Glass's Guide

Glass’s Guide is the leading British motor trades guide to used car prices, often referred to in the trade as "The Bible."

Glass's Guide
Private
IndustryAutomotive
Founded2000 
HeadquartersFreienbach, Switzerland
OwnerPrivately owned
Websitewww.autovistagroup.com www.glass.co.uk www.glassbusiness.co.uk

Monitoring car values for over 80 years since 1933, Glass’s Guide has reflected how cars have become increasingly affordable. For example, in the 1930s the £145 list price for a Ford 10 De Luxe, including £5 for an optional sliding roof, was the equivalent of almost two years’ salary. Today, a Ford Mondeo 1.8i LX, with a list price of £14,465, represents the equivalent of just seven months’ salary for a person earning the UK average wage.

William Glass

William Glass was born in Scotland in 1881 and was an engineer by trade. As well as publishing the first Guide to Used Vehicle Values, Glass had an innovative and enquiring mind and made a number of inventions including the portable hydraulic jack, the electric switch-off kettle, the self-filling fountain pen and the through-the-propeller machine gun firing mechanism.

The founder of Glass’s Guide also manufactured cars under the Firefly marque for a short period of time in Croydon. Glass’s other innovations included the first motor auction and the first uniformed attendants at petrol filling stations.

Glass’s history

William Glass founded Glass’s in 1933 and published the first Glass’s Guide to Car Values in July that year. The company expanded into commercial vehicle, motorcycle and caravan values in the 1950s and ’60s, and today provides customers with information in electronic and online formats.

  • 1930s - In 1933 William Glass first publishes Glass’s Guide to Car Values which quickly becomes the “Bible” of the UK motor trade
  • 1950s - Hanns W. Schwacke applies the same idea in Germany becoming the first of its kind in continental Europe.
  • 1960s - Hanns W. Schwacke expands the business in Europe under the international brand “Eurotax”. Glass’s launches used valuations Guides for commercial vehicles and motorcycles in the UK.
  • 1970s - The first estimation system, including parts prices and labour costs for all makes and models, is launched.
  • 1980s - Glass’s introduces the PC version of Glass’s Guide and acquires Editions Professionelles Glass SARL (EPG) France. Eurotax launches the AutoWert workplace software which becomes the standard for over 50,000 users across Europe.
  • 1990s - Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst the private equity group acquires Glass's Information Systems Ltd in 1998 and Eurotax AG in 2000. The companies are merged to form EurotaxGlass's AG, registered in Freienbach, Switzerland.[1]
  • 2006 - Candover buy the business from renamed HM Capital for €480 million[2]
  • 2017 - EurotaxGlass’s Group is relaunched as Autovista Group. The introduction of the new name is accompanied by the announcement of new product launches planned for 2017 and new London company headquarters.[3]
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References
  1. "InvestEgate, Candover Investments - Candover acquires EurotaxGl". Investegate.co.uk. 17 May 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  2. "Candover buys EurotaxGlass's; keeps management in place - News - Auto Industry". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  3. "Autovista Group Corporate Site".
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