CAP Blog

Blog - Author: Martin Ward

A popular figure in the automotive industry, celebrated in the Business Car Power list Top 10. An unrivalled understanding of the entire automotive manufacturing process. Providing independent and tailored advice to help automotive and related businesses identify and achieve their goals.

• Competitive vehicle positioning
• Model specification and pricing policy
• Developing and implementing strategy
• Market development
• Competitor analysis
• Facilitating new vehicle launches
• Marketing new vehicles
• Discussing and advising on new models at design stage
• Expertise and sanity checking

EXPERIENCE

A career in the motor industry that started in 1972, and a CAP employee since 1988, has gained wide industry knowledge, commercial manufacturing insight and a specific focus on what consumer wants and needs are.

Expert advisor on vehicle launches, test drives, design, badging policies, engines, specification, codes, colours, new vehicle data and marketing strategy to gain the best residual value advantages.

Previous roles at CAP include dealer management, operational development, sales, Black and Red Book Editorial and new product development. Currently has a loyal social media following.

Test Car – Bentley Mulsanne

20/09/2012 - Martin Ward

The Mulsanne is a huge thing, so when you park it in a car park, there’s no danger of you losing it as either the front or back end sticks out further than any other car. At home I had to back it right up against my garage door to allow neighbours to pass by in their cars.

Test Car – Toyota Yaris Hybrid T4

12/09/2012 - Martin Ward

To drive the hybrid version of the Yaris is almost identical to driving the equivalent standard car. It doesn’t feel any heavier and the handling characteristics are almost identical. If anything, it’s slightly better because of its lower centre of gravity due to the weight of the batteries and where they are positioned.

First Driving Impressions – Mini Clubvan, Oxford

05/09/2012 - Martin Ward

My very first company car back in 1971 was a Mini Van – I say company car; it was actually the parts van that I was allowed to take home every night (even on weekends), and I had to make sure it was back at the garage every morning to do its day job.

First Driving Impressions – Audi S6, S7, S8 – UK press event, Maidenhead

29/08/2012 - Martin Ward

The quiet villages and rural landscape around Maidenhead is hardly the place to test three monster cars, but it’s exactly this sort of environment where these expensive, powerful cars will end up living.

First Driving Impressions – Volvo V40 D3 SE Lux Nav, UK Press Launch, Manchester

22/08/2012 - Martin Ward

We stayed nice and local for the all-new V40 launch, just over the hills from Yorkshire in Lancashire.

Test Car – Ford Mondeo Estate 2.0 litre TDCi Titanium

15/08/2012 - Martin Ward

I drove the Mondeo Estate over 1,000 miles from my home in Huddersfield, to Ford’s test track in Lommel, Belgium and back again.

Test Car – Renault Twizy

08/08/2012 - Martin Ward

I last drove the Twizy on a very hot day in Ibiza and said at the time that this was the perfect place to drive one. I also said it would be a different experience on a cold, wet winter’s day in Huddersfield, but I didn’t have to wait until winter, as June was pretty close to November and December in terms of bad weather.