ILC Motor Repair News – Friday 11 September 2026

Vizion Network has shared a video looking back at a significant moment in its partnership with BYD. The day saw representatives from BYD, Vizion, UK insurers and the trade press come together at Amber Lakes for the BYD UK Collision Strategy event. Read more

Halo Bournemouth has won the July Best CSI Comments Award across the Allianz UK AZP Network. Read more

Nick Dennis has started a new position as Regional Bodyshop Manager at Alton Cars Ltd.

Simon Downing has started a new position as Commercial Director at Repair Link Ltd.

Fix Auto UK has passed another major customer service milestone, becoming the first and only vehicle repairer in the UK to record more than 25,000 customer reviews on Trustpilot. Significantly, the Group maintains its to hold on its ‘Excellent’ 4.7-star rating – a standing it has held since first embracing the world’s leading online review platform six years ago.

Pat Horgan has started a new role as Fleet Compliance Controller at Solus – an Aviva company.

Fix Auto UK has welcomed its first two degree apprentices, marking what the business describes as a new route into the UK vehicle repair sector for young talent. Read more

Callum James has been promoted to Group Operations Manager at iRG Repair Group.

Volvo Cars to become distributor for Lynk & Co in Europe from January 2027

Volvo Cars and Geely Auto have finalized the agreement for their previously announced commercial partnership for Lynk & Co in Europe. Read more

Significant safety, tech and design updates to Volvo Cars’ new 40 series cars

The highly popular Volvo XC40, EX40 and EC40 get significant updates to make everyday life on the road easier and more enjoyable, ranging from updates to exterior and interior design to infotainment, advanced driver assistance and active safety. Read more

When do active safety intervene, and when do they stay in the background?

With the launch of the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group is making an expanded portfolio of active safety systems standard across multiple model series – from an exit warning that can actively delay door opening to an emergency steering intervention that can guide the vehicle around an obstacle within its own lane. Read more

VWFS launches Drive platform

Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK has launched Drive, a new digital vehicle marketplace bringing together used vehicles, leasing options, finance and buying guidance in one place. Read more

Why the ‘Temu Range Rover’ is such a threat to Jaguar Land Rover 

Jaguar Land Rover’s decision to shed 4,000 jobs comes after the carmaker has travelled down a very rough road. The company has seen sales fall in all of its major markets and has been dealing with the consequences of a devastating cyber-attack that paralysed production last year. Read more

BYD displaces Leapmotor at top of fastest-selling rankings 

BYD replaced Leapmotor at the top of Brego’s fastest-selling pre-registered and used electric vehicle rankings in August, with Chinese-owned brands taking eight of the 10 places across the two tables. Read more

Used car market gains momentum as both independent & franchise retailers record growth for first time this year 

The UK’s used car market showed clear signs of underlying strength in August, with Autotrader’s latest market data revealing sales volumes grew across franchise, independent and supermarket retailers for the first time this year, while its AI-powered Retail Price Index points to continued stability in retail prices. Read more

OMODA&JAECOO expands RAC partnership to enhance UK roadside and repair support 

OMODA&JAECOO UK has launched a new partnership with the RAC that further strengthens its customer support and aftersales services, going live with a dedicated Vehicle Off Road (VOR) operation. Read more

Jaguar Land Rover to cut 4,000 jobs as it faces tough competition 

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to cut 4,000 jobs as the carmaker struggles with Chinese competition, US tariffs, and the transition to electric vehicles. The cuts will happen over the next two years and will mostly affect the head office, which is based in the UK. Read more

BMW iX5 Hydrogen: Testing under real driving conditions, prototype assembly and industrialisation in parallel

The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen has reached the next development phase on the road to series production: Current prototypes are undergoing a comprehensive testing programme; in parallel, the third-generation fuel cell system is entering a new assembly phase at the Hydrogen Competence Centre in Munich. At the same time, preparations for industrialisation and future series production of the hydrogen fuel cell system are underway at the engine facility in Steyr, Austria. Read more

Mobility conference expands line-up

ILC’s Mobility in Insurance Conference 2026 is continuing to build its speaker and exhibitor line-up as the event prepares to bring insurers, mobility providers, technology businesses and supply chain partners together to examine the changing relationship between mobility, insurance and motor claims. Read more

10 minutes with… Lynne Grover-Thomson, Claims Integrity Manager at MIB

In a fast-moving sector like insurance claims, the sharpest minds are often too busy to sit still – which is why we caught up with Lynne Grover-Thomson, Claims Integrity Manager at MIB to give us 10 minutes of honesty, perspective, and insight… Read more

Mirka launches plastic repair kit for collision repair sector

Mirka UK is expanding its automotive product portfolio with the launch of the Mirka® Plastic Repair Solution. This new kit has been designed to provide collision repair centres with a solution that offers a standardised repair to damaged plastic components. It also enables the bodyshops to open more repair opportunities and reduce their dependency on replacement parts.  Read more

People, purpose and giving back: an interview with Erica Boland 

At S&G Response, supporting people extends far beyond the claims journey. From creating a positive workplace for our colleagues to volunteering, fundraising and supporting causes within our local community, giving back has become an important part of who we are. Read more

Surventis enhances digital color matching with new LightAssist functionality in Refinity

Accurate color matching remains one of the most critical and time-consuming steps in vehicle refinishing. While digital color retrieval solutions have significantly improved efficiency in body shops, assessing subtle differences in color, texture and effect can still be challenging, particularly when working with black and dark effect colors. Read more

The IMI urges John Healey to prioritise investment in automotive workforce supply and skills in Autumn Budget 

The IMI (Institute of the Motor Industry) has submitted its ‘asks’ for the Budget on 28th October 2026, with a clear plea for the Chancellor to recognise the fundamental role of people who work in the automotive sector in road safety. Read more

Laird questions borderline write-offs 

Independent vehicle engineering specialist Laird has called for greater scrutiny of borderline total losses, warning that some commercially viable vehicle repairs could be lost when initial estimates marginally exceed repair thresholds. Read more

AutoRaise launches Pitstop Challenge

AutoRaise is calling on businesses across the automotive industry to race against the clock and raise vital funds as part of its new Pitstop Challenge marking the charity’s 10th anniversary. Read more

Poll shows citizens back multiple vehicle technologies over EU mandates 

The average consumer surveyed rejects an automotive technology ban, is considering a range of powertrain options for their next vehicle, and sees further preparation as necessary for full electrification. Read more

Building profitable EVs: Ten structural design moves to cut material costs 

With incentives declining and input costs rising, electric vehicle profitability is under pressure. Targeted design levers can reduce material costs by 10 to 25 percent while preserving performance. Read more