In the latest episode of GiPA’s podcast, Fernando López, GiPA Spain Country Director, shared a detailed snapshot of the Spanish automotive aftermarket, a market that today finds itself in a stable and promising position. Despite global challenges in recent years, Spain’s aftermarket remains resilient, offering opportunities across all players: manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and workshops.

“Today, the Spanish aftermarket is in a good place,” López explains. “The market is stable, we are not experiencing major shocks or abrupt changes. Almost every player, manufacturers, distributors, repair networks, and independent workshops—still has their share of business. We could call it a sweet moment.”

But alongside this stability, there is one constant fear: uncertainty. Recent years have brought material shortages, supply disruptions, inflation, and even the effects of extreme weather events. Although the level of uncertainty has eased in 2024 compared to previous years, for businesses the question remains: what will happen tomorrow, in two years, in ten?

Currently, automotive aftermarket stakeholders are adapting their strategies to face both the legacy of past disruptions and the emerging needs of the market. Parts manufacturers, for instance, are aligning their offer with new vehicle technologies, fuel types and electrification, while distributors are redefining their role by expanding their service portfolio to better support workshops. Dealers and car manufacturers are enjoying a recovery in registrations, but they must remain alert to the rising penetration of electric and hybrid vehicles, particularly from China.

Independent workshops, which form the backbone of Spain’s aftermarket, are also evolving. While many remain cautious, their long-standing resilience allows them to adapt step by step to new technologies. Increasingly, workshops are joining networks to benefit from training, digital tools, and broader support services. This professionalization not only strengthens their competitiveness but also ensures that consumers continue to receive reliable, transparent, and high-quality service in an era of rapid change.

Looking ahead, there are three forces that will define the market: adaptation, customer expectations and regulation. Spanish consumers, especially younger generations, are more demanding, digital, and less forgiving. European and local regulation on eco-friendly products is advancing quickly, sometimes too abruptly. And across the value chain, digitalization is becoming non-negotiable. Even something as simple as online booking, still absent in many workshops, is now a crucial step forward.

In this context, GiPA Spain has launched a new forecasting tool: HORUS. “The industry had two very simple questions: how will the structural transformation of the parc impact product demand, and at what speed will these changes happen?”

HORUS provides answers by modelling demand evolution for 25 different products across the next 2, 5, 10, 15, and 25 years. It considers vehicle registrations, motorizations, and parc age distribution, calculating millions of scenarios. Users can segment results by fuel type, vehicle age, or market segment to see precisely where opportunities or risks lie.

“The electrification of the parc will reduce demand for some products, like engine oil, but increase or leave unchanged the demand for others. HORUS allows companies to see exactly how, and when, those shifts will take place. That knowledge lets them take decisions today to be where they want to be tomorrow.”

With this tool, GiPA aims to give aftermarket players the clarity they need to face the future with confidence.

To know more about the evolution of the Spanish automotive aftermarket contact GiPA at infospain@gipa.eu

Listen to the podcast: https://www.talktomotive.com/episode/ep-18-spain-aftermarket-stability-today-transformation-tomorrow/