video that went viral.

The backlash that followed it was vicious. Donald Trump waded in on the argument and branded the marketing ‘woke’ and Elon Musk asked if the brand ‘even sold cars’.

Jaguar was the most talked about brand on social media for three solid days after the campaign came out and its teaser video on YouTube attracted thousands of comments.

Now, 18 months on from that explosive event, journalists are getting behind the wheel of camouflaged prototypes of the four door GT car that will soon emerge to lead its charge into Jaguar’s electric future.

Car Dealer has been looking back at that landmark launch – an event that some have called the biggest gamble in automotive history.

We’ve been chatting to new and used Jaguar dealers, enthusiasts, motoring writers, as well as automotive and branding experts for a special series: Jaguar Relaunch: Mistake or Genius?

Today, Car Dealer has published a video investigation – which you can watch at the top of this post – that looks into the huge decisions Jaguar made, the fall-out that followed and why the car maker had to act.

A special three-part podcast series has also been released which features the long-form interviews conducted for the investigation.

In that series we delve deeper into the decisions made at Jaguar.

In episode one, The Journalists’ View, we chat to Daily Mail motoring editor Ray Massey who was a critic of the marketing campaign when it was released. We hear why he felt the campaign missed the mark and why he feels that since that event Jaguar has made a u-turn.

We also chat to Steve Fowler, the former Auto Express and What Car? editor and now electric cars writer at The Independent about why he feels this is a huge gamble for the firm.

Evo editor Stuart Gallagher, Electrifying.com founder Ginny Buckley and Wayne Scott, editor in chief of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Magazine, also give us their opinions on the relaunch.

The first episode has just been released and can be found on your favourite podcast platform.

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, The Insider, 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 felt it needed to be so dramatic in the first place 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.

You can find the Car Dealer Podcast on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts.

Where Is My Supercar? The Collapse of Targa Florio and the Customers Left With Nothing

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:25:45 +0000

When Kamrul Hasan Sumon handed his car to Targa Florio Cars in August 2025, he had every reason to trust them. The Chichester dealership was a multiple award winner, consistently rated five stars on Google and AutoTrader, and had been trading for over fifteen years selling Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis from a smart rural showroom in West Sussex. The arrangement was straightforward: sale or return. Targa Florio would sell the car. Sumon would receive £32,000.

He received nothing. In December 2025, a DVLA letter arrived informing him that the registered keeper of his vehicle had been changed. The car had been sold. The dealer had gone dark.

By January 2026, it was clear this was not an isolated case.

The disappearance

Targa Florio Cars vanished without warning in early January. The website went offline. The phone lines went dead. Google listed the business as permanently closed. When Car Dealer Magazine visited the company's premises at Walnut Farm Science Park, the forecourt was empty, the gates were shut, and the landlord had already begun advertising the site to let. Inside, computers were still on desks and the kitchen appeared fully stocked — as though everyone had simply walked out.

Sole director William Kirkham stopped answering calls, emails and messages. His mobile number became unreachable. The company's AutoTrader listing was removed.

Multiple customers came forward publicly. On TrustPilot, one customer posted:

"I left a car in the care of Targa Florio Cars and William (Kirkham) who sold the car and ghosted me completely."

Another wrote that they had not received a single response since being told in November that their car had sold — not to six emails, not to multiple WhatsApp messages, not to calls.

Bradford Law told Car Dealer that Targa Florio had "sold my car and kept the ££." He and Sumon were later interviewed by the BBC, expecting £28,000 and £32,000 respectively. A third customer, Frank and Millie Dowsett, were waiting on £19,000 for a classic Morgan and did not even know what had happened to it.

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Police and Trading Standards move in

Sussex Police confirmed they were investigating. In a statement to Car Dealer, they said:

"We are aware of a number of reports involving payment issues over vehicle sales relating to a company in Chichester."

West Sussex Trading Standards also began receiving complaints and opened their own inquiry. The key legal question is whether the conduct crosses from civil insolvency into criminal territory. When a dealer sells a car on sale or return and keeps the proceeds, that may constitute fraud or theft — not merely a commercial dispute. If criminal intent can be demonstrated, the matter becomes a police case rather than a civil claim through the insolvency courts.

Kirkham eventually told the BBC he was entering liquidation and filing for bankruptcy. His solicitor attributed the closure to "very difficult trading conditions," citing black book realignment, rising business rates, national insurance increases and other operating costs. According to Car Dealer Magazine, at least three of the named customers received settlements from Kirkham. Others have had no contact at all.

