Annabelle Clarke

PR Manager

Annabelle Clarke | Author

Eduardo Rodrigues

Content Writer

Claudia Tuñón

Isobel Coughlan

Joseph Law

Bumper Content Writer

Alastair Shephard

Supermarkets put a lot of effort into trying to get customers through their doors. Memorable Christmas adverts, friendly mascots, and price-slashing loyalty cards; they're full of creative ideas that will get you to do your big shop in their store.

But we've had an even better idea. What if supermarkets made cars? 

What would they look like? How would they handle? And, most importantly, would they give you a discount for filling up at one of their pumps?

To find out, we've asked AI to create what cars would look like if they were created by our favourite big grocery shoppers.

What if supermarkets made cars?

To many, cars are as much a tool as they are a fashion or status symbol, with certain brands leaning into this by creating crazy one-off examples fitted with diamond-encrusted dashboards and gold on the ceiling. 

There are also cars that are expensive because of their incredible technological advancements, in this article, I’ll showcase some of each.

The Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail - £23 million

Let's kick off with the most expensive dealer-to-public sale, by none other than 

, cementing their place as the most prestigious marque in the world. The car was bought for £23 million, purportedly by the Meilland family, famous for their Roses, hence the name. 

The end user also clearly had an influence on the interior, with thousands of pieces of black sycamore detailing throughout designed to look like rose petals. The car uses a modified BMW N74 engine; a 6.75 litre V12.

Before the aforementioned droptail, a special version of a long-established Rolls model; the 

 was commissioned. Instead of the traditional aluminium body panels covering the boot, it was fitted with marine-esque Caleidolegno wood, which is essentially a fancy veneer.

At a whopping 5.8 metres long (a 19-footer to use boat terminology!) you’d struggle to park the 

 at your local supermarket, then again with no roof and a one-of-a-kind, removable timepiece made by Bovet 1822 mounted to the dashboard, you probably wouldn't want to anyway.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire - £10.5 million

As the first non-Rolls Royce on the list, the 

 is a bit left-field, it's based on the Chiron Supercar, except it has a good half a metre more aero and bodywork, making it altogether more extravagant, if that was possible.

Interestingly, the inspiration and name for the La Voiture Noire comes from a limited-run model, beloved by Jean Bugatti, son of the founder Ettore Bugatti. The Type 57SC Coupé Aero in question was given the name 

The contemporary La Voiture Noir was created to honour the 110th anniversary of both Jean Bugatti and the Bugatti company.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider - $10.9 million

It may seem somewhat conservative compared to some cars on this list, especially those below, but the Ferrari 250 GT broke the record for the 

first-ever car to sell for over $10 million

If you remember the golden era of Top Gear, you’ll probably recall Jeremy Clarkson visiting the buyer's house, none other than radio DJ turned temporary Top Gear presenter Chris Evans.

Mercedes-Benz W196 Formula 1 - $29.6 million

In 2013 a W196 sold for nearly $30 million at 

. In the early and mid 50’s the W196 dominated across multiple disciplines and countries. 

The car sold in 2013 was the most successful of all the surviving W196 models, winning two World Championship-qualifying Grand Prix races and taking racing driver Juan Fangio to his second win of the Drivers' World Championship.

Whilst British-made Rolls-Royces top the list for most expensive new cars, most of the expensive cars sold at auction are Italian or German made; Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes and Alfa Romeos. In 2017 an Aston Martin DBR1 sold for over $22 million, making it the 

most expensive British car sold at public auction

 that sold retired from all three years, its sister car, the DBR1/2 however was the company's most successful car ever, winning at the Nurburgring Spa and the Goodwood Tourist Trophy. 

Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider - $17.8 million

Clearly a popular car among those buying $10m+ cars, this is the second time this model has appeared on this list, but this sale surpassed Chris Evans’ one in 2008 by a decent margin, the auction was held early last year, making it the 

most expensive car sold at auction in 2024

 is quite special, being the last example built, it features the iconic 3.0 litre V12 engine, a beautiful tan interior and that typically Ferrari red paintwork. The car also benefitted from Ferrari Classiche Certification and full owner history – to be expected at nearly $20 million I suppose!

Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé - $143 million

I discussed the 300SL in a recent article about record-breaking cars, for the standard road car managed 150mph in 1955. In 2022 an even prettier version of the 300SL; the 

highest hammer price of any car in the world: $143 million

Rudolph Uhlenhaut was the British-born engineer behind both the 300SL and the 300SL SLR racing version. The 300 SLR was heralded as “The greatest sports racing car ever built” by F1 driver and Mercedes race team test driver Stirling Moss. 

 has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.

The World's Most Expensive Cars

We’re pleased to announce that our latest Dealership of the Month goes to Bowker BMW & MINI Blackburn.

Since early 2024 Bowker have been using Bumper’s PayLater option to split the cost of their customers’ bills into interest-free monthly payments. 

In that time, the flexible payment method has become a staple of the team’s everyday routine.

Stewart Rose, Group Service Manager, said, “Bumper has quickly become an essential part of our service team’s process, giving them confidence when presenting necessary repair work to our customers.”

The Blackburn team use Bumper’s Keyloop and Snap-On integrations to strengthen their customer offering and boost their KPIs. 

“The ease of use and integration with our existing eVHC system has been invaluable”, said Rose. 

"Since signing up with Bumper in February 2024 we have noticed a marked increase in our recovery rates across the group, as well as a notable increase in retention of older vehicles.

"The award is a great reflection on the value we place on offering Bumper to our customers", he continued.

Congratulations to Stewart, Kelby, Kieran, Andrew, and the whole team at Bowker BMW & MINI Blackburn!

Dealership of the Month: Bowker Blackburn Drives Higher Retention of Older Vehicles 

In the last 10 years, the number of pickup trucks on UK roads has exploded.

Initially, they were usually only used by farmers, but in recent years the business use of Toyota Hiluxes, Ford Rangers and others has become far more popular.

The rise in pickup trucks being favoured by businesses is due to the favourable tax conditions they are subject to.

However, with the government's latest budget announcement, that is set to change. I take a look into what exactly these changes mean.

What are the Current Rules Around Pickup Trucks?

Until April 2025, pickup trucks with a load capacity of one tonne or more, are classified as commercial vehicles, this means lower BiK (company car tax) for the employee and more beneficial accounting for the business. 

Double-cab pickup trucks will no longer be classified as commercial vehicles, but as cars. This means higher income tax for the employee and less tax write-offs for the business.

A vehicle provided by an employer, that can be used for personal use, is subject to company car tax, as it is considered a part of their remuneration.

Before April 6th 2025, Pickup trucks are considered commercial vehicles, and as such are subject to a standard £3,960 taxable amount regardless of value or emissions.

After April 6th however, they will be taxed as cars, meaning their CO2 emissions will determine their BIK taxable rate: most will be much higher due to their large diesel engines.

Before April 2025, where pickup trucks are still considered commercial vehicles, businesses can claim 100% of the cost back against corporation tax, the same as buying machinery or stock, this is called a Capital Allowance.

After April 2025, when double cab pickup trucks will be considered a personal car, they cannot be claimed as Capital Allowance, and will not offer as many tax savings as a commercial vehicle. 

How Much More Company Car Tax Will You Pay After April 2025 on a Pickup?

Here’s an example of the kind of figures to expect, should you purchase a double cab pickup truck after April 6th 2025, vs what it would be before. Remember to take these figures as a rough guide, and do your own calculations before committing to a purchase or lease.

*P11D value will vary depending on specification

When Will The Pickup Truck Changes Take Effect?

The rule changes will come into force in early April 2025, but what if you’ve already got a pickup truck?

How to Avoid the New Pickup Truck Changes

If you don’t want to pay the much higher company car tax on pickup trucks, there are a few things you can do:

The April 2025 Pickup Truck Tax Changes Explained

Company car tax is a major consideration for both businesses and employees, one simple specification change can cause hundreds of pounds more in tax. This is a large reason why electric cars have been so popular. 

But with the new government budget, are they still good for company car tax, and is that set to change?

When an employee is given a company car that can be used for non-business purposes, that is defined as an employment benefit and is therefore subject to taxation.

