It’s been another eventful month for franchised networks across the UK! March brought a mix of new appointments, reshuffles across regions, and some intriguing trends in vehicle type coverage. Let’s unpack exactly what the data is showing us — one graphic at a time.
Welcome to March: What’s Happening in the Network?
The month kicked off with a clear sign of movement in the franchised dealership space. Brands adjusted footprints, new outlets emerged, and a steady flow of activity shaped what could become longer-term strategic realignments. We set the tone below, giving us a bird’s-eye view of what March delivered.
Changes by Vehicle Type
This graphic reveals a noticeable contrast across vehicle categories. Some segments — especially those tied to LCV and HGV’s — saw net gains over February, while Motorcycles increased significantly. It’s a clear indicator of where the market attention is currently centred and where dealers are adapting coverage.
Graph showing franchised dealership network changes segmented by vehicle type for March 2025.
Geographic Shifts: Where the Changes Happened
Map showing UK regions with dealership openings, closures, or shifts in March 2025.
There’s no doubt about it — some areas were busier than others. This map makes it easy to spot where the action took place, with visible clusters of openings and a few strategic closures. If you’re advising a network or scouting locations, this is the type of map you’ll want to study closely.
Site Type Movement Snapshot
Graph depicting franchised dealership openings and closures segmented by site type in March 2025.
This chart breaks down which types of franchised sites were added or removed — whether they were full retail locations, secondary points, or multi-purpose outlets. It gives us insight into how brands are deploying their physical footprint to match demand.
Franchise Appointments and Relinquishments
Chart showing the volume of new franchise appointments and relinquishments across categories for March 2025.
This is where we really see the change across categories — which brands added new partners and which ones were let go. Each segment can represent a choice made by a brand or dealer group to adjust the network, realign responsibilities, or make way for emerging priorities.
