Traditional dealerships are not necessary anymore.

People can buy online, collect from a place (which can serve multiple marques) and for mechanical problem, service etc. they can again visit a workshop which handles multiple marques.

What if you want to try the actual car before you buy?

I haven't bought a VR headset yet!

Manufacturers can (already do) organise demonstrators using the big hire companies - in the days when I had company cars, Vauxhall organised several 48 hour hires for me to try specific models - other brands often do the same.

What if you want to try the actual car before you buy?

You just visit somewhere - which could be anywhere where manufacturers will have some cars to try. This could even be freelancers bringing the car to your home for test drive.

"""All companies are cutting dealer networks. Online sales, refundable rental test drives etc supported by perhaps 20 regional showrooms, for a major manufacturer (eg: Ford) may be the future."""

Yes! Modern cars don't have any problems so lets leave our customers with nowhere to go. The AI answer phone will sort them out no problem.

Where do you go to see the car of your dreams in the flesh. Wait until one flashes by down the mway? Time was showrooms had a good selection of models to test drive.

By all accounts the car market is going to be flooded with cheap EVs from China so if we do end up with a white goods market cars will be cheaper, well before taxes that is.

Has anyone seen the photos of the new VW ID 7 Big car £50k plus with a 15inch screen to run it ala Tesla. How very original. Nice looking car from the outside but that TV on the dash is a no no from me, they look totally out of place and in my opinion spoil the interior . Why can't they keep these screens, if they must have them below the lines of the dash.

For many, cars are increasingly just expensive white goods.

Performance and driving dynamics are an irrelevancy as most cars are entirely capable of vastly exceeding both the owners driving skill and speed limit.

Key decision issues are likely to be:

• size/capacity for passengers, luggage and towing (in some cases)
• brand, street cred, image
• price and running costs

Dealer glass palaces are expensive to build and staff. Improvements in car reliability mean that they may only see the inside of a workshop every two years - the opportunities for selling existing customers a replacement are limited.

All companies are cutting dealer networks. Online sales, refundable rental test drives etc supported by perhaps 20 regional showrooms, for a major manufacturer (eg: Ford) may be the future.

How exactly can a punter determine ride or seating quality, the ergnonomics or utilisation of the space rear seating and boot) without physicaly trying them out first? Similar with the handling and driving position?

One thing I've noticed over the last two decades is how many more people buy after doing little, if any of the above, never mind a decent length test drive on a variety of different types of roads/surface to get a good feel of what the car what be like to own.

My 80yo dad being one of them, I'm afraid to say, and like all those others, he will be seriously out of pocket should he trade in for A N Other car, given what he bought was relatively new and a higher spec version of a car make not known for its ability to hold its value. IMHO he could end up wasting £5k - £7k depending on what he does, not helped by buying at the top of the market when he didn't need to.

There’s no passion to the car industry anymore, it’s dominated by accountants and government legislators. I loved the 80’s and 90’s with local and national car shows, booming car showrooms, glossy brochures, dynamic adverts (405 burning corn field) and cars that stirred your soul. Today cars are unaffordable to buy, they’re almost 100% leased or PCP (a more expensive lease) from new and there are no genuine fun cars left. No affordable small hot hatches (205 GTi) or sports saloons (Cavalier SRi), hardly any manual gearboxes, all heading to auto hybrids or full EV. All appliances with no joy involved in buying or keeping - not owning. I’m glad I lived through the hay days of the car.

I agree with almost entirely what you state SLO76 apart from no genuine fun cars.

My BRZ (now GR86 only, here) and current MX-5 are ridiculously good fun and great to drive.

Perhaps niche but still there albeit the GR86 is nigh on impossible to get new.

Perhaps, but neither are exactly affordable for the aspiring driver under 40 unless you're a lucnky professional who got on the housing ladder early. I miss the days of the early - mid 2000s - mid 210s with loads of affordable, good looking, quick, safe cars.

I really should've bought a Civic Type R - only £15.5k when I paid £10k for my standard Mazda3 1.6 petrol. Or perhaps a Seat Leon SC 1.4/1.8 FR.

Oh well, now just buying online for sofas with steering wheels and TV screens for £30k minimum - yea!