The level of taxation is dependent on the vehicle’s emissions level, its value when new and your personal tax bracket.

As an incentive to reduce emissions, company car tax rates are almost universally lower for electric and hybrid cars. With around one million company cars on UK roads, this is sure to have benefits to our national environmental impact.

 for electric cars is set at the lowest rate possible; 2%. This will rise between 2025 and 2029:

However, the BiK rate is not the only factor in calculating how much tax you will pay, read on for more on that.

Why is Company Car Tax Rising For Electric Cars?

Ultimately, the taxation of motoring as a whole is on the rise, but electric car rates are not rising as quickly as petrol and diesel, meaning there is still an incentive for drivers to pick electric where possible.

The same story can be seen in VED or road tax, previously many electric cars were exempt, from 2025 there will be hundreds of thousands of Teslas, Leafs and other EVs that will pay nearly £200 per year, and £20 on first-year tax.

Once again though, these increases are minimal compared to petrol and diesel, with some reasonably modest cars attracting £700 in first-year road tax.

Hybrids are a little more complex to work out, they are based, like petrol and diesel cars, on their emissions level, but also on their battery-only range.

Self-charging non-plug-in hybrids are essentially considered the same as petrol or diesel cars, as they emit more than 50 g/km CO2 and their battery-only range is usually in single digits. For this reason, the only factor that affects their BiK rate is their emissions. 

For example, a self-charging Toyota Prius has a CO2 emission figure of 94, meaning its rate is 23%. A PHEV Prius with its 39-mile electric range, is charged 12% BiK.

Below is a table of the plug-in-hybrid BiK rates, including the from April 2025 and from April 2026 rates too.

When comparing rates on PHEV or battery EVs to petrol and diesel cars it’s clear that the government is incentivising low-emission vehicles for company use. Many cars, even mild and conventional hybrids, have CO2 emissions that put their BiK rate at well above 20%.

The table below shows the benefit in kind rates for petrol and diesel vehicles - note there is an additional 4% charge for diesel cars that do not meet the RDE2 standard.

There are three factors that affect the amount you’ll pay per year for a company car, these are:

A car's P11D value is inclusive of any optional extras and delivery but does not include the registration and first-year tax. The P11D Value will often be listed on the manufacturer's website or lease information.

How Your Tax Band Affects Company Car Tax

Because a company car is considered remuneration, the tax band you are currently in will affect the additional tax from a company car. The tax bands for income tax are shown below:

 Tax Band Income Tax Rate Basic Up to £50,270 20% Higher £50,270 - £125,140 40% Additional Over £125,140 45% 

This is determined by the car's emissions level, and if it's a plug-in hybrid, its electric-only range. I go over this in greater detail in an earlier section.

 Calculate the taxable value, to do this multiply the car’s P11D Value by the BiK percentage rate, for example, a £35,000 hybrid car with a 30-mile range would be:

 Apply this to your personal tax rate, If you are a basic rate taxpayer:

£1,680 is the additional tax you will pay per year, due to receiving that company car.

How Does Your Tax Band Affect Company Car Tax?

The amount you get paid and therefore your income tax band massively affect how much company car tax you will pay. This is because a company car is considered an alternative form of income, so is taxed at the same rate.

As we saw in the example above if you have a company car worth £35,000 and are in the basic rate tax bracket, you will pay 

If you were in the higher rate bracket, this amount would increase to 

Are Electric Cars Still Better For Company Car Tax?

Yes, electric cars still offer much cheaper company car tax rates than hybrids or petrol cars. Even with the proposed increases, the benefit in kind rate of EVs will be 5x lower than that of the cheapest petrol car.

Furthermore, most petrol and diesel cars have an even higher rate. The latest generation self-charging Toyota Corolla hybrid, a car famed for being environmentally friendly, will be subject to a 27% BiK rate from April 2025. That’s in contrast to a fully electric car’s 3%.

Whilst road tax or VED on EVs is to be raised to the same level as petrol and diesel cars, the first-year tax bill will be significantly lower. All EVs will have to pay £10 for the first year, many petrol and diesel cars will pay 20x that.