The numbers from Companies House

Liquidators Thomas Charles Russell and Sandra Lillian Mundy of James Cowper Kreston were formally appointed on 9 March 2026. The statement of affairs filed at Companies House reveals the scale of the problem.

Targa Florio Cars Limited owes £494,405.89 to 37 unsecured creditors. The breakdown, as reported by Car Dealer Magazine, includes £375,886.50 outstanding to six finance companies, £41,206.81 to 26 trade and expense creditors, £21,062.92 owed to three employees, and £16,085.16 owed to two banks. The largest single creditor is NextGear Capital UK at £125,818.59. HMRC is owed £42,000 in unpaid VAT and PAYE.

Total assets: £30,000. Net deficiency: £486,318.81.

Notably, the statement of affairs formally records that Targa Florio does not owe money to any customers. Whether that view survives legal scrutiny remains to be seen.

An accountancy expert who analysed three years of filed accounts for Car Dealer said the business had appeared strong on paper while being chronically short of cash, with more than £2.5 million of value sitting in car stock in 2022 and 2023 while the bank balance was under £10,000 in both years.

This has happened before

Targa Florio is the second luxury dealer to collapse this way within six months. GVE London, a supercar dealer with a significant social media following, entered administration in September 2025 leaving customers in similar circumstances. GaukMotorBuzz covered that collapse in detail — the pattern of a dealer operating on consigned stock, running tight on cash, and then vanishing with other people's cars is not new, and the legal protections for owners in those situations remain dangerously weak.

Sale or return sounds like a sensible arrangement. You keep ownership of the car. The dealer finds the buyer. In practice, the moment you hand over the keys, your position depends entirely on the dealer's honesty and solvency. There is no government compensation scheme. There is no insurance product that covers the scenario. If the dealer sells the car and folds before paying you, you join the queue of unsecured creditors and hope for the best.

In Targa Florio's case, with £30,000 in assets against nearly £500,000 in liabilities, the queue leads nowhere useful.

Sources:

GM Pauses Production Of Two Hyped-Up EVs, Sending 1,300 Workers Home

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:27:52 +0000

by Brad Anderson

GM’s Factory Zero will be idled from March 16 to April 13.
Shutdown affects 1,300 workers, who face temporary layoff.
Hummer EV sales dropped nearly 50 percent in Q4 2025.

Demand for GM’s electric vehicles in the US is so poor that the carmaker has revealed Factory Zero in Detroit, its all-electric vehicle hub, will be idled until April 13. Production at the site has already been paused since March 16, so it’ll be offline for almost an entire month.

Due to the production pause, roughly 1,300 workers will be temporarily laid off by the car manufacturer. This news is just the latest blow for those who work at the site, as output at Factory Zero was already cut by almost 50 percent in January when it moved to a single-shift operation. This prompted GM to put 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff.

Read: GM Is Boosting Production Of Its Biggest Gas Guzzlers, Fuel Prices Be Damned

The plant handles production of models including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Hummer EV, but sales have slowed since the US government axed the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.

In the last quarter of 2025, Chevy sold 1,896 Silverado EVs, down 12.9 percent from the 2,176 in 2024. Interestingly, total 2025 sales reached 11,275, which was 51.8 percent higher than 2024.

GMC Hummer EV Collapse

The GMC Hummer EV is starting to feel the effects of shifting government policy. Sales dropped 49.8 percent in the final quarter of 2025, falling from 5,091 units to 2,555. That slide carried straight into 2026, with just 1,653 units moved in Q1, down 52.5 percent from the 3,479 sold a year earlier.

The GMC Sierra EV, meanwhile, managed to buck the trend. It posted 1,288 deliveries in Q1 2026, narrowly beating the 1,249 units from the same period in 2025. In a tough stretch for Factory Zero, that modest gain stands out as one of the few positives.

Like some of the competition, GM is pulling back from its EV commitments, confirming it will take $7.6 billion in charges for scaling back its EV spending. While GM boss Mary Barra still refers to EVs as the company’s “end game,” The General is making changes in the meantime. This includes working on several plug-in hybrid models, details of which still remain thin on the ground.

GM also recently announced it’s boosting production of some of its biggest gas guzzlers, namely the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500, in addition to the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500.

Apr 1: Starmer update on cost of living; Energy price drop short-lived; Car finance lenders shares rise

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:47:36 +0000