Automotive industry charity Ben will get a boost from Car Dealer Live as 10% of ticket sales will be donated to the charity.

Our annual conference for the automotive industry takes place next week (March 13) at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon.

Now, in its third year, the event, sponsored by Auto Trader, will once again be raising money for the crucial work that Ben does for the industry.

Rachel Clift, the charity’s CEO, will be speaking on stage in a special session with automotive industry legend Daksh Gupta.

The pair will tackle a variety of topics, including how to cope with the stress of working in the fast-paced industry.

The pressures of targets, the demands on time the business takes up at all levels, and the impact on family life is clear for those working in the motor trade.

Gupta and Clift will give their tips on how to cope and where dealers can get advice in their session that takes place at 1530 on the day.

Car Dealer is proud to support Ben at its industry events and raises money every year for the charity at the Used Car Awards and via Car Dealer Live.

Car Dealer has donated more than £16,600 to the automotive charity in the last two years. 

Matt Wigginton, a director at Ben, said: ‘We continue to be amazed at the generosity and support from our automotive family and, quite simply, couldn’t help so many people without your help. 

‘Over the past 12 months we’ve received around 16,000 enquiries – that’s around one every 10 minutes of every working day. We know that people in our industry are struggling, but we also know there are so many more people, who don’t know about Ben, that need our support. 

‘It’s thanks to our friends at CarDealer, and supporters right across the industry, that the message is getting out – no matter what, Ben’s got your back.’

Car Dealer Live – sponsored by Auto Trader – takes place on March 13 at the British Motor Museum, in Gaydon. Tickets are selling out fast for car dealers and suppliers and are available on the event website.

Headline interviews with Dr Andy Palmer, the former Nissan chief and Aston Martin CEO, John O’Hanlon the Waylands Automotive CEO, and Nicole Melillo Shaw, the managing director of Volvo Cars UK, will also take place.

There will also be plenty of opportunity for networking with other automotive industry professionals.

Topics at the event include practical tips on how car dealers can really use AI in their dealerships. Motorway’s James Wilson will be delivering that session alongside Michael Bell, CEO of Available Car. 

Cox Automotive will look at the opportunities for car dealers when it comes to EV sales, and Auto Trader will present its exclusive data on what it expects to see in 2025.

Google will also be looking at AI, presenting its latest research on what used car buyers want and give some practical tips on using its Vehicle Ads platform. While JATO will look at the threats and opportunities Chinese car manufacturers represent to the UK market.

Experian will be delving into data to look at how it can be used to boost car dealer businesses when it comes to what cars to sell, what customers they are attracting and what finance packages they are interested in.

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Tickets

Trading car dealers can book tickets for the event for £160, supplier tickets are £320. Some 10% of ticket sales will be donated to industry charity Ben.

A hotel package is also available which will include a stay at a four-star hotel, a short drive away from the venue, the night before.

Car Dealer will be hosting a social gathering in a dedicated area at the hotel the night before so attendees can network ahead of the main event.

It is essential you book the correct tickets. Non trading car dealers who book car dealer tickets will have their tickets cancelled.

For more information and a full programme of the day visit CarDealerLive.co.uk.