Re the holding company thing.... this is what's known a pre-registered.
Dealers often get a discount for buying in bulk but they have to
register them even though they don't have a buyer. The cars will sit on
some airfield until such times as the dealer can shift them. The only
problem is that the car is technically second hand, even though it may
have zero miles. You are not the first registered keeper and the log
book will show one previous owner.

This isn't such a bad thing provided that you get a really good
discount. I bought my Focus this way back in 1999. List price at the
time was £14,500 and I paid £10,700 which was a good price at that time.

You have to beware that the spec you get might not be the current spec.
When I bought my car the current spec for a 99 LX included aircon but
mine was actually built in 98 (and had sat in a field for almost a year)
so didn't have it. For some reason it had ABS which wasn't supposed to
have so I was fairly happy.

Don't worry too much about getting it serviced. They can't refuse to
service it if you buy elsewhere. In reality, most service departments
are separate from their sales departments and they will take business
from wherever they can get it. When you find the deal that suits you,
take it to your local dealer and ask them to match it. At least then you
have given them the opportunity to sell you a car and its then their
problem if they can't.

Do try and find something that's nearly new though (six months old) and
let someone else take the initial depreciation hit.

A little advice
You will find it harder to sell a saloon than a hatchback
so haggle hard

Read my experience :-)
I bought a Mondeo tdci 130LX from my local dealer (Atlantic Ford Stockport)
6 months ago. the car was brand new ?13,495 (including metalic paint and on
the road costs which at the time was over ?3000 under list price.
How did I do it? Well like yourself , I did some online research and got a
price from a car broker www.new-car-discount.com   .Their on the road price
was ?13169. I printed the quotation and took it to Atlantic Ford. The dealer
couldnt match it  but for the sake of a few hundred quid I thought the price
was reasonable and buying from the dealer was the best option. As mentioned
in previous posts to the group, buying from a broker usually results in you
being the 2nd owner as cars are pre registered making you the second owner.
Remember, the list price is a starting point for negotiation ,taking the
quote I got online ,gave me more power to negotiate the  car at the right
price.Incidently, my story was published in What Car? July 2004 as achieving
the best deal of the month. I hope this tactic can help you and others
considering buying new.

Good luck.
Howie.