2:09 pm, March 2, 2023
With just a week to go to Car Dealer Live, Polestar’s UK chief has outlined what he’ll be discussing at the conference.
Jonathan Goodman will be appearing on a special manufacturer panel at the event, which will be discussing the future of the car dealer and automotive retail in general.
He’ll be one of a star-studded line-up at Car Dealer Live – sponsored by Auto Trader – which is being held at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, on March 9.
Only a handful of in-person tickets are left to purchase, but streaming tickets can also be purchased on the event website.
Speaking to Car Dealer ahead of the event, Goodman said: ‘I’m very excited to be speaking at the conference.
‘One of the key things for us here at Polestar is that we’re having tremendous commercial success – and a huge amount of that is down to our relationships with our retail investors.’
He added: ‘The car industry has to change; The retail model has to change. We have to become more customer focussed.
‘So, I am very keen to explain [at the conference] our way of thinking, and that very much involves retailers in it.’
Goodman will be appearing alongside the UK bosses of MG Motor and Suzuki.
The manufacturer bosses panel is just one highlight of the day, however.
Leading franchised dealers, and independents will be giving their views on the future of automotive retail, while Auto Trader, Google , Cox Automotive and Close Brothers Motor Finance will be presenting exclusive white paper research.
Who’ll be speaking at Car Dealer Live?
Auto Trader
Used car pricing, the surge in electric car sales and what consumers really want from car dealers will be at the forefront of an exclusive Auto Trader presentation.
We’ll hear exclusive research from Catherine Faiers, COO of headline partners Auto Trader on the forces of change that could affect the status quo in the coming years, from new EV entrants to changing consumer behaviour.
Despite the rise of online car sales, physical car dealerships are still crucial to the buying journey, says Google.
The search giant will reveal its latest research into how important a blended approach to car sales is at Car Dealer Live. Ben Gault, automotive industry manager for Google UK, will deliver the search giant’s research which will look at the growing importance of omni-channel retailing for car dealers.
Close Brothers Motor Finance
How used car dealers are preparing for the forthcoming ban on internal combustion engines in 2030 will lead an exclusive talk from partners Close Brothers Motor Finance.
The firm has commissioned a survey of hundreds of used car dealers which has questioned them on their businesses’ plans for a move to electric vehicles. In a session titled ‘The road ahead – the journey to AFV’, Close Brothers CEO of motor UK Sean Kemple will present the firm’s findings.
Cox Automotive
How much of the buying journey are car buyers prepared to do online and in physical dealerships, is a question Cox Automotive will be hoping to answer at Car Dealer Live.
Experts at the firm have surveyed both consumers and car dealers to ask their opinions on what they want from online and physical car purchasing.
Cox Automotive insight and strategy director Phil Nothard, as well as guests Michael Bell, CEO of Available Car, and Stephanie Muzzall, digital project manager for consumer digital at Volvo Car UK, will appear on stage to discuss the findings of the survey.
THE DAY’S DETAIL
How to get there
The event is being held at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon. This is just off Junction 12 of the M40 in Warwickshire.
Where to park
There is plenty of free parking at the British Motor Museum. Parking for Car Dealer Live guests will be clearly marked. Park on the left hand side as you approach the main building and the Car Dealer Live entrance is around the left hand side of the building as marked in the diagram above. There will be signs pointing you in the right direction on the day.
Food & drink
There will be coffee and pastries upon arrival at 0930, followed by a coffee break at 1115, buffet lunch at 1245 and more coffee and cake in the main auditorium for the afternoon session.
Allergies
There will be vegetarian and vegan options. Attendees with any type of nut allergy should note that the museum cannot guarantee that its food or the products that it buys in do not contain nuts or traces of nuts. It does not have a nut-free kitchen or a completely separate nut-free area to prepare its catering, therefore it does not accept any responsibility for any allergic reactions. If an attendee’s allergy is that severe, they are advised to bring their own food and drink with them.
Seating
Seating positions in the auditorium are on a first come, first served basis. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of seats for guests, but there will be no reserved places apart from for the speakers taking part in the sessions on the live stage.
Audience participation
We’ll be using interactive audience participation tool Slido.com during the sessions. This will let you vote in our online polls and ask questions of our panelists. The participation code for the event will be broadcast on the screens in the venue and you can simply log on to the mobile website to take part (no app is needed). We’ll give you details on the day.
Streaming
Streaming tickets are still available and can be purchased on the Car Dealer Live event website. The tickets will give you access to the live stream of all the sessions on the day of the event and access to all the sessions to be replayed as many times as you want afterwards.
The agenda
- 09:30 – Arrivals, coffee and welcome pastries
- 10:15 – Welcome in auditorium from Car Dealer editor James Baggott
- 10:20 – Keynote interview – Mark Lavery, CEO, Cambria Automobiles
- 10:50 – Franchised dealer panel – sponsored by Close Brothers Motor Finance
- 11:15 – Coffee break and networking
- 11:45 – White Paper session with headline partner Auto Trader
- 12:15 – Independent car dealer panel – sponsored by Auto Trader
- 12:45 – Buffet lunch
- 13:30 – White Paper session with Close Brothers Motor Finance
- 14:00 – Car manufacturer panel – sponsored by Cox Automotive
- 14:30 – White Paper session with Cox Automotive
- 15:00 – Google keynote interview
- 15:30 – Event close
Ticket includes entry to museum
Your Car Dealer Live ticket includes entry to the British Motor Museum. There are some amazing exhibits on display and it’s well worth planning some time at the end of the day to have a look around.
