8:37 am, October 15, 2021
Manheim Vehicle Services (MVS) has agreed a three-year deal with MG that will see the firm handle thousands of vehicles every year.
As part of the agreement, the MVS Coventry site will handle up to 7,000 vehicles a year for inspection, reconditioning, storage, and onward distribution.
MG currently has a growing network of more than 140 UK dealerships but came a disappointing 23rd in this year’s Car Dealer Power survey.
The new partnership will see MVS recondition up to 6,000 rental buy-back vehicles per year, as well as supporting with new car preparation for an initial three-year period.
The agreement coincides with an announcement from MVS’ parent company, Cox Automotive, that it will invest into electric vehicle charging points within its Coventry site.
Geraint Isaac, head of fleet sales at MG Motor UK, said: ‘As a fast-growing, EV-led manufacturer, it was important that we selected a partner that shared the same vision and roadmap as us.
‘Cox Automotive is very active within the field of EV and mobility services, not just through Manheim Vehicle Services but across the organisation, which gives us a great opportunity to work across more areas of the business in close collaboration.
‘The location and facilities within MVS’ Coventry site are also second-to-none and highly convenient.
‘It is well located close to our aftersales and battery recycling facilities at Longbridge and there is enormous potential for us to increase our volume as our business continues to grow.’
Despite scoring just 51.8 per cent in our Power survey, MG is one of the fastest-growing OEMs globally.
It recently announced a new sales record of 20,000 units this year to-date, eclipsing its previous 2020 sales record by 1,500 units.
MG also has one of the highest pure EV proportions of any manufacturer selling both electric and internal combustion models.
At the end of September, it held a 1.7 per cent share of the UK new car market and achieved 2.53 per cent of the UK’s total registrations in the last full sales month.
Sam Panayides (nee Watkins), sales director, Cox Automotive Europe, added: ‘MG is one of the most progressive vehicle manufacturers in the world, achieving impressive growth, particularly within the electric vehicle segment.
‘There are real synergies between our brands, particularly relating to electrification and mobility services, and we share common interests.
‘Also, our recent acquisition of EV battery lifecycle company Spiers New Technologies puts us in a strong position to work with manufacturers such as MG to lead best practice on EV storage, logistics, and battery remanufacturing, reuse and recycling.
‘We look forward to working with them throughout the next few years.’
