7:47 am, February 16, 2026
The fight for supply, electric cars and using technology to dealers’ advantages will be top of the agenda at a special session at Car Dealer Live.
Headline sponsors Autotrader are set to deliver their take on the challenges and opportunities for the year ahead with the help of special guests.
Autotrader’s Ian Plummer said: ‘We’re bringing together a small panel to focus on some key outlook themes that we believe retailers would do well to concentrate on in 2026 and beyond.
‘There are some big challenges facing everyone at the moment.
‘The key is turning those challenges into opportunities and strengths where possible.’
Car Dealer Live – sponsored by Auto Trader – takes place on March 19 at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon.
Tickets are available now for both dealers and suppliers on the official Car Dealer Live website.
Plummer explains in his video interview above the three key themes he’ll be chatting about at the event.
He said: ‘The first is the fight for supply. There’s been a lot of talk about the fallow years of 2020, 2021 and 2022 and how they’re now flowing through the car parc. That’s affecting franchise retailers as well as independents. Sourcing is a real challenge.
‘The second theme is how used electric is going mainstream. We’ve seen EV sales grow quickly across both new and used over the past year.
‘Used EVs are now priced at – or even slightly below – parity with their petrol equivalents. That’s attracting a lot of interest.
‘The third is turning tech promise into profit. It’s easy to be dazzled by some of the solutions put in front of us. We’re all guilty of buying gadgets that look attractive. But the key is converting that promise into real profit.’
Packed agenda
Exclusive sessions with key research carried out for the event will also be hosted by partners Google, Motorway, Impel, Keyloop and Cox Automotive.
Car Dealer Live 26 will be hosted by James Baggott, James Batchelor and Rebecca Chaplin and this year’s event has been redesigned to pack even more into it including a networking area during breaks in the day.
Headline interviews with Peugeot MD Nicole Dobson and the boss of used car dealership Infinity Motors Sohib Ghafouri have been lined up.
The car manufacturer panel features David Kateley from Suzuki GB and Lina Robeiro, from Dacia, while our franchised car dealer panel features Hedin CEO Richard Ennis and Luscombe Motors MD Sam Luscombe.
The independent car dealer panel features IMDA chairman and used car dealer Umesh Samani, Steven Douglas, the founder of dealership Really Easy Car Credit, and George Manning, director of car supermarket Hilton Garage.
A Chinese car manufacturer challenger session will feature executives from BYD, Geely, Omoda & Jaecoo and Chery as we discuss their entrance to the UK market and their plans for the future.
And there will also be a Social Media Masterclass featuring dealers who have saved thousands selling cars exclusively on social platforms.
Speaking about Car Dealer Live, Plummer added: ‘There’s huge benefit in the sessions themselves, but also in the conversations over coffee with peers, colleagues and partners.
‘That exchange of ideas and best practice across the industry is incredibly valuable.’
Tickets
Tickets to the event are available now and cost £165 for trading car dealers. Supplier tickets are £335.
Hotel room packages are also available with a room the night before the event. A social get together will be held the evening prior to the event for those attending to catch up with colleagues and network with like-minded professionals.
Pricing:
- Dealer ticket: £165
- Supplier ticket: £335
- Streaming ticket: £225
- Dealer + Hotel package: £325
- Supplier + Hotel package: £495
- (prices ex vat)
Stay tuned for further announcements in the coming weeks and to book your tickets log on to the website CarDealerLive.co.uk.
