As Motor Trade Insurance Specialists, NCi Motor Trade regularly keep up to date with issues affecting the automotive industry not just from speaking with our motor trade customers but by also reading the following publications and websites.

Each week Motor Trader provides the latest news, views and analysis on Britain's dynamic car retailing sector and over the course of the year produces unique industry surveys identifying the Top 200 Franchised Dealers, Top 75 Independent Retailers, Top 75 Independent Garages and Top 100 Bodyshops.

As the only weekly magazine covering the UK's automotive retailing sector, Motor Trader has been reporting on this fast changing market for over 100 years. Motor Trader has the highest weekly circulation of any of the other trade magazines and is read by senior management in franchised and independent car dealers as well as car manufacturers, repair garages, bodyshops and the aftermarket sector.

Motor Trader is ABC audited.

Auto Trader publishes around 370,000 cars listed in all its weekly editions (web and print together). Because Auto Trader has such a great reputation with private buyers and sellers it is also widely used by the motoring trade to list their stock. Over 80% of vehicles listed are from independent dealers, car supermarkets and franchised dealers offering the best deals across the country. Of particular interest to the trade is our new car section. This was added to the magazine in 2002 and has been performing strongly ever since, providing buyers with an unrivalled selection of new and used vehicles.

The magazine’s associated website, http://www.autotrader.co.uk/ was launched in 1996 and has become the UK’s no 1 automotive website

Autotrader.co.uk

Welcome to Britain’s busiest, most popular and most profitable automotive website. Autotrader.co.uk not only features the country’s largest selection of cars for sale, it also plays host to bikes, caravans, plant, trucks and caravans too.

Autotrader.co.uk is the UK’s largest motoring website and ranks as the second largest ABCe audited UK website with over 360,000 vehicles listed at any one time. It has a 38% share of the automotive classified market (Hitwise, August 2007). Its popularity with the general public and its high trust rating make it popular with the motor trade too – with around 90% of the cars listed being dealer stock. The site generates some strong numbers:

700,258,108 page impressions per month
10,319,057 unique users per month
(source – ABCe March 2008)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) recognises individuals working in the motor industry.

There are 25,000 individual IMI members, from across all areas of the motor industry, who are recognised for their skills and experience. IMI Membership is awarded on the basis of an individual's qualifications, career history and motor industry experience.

The IMI is the Sector Skills Council for the automotive retail industry, part of the Skills for Business network. The IMI is also the governing body for the Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) exists to support and promote the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad. Working closely with member companies, SMMT acts as the voice of the motor industry, promoting its position to government, stakeholders and the media.

Around 1.7 million cars and commercial vehicles and three million engines are produced annually in the UK, accounting for 10% of the UK’s total exports. With an annual turnover of £51 billion and a workforce of over 850,000 people, the UK is a key global player within the automotive sector and the industry is a significant contributor to the UK's economy.

Like all industries, the automotive sector is facing a challenging time. The current economic climate and weak consumer confidence has resulted in falling registrations, across the entire vehicle market. While UK automotive production feeds global demand, strong and decisive action in the UK is needed to stabilise the new car market in particular, to assure the long term health of this vital contributor to the UK economy.

Through representation to government at home and abroad, national and international events, reliable automotive data and practical advice, SMMT plays a central role in the working life of the motor industry. Whether the industry is your business or it impacts on your organisation in any way, SMMT can deliver real business benefits to help your company meet the challenges of the future.