Vans and other commercial vehicles benefit from slightly different company car tax rules, there are two use cases for petrol or diesel vans:

Are Electric Vans Exempt From Company Car Tax?

Yes, all company-supplied electric vans and commercial vehicles (this includes certain pickup trucks, too) are exempt from company car tax, regardless of the amount of personal usage.

Zero-Percent Interest Repairs With Bumper

Regardless of whether you drive an EV, a company car or a van, you can benefit from zero-interest financing on car repairs from Bumper. Choose from one of many 

Are Electric Cars Good For Company Car Tax?

Like everything we buy, cars are subject to various forms of taxation. 

In this article, I’ll go over the different taxes you should expect to pay when buying a car, and how they are set to differ with the upcoming April 2025 budget changes. I’ve also included some examples of different cars, so you can estimate exactly how much tax you can expect to pay before and after April 2025.

It can be confusing to get your head around each and every tax you may have to pay, so before we start, here’s a summary of them:

There are two main types of tax applied to new cars, VAT and VED. The former is the same Value Added Tax we pay on most items, from tyres to bread. The current rate of VAT is 20%, and is applied to all new cars the same. 

VED, also known as Road Tax, is the charge you pay to drive your car on the public road. 

On cars from 2001 to 2017, this is charged depending on the vehicle's emission levels, with the least polluting cars paying the least. 

How Much VED/Road Tax Will I Pay on a New Car?

From March 2017 cars are taxed on their fuel type, cars registered in 2025 will be subject to the following VED rates, there is also an additional first-year VED payment, only payable upon first registration.

Are Diesel and Petrol Cars Taxed the Same?

If they emit the same amount of CO2, petrol and diesel cars will fall into the same tax band, as long as the diesel meets the RDE2 standard. This is a UK-specific emissions standard, which involves monitoring Nox emissions of diesel vehicles.

Even though diesel cars sold after 2016 are mandated to meet the Euro 6 emissions levels, diesel cars that don’t meet the RDE2 threshold will be subject to a higher first-year VED rate - as seen in the table below.

First-Year VED/Road Tax Rates Before April 2025

First-year VED is based on the vehicle's CO2 emissions level, the table below shows the costs and rates as they are up until April 2025 - when the budget changes will come into force.

Second-Year Onwards VED Rates Before April 2025

From the second year onwards, the following road tax/VED costs will apply.

The Government's latest budget announced rate changes for VED, specifically targeting electric vehicles. 

Second-Year Onwards VED Rates After April 2025

The biggest change to come in April 2025 is for EV owners, whilst their first-year tax has only risen to £10, the second and subsequent years will be charged at the same rate as petrol and diesel cars - £195 per year.

For some clarity, I’ve detailed below the tax implications of a couple of typical UK cars, showing how much tax you can expect to pay on new cars before and after April 2025.

You can see the hike applied to hybrids, and the massivecost of an expensive, high-polluting diesel SUV!

One of the UK’s most popular cars, a small SUV/crossover with a small petrol hybrid engine. New on-the-road price around £29,000.

A popular luxury SUV, with a large V6 diesel engine, prices start from £65,000.

How to Check What My New Car Tax Will Be?

I wouldn’t blame you for feeling overwhelmed by the data and tables above, luckily there is a 

You might need to know your car's Co2 emissions, this can often be found on the dealers website, Autotrader or directly from the manufacturer.

If you’re buying a new car from a dealership as an individual (not as a business), you will pay 20% VAT. 

Just like buying any other product, the VAT will be collected as part of the total cost, and you do not need to pay it separately.

Thankfully almost all dealers and garages list their vehicle prices inclusive of VAT, so you shouldn’t be in for a shock, but it always pays to check the price includes VAT before getting excited!

This is particularly important if looking at commercial vehicles such as vans or pickup trucks, as these will often be quoted at the ex-VAT price.]

As a private buyer, you will not be able to reclaim the VAT. If you are buying as a business that is registered for VAT, then any VAT collected on a vehicle sale, both new and used is reclaimed through your normal VAT return.

Introduced in April 2017, the luxury car tax, or the Expensive Car Supplement as it is officially known is an additional tax applied to cars with a list price over £40,000.

