Dealer group’s £4m bid to beat April car tax shake-up deadline

LEADING West Country Ford dealership Foray Motor Group has launched a £4m initiative to help drivers of new cars beat swingeing road tax penalties.

From April 1, drivers of new low-emissions cars such as the Ford Fiesta, Britain’s best-selling car for the past eight years, could see road tax penalties imposed that cost them hundreds of pounds over a typical three-year period of ownership.

But Foray, which has showrooms in Andover, Salisbury, Poole Shaftesbury, Yeovil and Taunton, is rapidly filling a compound with Fiestas and the new Ka+ to ensure deliveries can be made before the March 31 cut-off. The cars it is gathering are together worth £4m at retail prices.

Tom Croft, group sales manager, said: ‘It’s a big commitment but one that we need to make to fulfil anticipated customer orders. I don’t want to have to say to customers that we’re sorry we can’t deliver what will be the most popular Fords even if they have ordered in plenty of time.

‘The Honest John website suggests that around 70 per cent of car buyers will lose out through these road tax changes. But Foray sales teams will do our level best to help customers beat the March 31 deadline.

‘March is forecast to be one of the busiest months ever for new car registrations as the new 17 number plates arrive, so we have everything in place to help keep motoring costs down.

‘Honest John is also suggesting that it’s already too late for potential Fiesta buyers to place an order because of the three-month wait for cars to be built.

‘I want people to know we have done their forward planning. We have cars in stock and are geared up to deliver them on time. And we’ll be offering them with top-rate deals, too!’

As of April, the amount of duty to be paid in the first year of ownership will be determined by the amount of CO₂ that cars produce, and will range from £10 to £2,000. From year two onwards, all cars – aside from those emitting no CO₂ emissions – will be subject to an annual VED bill of £140.

Cars with a list price of more than £40,000 will also be subject to an additional £310 levy for the first five years of ownership.

The new scheme will not apply retrospectively, meaning any car registered before April will still fall under the current road tax system.

MORE: Stoneacre partners with Smartdriverclub to become UK’s first ‘connected’ used car dealer

MORE: Simon Henstock: Digital + physical = successful remarketing

MORE: Retiring receptionist given a fond farewell

On SuperUnleaded.com: Alfa Romeo Should Make This For Everyone’s Happiness