In recent years the bodies representing car manufacturers and dealers have clashed – firstly over the adoption of the 2002 block exemption regulation and more recently over the establishment of a code of practice for the service and repair sector.

But Everitt stressed it was important the industry presented a united front going forward.

“I am looking to work closely with the RMIF on franchise issues,” said Everitt.
“We have the chance to create a positive relationship between franchise dealers and car manufacturers – we can collaborate.”

He said the code of practice for servicing and repair would finally come into force in the first half of the year after it was given the seal of approval by the government's consumer minister, Gareth Thomas, in November.

The SMMT and RMIF worked together as members of the Retail Motor Strategy Group, which drew up the code. Everitt said the challenge now was to get the code “up and running”.

“It has taken longer than expected but where we've got to is the best outcome. Now we have to deliver.”

Everitt admitted it was a hard act to follow his predecessor Christopher Macgowan, who headed up the SMMT for nine years, but stressed it was time for a new start. As the SMMT's youngest ever chief executive, he said:

“I'm from a completely different generation. We're trying to create something newer and fresher - so Christopher Macgowan is not a benchmark.”

“We haven't kept pace with the changes in the industry,” he said and added that the senior members of the SMMT want the organisation to look and feel more like their own businesses.

He said the SMMT must become more influential in key policy debates with the government and highlight the motor industry's success in improving the economical, environmental and safety aspects of cars.

“There is not the appreciation of the scale of improvements made,” he claimed.

Everitt said there was also widespread ignorance of the training required to work in the UK motor industry.

“I don't think there's a broad understanding that the jobs are highly skilled and qualified,” he said.

A priority is to increase the SMMT's 500-strong membership through growing its relevance to the sector.

Everitt said this involved extending the society's political influence at one extreme to improving services to parts suppliers at the other.

He said the political agenda in 2008 would be dominated by lobbying the European Commission on its forthcoming emissions regulation. The proposal to cut C02 output to 130g/km by 2012 looked “pretty harsh”, he said.

“There's lots of work to do before its deliverable, but the EC is starting to listen,” said Everitt.