Latest news
Expand
02/05/2008 Bramall and Jones VW acquisition
Lookers are delighted to report that it announced on May 1st 2008, on The London Stock Exchange the completion of the acquisition of Bramall & Jones VW Limited and Bramall & Jones Leasing Limited.
The Volkswagen business comprises two outlets – one in Lincoln and the other in Boston which means we now represent the franchise from 11 outlets.
The contract hire and leasing business currently has a fleet of circa 1,500 units operating out of Harrogate.
The Lookers Group takes this opportunity to welcome our new colleagues from Bramall & Jones and we look forward to working with you in the future.
Close
Expand
10/04/2008 Peter Jones appointed within Lookers
Lookers are pleased to announce that Peter Jones joins us today as an Operations Director in the Motor Division.
Peter will report directly to Chief Executive, Ken Surgenor and will work alongside Andy Bruce and Brian Schumacker, strengthening our franchise focus, and optimising our business performance.
Peter will be responsible for a number of our franchises in England including Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, PSA and Chrysler Jeep Dodge and also have accountability for the Used Car Supermarkets.
Peter has a number of years of experience in the motor industry, was Commercial Director at Rover prior to spending the last ten years in motor retail. He joins Lookers from Bramall and Jones, prior to which he had a short time at Inchcape, and six years at CD Bramall, where he was Chief Executive.
Everyone at Lookers welcomes Peter to the Company and wishes him every success.
Close
Expand
14/02/2008 Chevrolet Outlets Grow in Number
Chevrolet Outlets Grow in Numbers
Lookers have added 2 more Chevrolet outlets to its ever growing dealerships. The two new outlets are based in Heswall, Wirral and in Yardley, Birmingham. Taking the number of Lookers Chevrolet from one to three.
The Heswall branch used to be a Vauxhall outlet but has now changed to over to Chevrolet. They still provide parts and servicing for Vauxhall but now also provide new and used Chevrolet Sales along with parts and servicing.
The Chevrolet at Yardley rather than replacing the already existing Vauxhall site has joined the already thriving dealership, making Yardley a multi-franchise dealership. The site now is able to offer new and used car sales for both manufacturers along with parts and servicing.
Close
Expand
14/02/2008 HUGE DISCOUNTS - Do You Qualify???
HUGE Discounts - Do You Qualify???
It’s not a well known fact but huge discounts can be obtained on some manufacturers just because you or certain family members work for the right company. GM motors offers a percentage reduction on the list price of brand new vehicles from the Vauxhall, Chevrolet and Saab ranges for people who work for companies such as Royal Mail, ASDA, Aerospace, certain Local Authority and NHS workers and many many more. This scheme was set up by GM motors to reward people who work for companies associated with them.
The percentage of discount is dependant on which company you work for and what model you want, but any percentage discount has got to be worth looking into. Why not find out if you qualify or check out the Vauxhall Partners Section? www.lookers.co.uk/partners
Close
Expand
13/02/2008 New Vauxhall Antara Model
The All New Vauxhall Antara
Finally, the long awaited Vauxhall Antara has arrived. The New Vauxhall Antara puts many other SUV’s in its class to shame with its undeniable quality, style and driving dynamics.
Currently there are 3 trims levels, E, S and SE. Even the entry level Antara E offers an extremely impressive list of standard equipment including: ESP, Intelligent Four Wheel Drive, remote control Ultrasonic alarm, Front fogs, a Descent Control System, air con, silver roof rails, 17inch alloys, MP3 Compatible CD Player and steering wheel mounted audio controls. Comparing this to many other leading SUV manufacturer models makes the Vauxhall Antara stand out head and shoulders above the rest.
The Antara S boasts additional standard features including: 18inch alloys, climate control, heated front seats, cruise control, Automatic Lighting Control, rain-sensitive wipers, self levelling suspension and chrome detailing on the door handles and exhaust tailpipe.
The top of the range Antara is the SE model, combining the already impressive equipment of the E and S with the addition of many others such as: MP3 compatible 6 disc CD changer, built in Bluetooth kit, leather seats, DVD sat-nav, on board tyre pressure monitoring system, electric folding door mirrors and front and rear parking sensors.
Why not see for yourself! Compare the Vauxhall Antara against other leading SUVs in our new car section. Or contact us to arrange a test drive.
Close
Expand
13/02/2008 Lookers Add New Ford Franchise
Lookers New Ford Dealership
Lookers is extremely proud to announce the acquisition of our new Ford dealership in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The dealership now adds Ford to the already extensive list of manufacturers within the lookers Group.
