Lookers acquiring Mercedes-Benz franchise Drayton Group as part of on going expansion

News provided by

Lookers plc

Aug 15, 2016, 04:05 ET


Manchester (PRWEB UK) 15 August 2016 -- The acquisition of Drayton Group reinforces Lookers position as one of largest motor retailers in the UK. The £57m purchase of Drayton Group includes 7 dealerships, bringing the number of Lookers Mercedes-Benz locations in the network to 14. Lookers now have a total of 160 dealerships in the nationwide motor dealer network.

The acquisition is another show of confidence by the company in the wider UK automotive market and follows other key acquisitions, including last year’s £87.5m purchase of North East based Benfield and its 30 strong dealership portfolio.

The purchase of Drayton Group is expected to be complete towards the end of October and comes as Lookers refocuses its attention on expanding its core Motor Division following the recent agreement to sell the Parts Division for £120m.

Drayton Group is based in Stafford, Stoke, Shrewsbury, Stourbridge, Worcester, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. Each location is staffed by friendly professionals who are fully committed award winning teams. The location of Drayton Group dealerships complement the existing network of seven Lookers Mercedes-Benz dealerships across Sussex and Kent.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to increase in popularity in the UK. 2015 market share of Mercedes-Benz was 5.56%, up from 5.05% on the previous year. Mercedes-Benz and Lookers are confident this growth will continue with more new exciting models coming to the market. New launches include the all-new 2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC43, Mercedes-AMG GT R, 2017 CLA to name only a few

Lookers Chief Executive Andy Bruce said: “The acquisition of the Group is a perfect fit in terms of franchise, geography and culture. The Drayton Group is a business that we have respected for many years because of its fantastic reputation.

“Together we will now be the largest Mercedes-Benz dealers in the country and one of the largest motor groups in the UK. Importantly though, despite our size, Lookers still feels like a family business that cares about its people. We believe every dealership is unique and will have its own profile of customers with their own particular demands.

“We are currently seeing a lot of opportunity in the prestige car market as demand increases among the UK’s discerning motorists. We know that Mercedes-Benz is a fantastic brand with a rich heritage and is one that Lookers has worked well with, built and developed as part of our national network of motor dealerships.”

Lookers’ Interim Financial results will be announced to the city on Wednesday 17 August at 7.00am.

ENDS…//

CONTACTS:
For more information, imagery or interview requests, please contact Lookers
Ian Dinning
ian(dot)dinning(at)benfieldmotorgroup(dot0com
07917803970

NOTES TO EDITOR:

  • Andy Bruce, Lookers CEO, won ‘CEO of the Year’ at the prestigious Motor Trader of the Year 2016
  • Lookers won ‘Dealer Group of the Year Award’ at Motor Trader of the Year 2016, this followed the 2015 win by Benfield Motor Group that won in 2015
  • Lookers is the new name of Benfield Motor Group
  • Lookers group annual turnover in 2015 was £3.6bn
  • Lookers sold almost 180,000 new and used cars and vans
  • The motor division consists of 153 franchised dealerships
  • 31 marques are represented and support by Lookers
  • Lookers employ almost 8,500 people across the group
  • Lookers Executive Directors include Andy Bruce (Chief Executive), Robin Gregson (Finance Director), Nigel McMinn (Managing Director – Motor Division) and Neil Davis (Managing Director – Parts Division)
  • The combined turnover of the Motor Trader Top 200 was £56.4bn, an increase of £4bn over the previous year.

ABOUT DRAYTON MERCEDES-BENZ:

The Drayton Mercedes-Benz dealership network is well established in the West Midlands as a supplier of the German brand’s fine cars through first-class customer service. Since 1972 we have been helping motorists to find and service their preferred luxury model, and the wider group’s experience in business stretches back even further. The original company began trading in 1922 as a supplier of Ford’s legendary Model T, and we’ve continued to refine our approach from that year to the present day.

Family-run and completely committed to customer service, we understand the different needs of motorists and how to meet them. As a four-time winner of Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year our abilities speak for themselves, while our offering is comprehensive.

We stock both the latest Mercedes-Benz models and a superb collection of Approved Used cars to serve a broad variety of motorists. We also support them and you with manufacturer-standard aftersales assistance that cares for your model to the high standards you expect. This is true no matter what you need your Mercedes for, whether private use, as part of a business fleet or as a Motability vehicle.

We strive to make choosing your next Mercedes enjoyable and maintaining it straightforward. Our dealership staff are employed for their friendly professionalism, and we empower them to assist you in any way they can. This approach separates us from other franchise dealerships and is experienced at each of our seven sites across the West Midlands. Today we are based in Stafford, Stoke, Shrewsbury, Stourbridge, Worcester, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.

Ian Dinning, Lookers plc, http://www.lookers.co.uk, +44 7917803970, [email protected]