Daily Motor News – Tuesday 27 January 2026 

‘Consolidation will continue as automotive and mobility companies reorganise their portfolios to achieve leadership positions. High, ongoing margin pressure will force companies to rank among the top three in terms of relative market share or else divest those businesses that cannot clear that hurdle.’ Bain & Company M&A Report. Read more

NI to become first in the UK to introduce graduated driving licences 

Northern Ireland will become the first part of the UK to introduce new rules for new drivers in a bid to reduce fatal road crashes involving young people. The graduated driver licensing reforms, described as the most significant changes in 70 years, will see Northern Ireland adopt a version of laws in place in countries including Australia, the US and the Republic of Ireland. Read more

IOSCA sentence and verdict a “victory against insurance fraud” – MIBI 

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) has said the sentence and verdict handed to Mr Constantin Iosca represent “a victory against insurance fraud”. Mr Constantin Iosca was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, with 9 months suspended in the Circuit Criminal Court. Read more

Zurich faces prospect of rival bids in its attempt to buy Beazley 

Zurich Insurance Group AG’s moves to buy Beazley PLC could draw out rival bidders for the London-listed insurer, according to analysts. Beazley rejected Zurich’s latest proposal to buy the company for £12.80 per share, which values it at £7.67 billion on Jan. 22, having already declined a £12.30 per share proposal on Jan. 16. Beazley also revealed Zurich had made a higher £13.15 per share proposal in June 2025, which it had also rebuffed. Read more

IMDA signs up new insurance partner to offer advice to 2,000 independent car dealers 

Insurance provider Jensten Motor Trade (JMT) is to offer tailored advice to more than 2,000 car dealers after signing a new partnership with the Independent Motor Dealers Association (IMDA). Read more

Waymo accelerates London rollout despite US safety probe 

Waymo is stepping up preparations for its UK rollout after its driverless vehicles were spotted on the streets of London, as the Alphabet-owned firm faces safety scrutiny in the US. The self-driving vehicle firm has confirmed it is testing its robotaxis in the capital ahead of a planned passenger launch this year, marking its second international market after Japan. Read more

The day when AI takes over your car’s operation 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has quietly become one of the most important, and divisive forces shaping the modern automobile. While electrification and software-defined vehicles dominate public discussion, AI is the invisible layer binding everything together—from driver assistance and infotainment to manufacturing, safety, and autonomy. Read more

Jaecoo 7 turning heads in January as new car interest builds in plate change anticipation 

New car interest in 2026 is off to a solid start, with the volume of visits to Autotrader’s new car platform rising 6% month-on-month (MoM), as anticipation builds ahead of March’s new ‘26’ registration plate. Grabbing the most attention so far this month is the Jaecoo 7, which tops the list as the UK’s hottest brand-new car, accounting for 3.8% of all new car enquiries sent through Autotrader. Read more

New car registrations: +1.8% in 2025; battery-electric 17.4% market share 

In 2025, new EU car registrations increased by 1.8% compared to the same period last year. However, overall volumes remain well below pre-pandemic levels. Read more

Making sense of the Chinese new entrants 

Surely nobody can be too surprised that the Chinese brands (excluding cars produced in China by global brands such as BMW, Dacia and Volvo, and brands that are ultimately owned by the Chinese, but are managed in Europe, such as Polestar) captured over 5% of the European market in 2025. Read more

Copart expands Scottish operations with new Dunfermline site 

Copart UK has announced plans to open a new 25-acre Operation Centre in Dunfermline by the end of 2026, further strengthening its presence in Scotland and expanding capacity for vehicle remarketing and recycling. Read more

M&A in Automotive and Mobility: New Strategic Moves and Bold Bets 

Stagnation in American and European markets, rising tariffs, and rapid technological changes have thrust the automotive industry into deal-making mode. Automakers and suppliers are grappling with an unprecedented period of soaring costs and margin pressure—all while needing to invest heavily in new capabilities. Read more

LKQ Initiates Strategic Review to Maximise Shareholder Value 

LKQ Corporation (Nasdaq: LKQ) (“LKQ” or “the Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value. As part of the review, the Board is working with its advisors to evaluate the Company’s strategic alternatives, including a potential sale of the Company. Read more

Insurance Museum launches Sign The Slip campaign 

January 2026 marks the official launch of the IM Slip campaign, which aims to raise £1m a year over the next 3 years, to fund a museum with an educational centre, dedicated to all things insurance. Read more

Brian Robson Coachworks (BRC), the award-winning vehicle repair group based in Hertfordshire, has fully transitioned its technical training and compliance strategy to RWC Training’s Train to Gain CPD programme. Read more