New and Used Car sales, parts, servicing and also a Commercial department handling both New and Used Van sales mean that the new acquisition can handle any Ford need that our customers may have.
The garage is conveniently located close to Sheffield town centre and are always happy to assist anyway they can.
Once again Lookers welcomes Sheffield Ford to the group and look forward to success in the future.
Close
Expand
13/02/2008 New Look Lexus Brighton
New Look Lexus Brighton
March 2007 marked the launch of the new look Lexus Brighton dealership. Over £800,000 was spent in bringing the dealership up to the high standard that customers expect.
The refurbishment not only overhauled the entire dealership but added a new hand over bay to assist with the smooth day to day operation of the branch.
Feedback on the dealership’s new look from customers has been extremely positive. The branch will continue to offer the same excellent level of service only now in more stylish and modern surroundings.
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 Horsing around at Haydock Park
Local van customers were invited to a day at the races with a difference thanks to an
invitation from Lookers Stockport.
Selected van customers from Lookers Stockport were invited to Haydock Park recently to enjoy a day of racing, including dinner and a tour of the latest Renault van selection.
Guests could also win a £10 bet simply by correctly answering five questions on the
Renault range. To help them decide which horses to back, they were taken through the
racecard by jockey-turned-broadcaster Luke Harvey who correctly tipped five of the
eight races, including the last where he tipped the winner at 7-1 and the second at 10-1!
Guests were given the opportunity to pick the “best turned out horse” and hand over a
magnum of champagne to the winners of the Renault-sponsored races.
Darren Levy from Lookers Stockport said: “Everyone had a brilliant time, with some
guests going home with quite a bit more money than they came with as Luke tipped so
many races correctly. The format of the event is great as they’re good fun and allow our
business customers the opportunity to see the Renault van range in an informal
environment.”
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 RIDE AND DRIVE AT ARLEY HALL
LOOKERS RENAULT CUSTOMERS
RIDE AND DRIVE AT ARLEY HALL
Customers of Lookers Renault were recently invited to a Ride and Drive event at Arley Hall, the home of
Viscount Ashbrook recently.
Selected guests and their families were invited by the North West dealerships to drive the Renault range
around the grounds before enjoying a tour of the house.
Children were kept entertained during the family day out with a story-telling corner called “Tales from the
Glovebox”, the opportunity to play on a selection of Nintendo DS Lites, and a close-up look at the ING
Renault F1 Team R27 racecar.
Lookers Macclesfield Sales Manager Helen Prisk said: “The event went very well, with the weather being
kind to us, and the grounds providing the perfect backdrop to a family day out. We’ve already had great
feedback from our customers.”
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 Renault Altrincham Sponsor the WORLD CUP!
Well not the real World cup but Lookers Altrincham
sponsored a World Cup festival for over 70 school
children with various sporting abilities from the local
Special Schools, Manor High, Piper Hill, Brentwood,
Pictor, Longford Park and St John Vianney Upper and
Lower schools.
The children from the 7 schools were all mixed to form
12 World Cup Teams giving them the opportunity to
socialize and play with children they had not previously
met. This experience was further enriched by Manor
High students and students from
Manchester College of Arts
and Technology (MANCAT)
who performed
magnificently whilst
gaining invaluable experience as coaches, referees and administrators at
the event.
The students along with staff from the schools were
responsible for assessing the performances of the
children between the ages of 8 and 14 in order to choose
the winners of the many awards provided by Lookers
sponsorship. Ex Manchester United and Rep of Ireland
defender Dennis Irwin was on hand to help out with the
prize giving, with the overall winners of the competition
being Germany (again!!), with the feedback from the
school staff and children was overwhelming.
Lookers Altrincham are the main sponsor for Trafford
Football Development Scheme, which help children with
special needs, integrate, mix and have fun through
Football, a worth while cause that Lookers are happy to
be associated with.
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 1st UK company to use Hybrid vehicles
Honda has recently joined with forces with home furnishings group Ikea as part of a drive to cut the company’s carbon emissions. The Swedish retailer, which has
15 stores in the UK, has been supplied with 50 Honda Civic Hybrid cars by Lookers, with more to follow in 2008. This move will see Ikea become the first private
company in the UK to use hybrid vehicles as its company cars. In addition to the company vehicles, employees will also receive discounts on all Honda low emission
vehicles.
