8:11 am, September 21, 2026
Car Dealer Live – the premier event for the motor trade – is back for 2027 and tickets have gone on sale today.
With a stellar line-up of headline speakers, Car Dealer Live, sponsored by Autotrader, is set to take place on March 16, 2027, at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon.
The hugely popular event brings together car dealers from across the industry, manufacturers and suppliers for a day of thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire and educate.
Tickets are available now under early bird discount pricing but you’ll need to be quick as places are limited.
Early bird pricing is available on both dealer and supplier tickets and hotel packages are also available at a new venue for 2027 where a networking event will also take place the evening before the event.
Car Dealer is pleased to announce the first guests in our star line-up of headline speakers coming from across the automotive world.
Taking to the stage will be:
Headline speaker: Linda Jackson, former Peugeot CEO
One of the automotive industry’s most influential figures, Linda Jackson has spent decades shaping some of the world’s biggest car brands. Formerly chief executive of Citroën and later leading Peugeot’s global operations, she has overseen major transformations through electrification, changing consumer habits and intense competition. She has recently been appointed to car dealer group Hendy’s board and will provide a rare insider’s perspective on leadership, disruption and the future of the automotive industry.
Headline speaker: Tom Harley Junior, supercar dealer
Tom has brokered some of the largest car sales in the world – having sold Bernie Eccelestone’s incredible collection of cars and Mansour Ojjeh’s personal McLaren collection. He’s just finished building an incredible destination site in the Cotswolds as a home for his dealership and is arguably the most knowledgeable classic and super car dealer around. He’ll be giving insights into his amazing career and business.
Headline speaker: Kevin Gaskell, former BMW and Porsche boss
Kevin Gaskell is one of the motor industry’s best-known business leaders, having run Porsche, Lamborghini and BMW in the UK during a hugely successful automotive career. He has since built and transformed businesses across a range of sectors and is a renowned expert on leadership, growth and creating high-performing teams. Away from business, Gaskell has also taken on some extraordinary challenges, including walking to both the North and South Poles and setting five-man crew world records rowing across the Atlantic and Pacific. He’ll be sharing lessons from an incredible career in business and adventure.
Headline speaker: Farhad Tailor, founder of V12 Sports & Classics
Farhad Tailor has built one of the UK’s biggest independent used car businesses from remarkably humble beginnings. Starting out selling cars from home, he has grown V12 Sports & Classics into a £200m-plus turnover operation retailing more than 15,000 cars a year and employing hundreds of people. He’ll offer dealers practical insight into buying and selling cars at scale, using data to make better decisions, building a strong team and adapting a business as the market changes.
Interviews & panels
Car Dealer Live will mix headline interviews with these inspirational guests along with panel sessions with some of the best business brains in the motor trade.
Panel sessions taking place on the day will include franchised dealers, independent dealers and car manufacturers.
Tom Ellis, director of independent car dealership Carite, is the first dealer name on our independent panel while Bono Ge, country manager for BYD, and Nic Thomas, MD of Changan, will appear on our car manufacturer panel. More guests will be added to the sessions over the coming months.
They’ll also be exclusive research delivered by our event partners which include headline sponsors Autotrader, as well as Google, Impel, Keyloop and Motorway.
We will also have a Networking Area where suppliers to the motor trade will showcase their businesses during coffee breaks and lunch. Contact the Car Dealer Live team if you wish to showcase your business.
Car Dealer editor-in-chief James Baggott said: ‘Car Dealer Live is a fantastic day of inspirational talks from leading lights in the motor trade.
‘I am incredibly excited about some of the brilliant speakers we already have lined up and am looking forward to revealing more names as we add them to the agenda.
‘Just like this year, next year’s event will be full of exclusive research that is designed to give dealers something meaningful to take back to their businesses the next day and implement.’
Tickets
Tickets to Car Dealer Live are available to purchase now with early bird discounts.
Early Bird Pricing:
- Dealer ticket – £145 (usually £170)
- Supplier ticket – £325 (usually £355)
- Dealer & hotel – £320 (usually £345)
- Supplier & hotel – £500 (usually £530)
- Streaming ticket – £200 (usually £225)
It is essential you book the correct ticket. Suppliers booking dealer tickets will have their tickets cancelled with no refunds.
Ticket and hotel packages give you access to a new for 2027 exclusive Car Dealer Live hotel. The official hotel can only be booked via Car Dealer and has been reserved exclusively for our event.
A Car Dealer social will take place the evening before the event at the official hotel where guests can network and meet other attendees to Car Dealer Live. Hotel rooms are strictly limited.
For more information about Car Dealer Live 2027 and to book tickets visit the event website.