DIESEL DAMAGE / P6 Poll highlights dealer concerns as new and used sales suffer ASTON MARTIN / P32 Dealers want to invest in us, says UK boss Dan Balmer AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT www.am-online.com September 2017 £8.00 DEALERS AND DEBT / P43 The gearing gap is widening between big and small groups PETER SMYTH, SWANSWAY / P22 ‘WE’RE GOING BACK TO BASICS TO WEATHER THE STORM’ adRocket DRIVEN BY RESULTS EXTERIOR, INTERIOR & GLASS Put the shine back into your profi ts and discover how your dealership can benefi t from increased penetration rates when you switch to LifeShine. With a lifetime guarantee, exceptional durability and superior protection, your customers will be as delighted as you are. For a free demonstration, call 01462 677 766 or email
[email protected] TM lifeshine.com Carbon Shield Technology 15218 AUT Lifeshine Ad A4 (4) SS.indd 1 28/02/2017 14:23 FP_AM_15218AUTLiid2896617.pdf 01.03.2017 15:51 EDITOR’S LETTER ate summer is traditionally known as ‘the silly season’ in journalism. The recess of Parliament and a typical slowdown in business reports as workers take summer holidays often leads to particularly frivolous news stories appearing in the media. Take August 2009’s national newspapers reporting about the mysteriously premature death of the UK’s largest carp, Benson, or about an invasion of killer Siberian chipmunks from mainland Europe, for example. In motor retail’s trade press, we don’t have such an issue, thankfully. Since the schools broke up for the summer holidays, we have had the L Government’s announcement that non-hybrid petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned from 2040, and another acquisition of a UK dealer group by a South African company, this time major AM100 dealer group Pentagon.