In focus Aston Barclay
Covid might still be with us, but Aston Barclay has adapted. Managing director Martin Potter talks to Martyn Collins about fitting into the “new normal”.
P
Above: Martin Potter, is determined that Aston Barclay will ride out supply and demand issues.
Below: Tesla is one of several manufacturers beating the odds on new stock availability.
otter tells me he thinks there were about 140,000 fewer ex-fleet vehicles in the marketplace in 2021. “That is because we’re running on 30% less new car supply, and most fleets are on 30–35% contract extensions,” he says. “Also, most fleets are reporting almost up to a year’s worth of order book, sitting in the bank waiting to be supplied.”
Not all manufacturers are affected though, as Potter tells me it appears that Hyundai, Kia and Tesla, and some smaller manufacturers such as MG, have a small amount of new stock about. “Most of the European manufacturers are discussing not being up to full production until the summer, that’s being brave,” he explains. “Let’s face it, they’re going to satisfy their retailers first, in terms of what volume they want. Then, they will work through the massive backlog of fleet orders that are sitting
there. Eventually they might get round to rental, but I’m not convinced they will. I think that by the time they get through that mound of order bank, we will almost be on a rolling annual order bank, quite frankly.” He thinks the used car market will maintain some strength for the next few years. “There were 1.4 million fewer vehicles registered just in the last two years, and those cars are never coming back. I think there are going to be the same supply and demand issues in used cars – even when we get some supply back into the market.
“Our used-fleet pricing, which we call a 20–54-month age profile, went up from the first quarter to the end of 2021 by 40.8%. Our average prices achieved in that sector have been 10% more than CAP, and we’re really pleased to have beaten the market and our customers are very happy with that.”
22 | March 2022 |
www.businesscar.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
