6:50 am, August 19, 2026
Make AI adoption Britain’s national economic priority, says CBI
The rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) must be made a national economic priority and firms need to move past ‘pilot mode’ to avoid being left behind in the race to adopt the new technology, according to an influential business group.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called on the Government to make the next 10 years Britain’s “adoption decade” and put AI at the heart of its strategy for the economy and nation’s workforce.
In a report published by the CBI and Oliver Wyman, they warn that there is a growing ‘execution divide’ for companies who are scaling up the use of AI throughout their organisation and those left in so-called pilot mode.
Some retailers not passing on wholesale fuel price falls quickly enough – CMA
Some petrol stations are still not passing on changes in wholesale prices quickly enough and more than a thousand warning letters have been sent to retailers failing to give prices to the Fuel Finder service, the UK competition watchdog revealed.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) raised concerns in its latest quarterly update on the fuel market over ‘passive pricing strategies’ used by the majority of retailers, which it said were helping to keep profit margins high amid soaring cost pressures on drivers from the Iran war.
It found some retailers did not immediately pass on falls in wholesale diesel prices to drivers between May and June, which could have boosted competition in the market.
The ‘GMSV S1’ is the McLaren F1 for the 21st century
Gordon Murray Specialist Vehicles has reimagined the legendary McLaren F1supercar for the modern day with the arrival of the ‘GMSV S1.’
The luxury carmaker is responsible for designing and developing some of the world’s fastest and most expensive road-going supercars, with its founder, Gordon Murray, also the developer and designer of the original McLaren F1 from the 1990s.
The S1 is the firm’s latest creation and builds on the heritage of the F1, featuring a similar silhouette with a carbon fibre monocoque and body panels.
Tuesday on Car Dealer
How did China’s BYD conquer Britain’s car market in just three years?
BYD has hit 100,000 UK registrations just three years after entering the market, fuelled by rapid dealer expansion, competitive pricing and in-house technology. Its next challenge will be retaining customers, protecting residual values and competing as more Chinese brands target the UK.
Hundreds of cars descend on Grand Tour track as dealer stages huge community takeover
Mergers and acquisitions market ‘as difficult as it has been in 10 years’ for UK car dealers
Chinese brands are ‘formidable’ but Volvo is ‘leaning into’ 100 years of experience
Volvo UK boss Nicole Melillo Shaw says Chinese car brands are ‘formidable’ but cannot quickly match Volvo’s 100 years of experience. She says the brand is focused on differentiation and profitable growth, while ruling out introducing grants on its electric cars.
Holdcroft turnover surges past £826m as dealer group posts £9.2m profit
Dealer group Holdcroft increased turnover by 10.8% to £826m in 2025, while pre-tax profit rose 20% to £9.23m. Directors hailed a strong performance despite margin pressures, with new car sales and corporate volumes rising, although used retail transactions fell amid stock shortages.
IGA wants to see MOT prices hiked to £95 as Government meeting approaches
The Independent Garage Association is calling for the MOT price cap to rise from £54.85 to at least £95, arguing the fee has been frozen since 2010 while garage costs have soared. It warns independents are reducing MOT capacity, potentially leaving motorists with fewer testing options.
New Mercedes C-Class launches with petrol, diesel and hybrid power
Mercedes-Benz has overhauled the combustion-engined C-Class, adding styling inspired by its electric counterpart and more efficient mild-hybrid engines. A plug-in hybrid offers up to 71 miles of electric range, while prices start from £46,995 for the saloon and estate range.
Vertu opens first Alpine dealership following £400,000 Nottingham investment
Vertu has opened its first Alpine dealership in Nottingham after investing £400,000 in a new facility. The site, Alpine’s first in the East Midlands, will sell the electric A290 and A390, while creating new jobs and expanding Vertu’s relationship with Renault.
The markets
The FTSE 100 outperformed European peers on Tuesday, with oil stocks on the up amid rising prices, and bond market concerns adding to the cautious mood.
The London-based stock index closed up 7.74 points, or 0.1%, at 10,728.04.
In European equities on Tuesday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed down 0.8%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt fell 0.8%.
Energy price cap hike set to send July inflation surging
Higher energy prices are expected to send UK inflation surging back up when official figures are released on Wednesday, amid fears the summer’s record heatwaves may also start putting pressure on food costs.
Most experts are forecasting that Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation will rise to 2.9% in July, up from a 15-month low of 2.6% in June and the highest rate since March.
It would come on the back of a 13% hike in Ofgem’s energy price cap last month, which saw the average gas and electricity bill increase by £221 to £1,862 a year.
Three people from same family die after getting into trouble off Sussex coast
A couple and their teenage daughter have died after getting into difficulty off the Sussex coast.
Multiple ambulances and two air ambulances were seen in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, near the RNLI station on Tuesday afternoon.
Sussex Police confirmed emergency services were responding to four people getting into difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.
Weather outlook
Northern England and Scotland will see sunny spells and showers, with breezy conditions; Northern Ireland will be similar.
Wales and the Midlands should have brighter spells with scattered showers, while southern England will turn drier after early rain.
Overall, cooler, unsettled weather will replace the recent heat.