9:55 am, March 27, 2023
Autovogue – the used car dealer that controversially blamed used Jaguar Land Rover products for its failing – collapsed owing more than £1m to creditors.
New documents filed with Companies House show the now liquidated luxury car dealer collapsed owing a variety of motor trade businesses £1.09m.
The names listed in the documents are some of the biggest companies in the motor trade – with some owed hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The highest debt is apportioned to BCA Partner Finance which is owed more than £685,000.
Others include Auto Trader (£6,561.71), Cap HPI (£2,272.28), Euro Car Parts (£5,134.78), Haydock Stock Finance (£20,000), The Warranty Group (£13,663.20) and Micheldever Tyre Services (£31,299.78), along with many others.
Franchised car dealers Lookers and Rybrook Land Rover Stoke also appear on the document and are owed £2,489.40 and £5,476.76 respectively.
The documents detail Andrew Watling has been appointed as the voluntary liquidator.
A resolution to wind up was granted on March 21, 2023.
As reported by Car Dealer, Autovogue closed its doors after 30 years in February this year.
It controversially blamed used Jaguar Land Rover models for its failing.
At the time of its closing, Autovogue wrote: ‘Unfortunately in recent years and with the development of the global economy after Covid-19, further compounded by Ukraine and high UK inflation the automotive sector has been hit hard with significant pressures.
‘Autovogue UK have suffered huge additional costs and continuing issues with failing used Jaguar Land Rover vehicles which were directly due to the poor manufacture of these vehicles by the Jaguar Land Rover group and not Autovogue UK limited associated works.
‘Many failing after under 10,000 miles and the direct repair cost damaging the balance sheet for Autovogue UK Limited in 2022 of some £198,000.’
The used car dealer added: ‘After some nine months of intense investment rounds to support the growth of the business and new models to move away from Jaguar Land Rover vehicles to more stable manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes & Porsche talks broke down directly due to the distressed economy/retail market and the investors ultimately decided to not proceed with the backing required, leaving no choice but to close the company.’
The statement on the used car dealer’s website was rapidly removed after Car Dealer reported the claims.
Jaguar Land Rover was contacted for comment at the time but was not drawn on Autovogue’s specific claims.
However, in a statement at the time, it said: ‘At Jaguar Land Rover we are committed to ensuring our clients receive the highest possible levels of service throughout the ownership cycle.
‘As such, we have an established approved used service network offering a transparent market-leading scheme for buyers of pre-owned Jaguar or Land Rover vehicles.’
Car Dealer reported the story after it was approached by customers who could not contact the dealer.