The additional tax applies to the first 5 years the vehicle is taxed.

From April 2025, the Expensive car supplement (luxury car tax) will add £410 per year to your car tax bill, regardless of the fuel type.

This has caused an influx of manufacturers pricing their cars at just under £40,000 to make them more attractive to buyers!

When looking at dealer websites, the price quoted often has either ‘OTR’ or some kind of footnote reference marker next to it, this refers to the ‘on-the-road’ price. 

Put simply the OTR price includes all fees and other expenses you are likely to pay before you can finally get behind the wheel.

On passenger cars (not commercial vehicles) OTR prices usually include:

The OTR price will generally not include:

What Tax Do You Pay on a New Car?

We're thrilled to announce Bumper's latest Dealership of the Month goes to Vindis Audi Northampton. 

The Northampton-based team has excelled with Bumper this month, using PayLater to split the cost of customers' service and repair bills into interest-free monthly instalments.

Vindis provides a seamless customer journey with flexible payments offered at every touch point, from bookings at the contact centre to taking payments on site.

A recent Bumper case study revealed dealer groups using Bumper in their contact centre saw a 10% conversion increase on the work they had quoted for.

Vindis posted about the win on their social media. They said, "Bumper provides interest-free credit, helping our valued customers get essential vehicle work completed with ease. This achievement reflects our dedication to offering tailored solutions that meet our customers' needs.

“A big thank you to our amazing team and loyal customers for making this possible!”

Audi Northampton customers also celebrated the flexible payment option via Trustpilot.

One customer said, “Really straightforward, simple to navigate and clear to understand process which made my purchase less stressful. Particularly like the tracking of payments and easy access to make an early repayment without charge.”

Another reviewed wrote, “Honestly the best service out there! I do appreciate the peace of mind Bumper thank you.”

Congratulations to Hasan, Nadiyah, Nigel, Tyler, David, Alistair, and the whole team at Vindis Audi Northampton.

Vindis Audi Northampton take Dealership of the Month

Taxes are a less exciting part of life, and all car owners must pay car tax on their vehicles.

 this will also include electric car drivers, and you can’t avoid this tax unless your car is 

 You can cancel your car tax and get a refund for any unused months by simply notifying the DVLA.

In this article, we’ll cover how to cancel car tax (even without a V5C) and when you can expect your money back.

Car tax is a tax all vehicle owners and drivers need to pay.

It’s also known as road tax or Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). However, the money doesn’t only go towards road maintenance or building. 

 to encourage drivers to make greener choices.

The first vehicle tax was introduced in Britain as 

To cancel your car tax, you must contact the DVLA. The easiest way to do this is through the 

Cancelling road tax is part of the process when you inform the DVLA about selling, scrapping, or declaring your car SORN. Refunds are handled alongside confirming these actions.

You can also speak to someone via the website’s live chat service or via the contact email address provided.

 Whatever contact route you chose, you’ll need a V5C or V11 tax reminder nearby.

You can also contact the DVLA by post, via:

You must give the DVLA a valid reason when you cancel your car tax.

Common reasons for cancelling road tax include:

There aren’t any other reasons for not paying car tax. 

If you are the registered keeper of an untaxed vehicle, 

. This amount will be halved if you pay within 28 days.

When cancelling your car tax, you’ll need your V5C—found on the front of your car’s logbook.

You need the V5C to prove you’re the registered owner of the car. It has a code that you must give to the DVLA to secure a tax refund.

Don’t have your V5C? You can cancel car tax without v5. But instead, you’ll need a V11.

The V11 is a document issued by the DVLA to remind you to tax the car or to confirm it’s SORN. 

Can’t find your V5C or V11? Don’t panic. 

You can order replacement V5Cs before you request tax refunds or sell your car. They cost £25 and can be 

How much money do you get from a car tax refund?

How much money you get from a cancelled tax refund depends on how you paid.

For example, if you pay car tax via direct debit, the DVLA will cancel future payments. 

You'll receive a refund for unused months if you've paid for a full year in advance.

 are based on the lower of your first payment or the rate for subsequent payments. The refund is calculated from the date the DVLA receives your info, not when you send it.