The National Energy Foundation welcomed this initiative, saying it was time for all company employees to start playing their part in
reducing carbon emissions. “Through these initiatives Ikea with its high brand recognition will be playing a leading role in making this change
happen”
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 Local women learn the art of roadside defence
“Lookers’ Safety at
the Wheel Evening
was well organised
and great fun too.”
Safety at the Wheel car confidence evenings organised at Lookers Vauxhall
dealerships in St. Helens and Warrington during July have made local women
more aware of how to protect themselves against the dangers they face on
today’s roads.
Following a spate of stories about aggressive driving in the national media,
women (and quite a few men) attending Safety at the Wheel car workshop
evenings at Lookers’ showrooms in Knowsley Road, St. Helens, and Winwick Road,
Warrington, turned out in masse to learn about driving in today’s stressful
conditions. The courses were a community self-help initiative devised to help
teach women drivers the basics of car mechanics and personal self-protection so
that they are less likely to be left stranded and vulnerable by the roadside. They
included roadside get-you-home tips, defensive driving and how to ward off a
possible ‘road rage’ attacker.
Karate instructor and self-protection specialist Grant Hicks made the subject of
defending yourself from a would-be mugger both entertaining and instructive. He developed the personal safety theme
and demonstrated a quick-fire method
of foiling a would-be assailant, which
involved disarming him - or her - in
three easy moves with the aid of
everyday objects such as car keys or a
pen.
Penny Hart, Orford, welcomed
Lookers’ practical approach: “I didn’t
know what I should do if my car broke
down by the roadside until tonight,
Lookers’ Safety at the Wheel evening
was well organised and great fun too. I
feel that I have learned something
useful about my car today
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 Lookers Technicians receive Top Accreditation!
Lookers Jaguar technicians Timothy Keeble and Terry Brett have achieved
Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA), a ground breaking nationwide
initiative to further boost quality workmanship in the vehicle repair and servicing
sector of the industry.
Timothy and Terry, technicians at Lookers’ Jaguar centre in Ipswich, are now
included in the ATA register and hold an ATA photo-identity card. Customers are
able to check their credentials on a dedicated website
www.automotivetechnician.org.uk thereby raising confidence in the industry and
the service provided.
The accreditation scheme, administered by the Institute of the Motor Industry
(IMI), was launched in 2005 to raise standards of car servicing and repair by testing
the current competence of vehicle technicians. To achieve accreditation a technician must sign up to a code of conduct and pass a series of practical tasks
and online tests
Close
Expand
08/02/2008 Biggest approved used Land Rover Dealer
Following an investment of £100,000 Lookers Land Rover Hadleigh has
expanded its facility at its high profile London Road dealership to create the
largest display of approved used vehicles in the South East.
The business, situated on three acres, displays around 50 approved used Land
Rovers but holds a further 50 in stock and has access to around 500 vehicles
from its seven sister Land Rover dealers. An indoor used car showroom displays
around six vehicles and provides customers with an experience more akin to
buying new.
The expansion of the business is a result of the growing demand for approved
used Land Rovers in the region, particularly for older vehicles and now the
dealership sells vehicles up to seven-years-old.
Close
Expand
01/11/2007 Lookers go GREEN
Following a move to website hosting providers, Lookers recieved the following recognition from Rackspace:
"We would like to confirm that following your hosting contract with Rackspace, Trees have been planted in Holyland Wood, Pembroke. This will help towards neutralising the carbon emissions created by the server/s.
Rackspace is pleased to be working with International Tree Foundation who are committed to protecting, promoting and planting trees globally."
Close
Expand
29/10/2007 Lookers Acquisiton of Dutton Forshaw Group
Lookers announced on The London Stock Exchange the completion of the acquisition of Dutton Forshaw Group, the motor retail division of Lloyds TSB Asset Finance Division.
Dutton Forshaw has 31 outlets which operate under the Dutton Forshaw and Dovercourt brands. The acquisition will increase Lookers total number of Ford outlets from one to eight, Mercedes-Benz outlets from four to eight and vw outlets from five to nine. Other outlets Lookers have acquired include Chevrolet, Chrysler Jeep and Dodge, Citroen, Honda, Hyundai, Land Rover, Peugeot and Skoda.
This will increase the growth of the company and this acquisition will enable us to further expand our currant market areas and build on our strong relationshipd with our manufacturer partners.
Close
Expand
01/01/2006 NEW LOOK WEBSITE LAUNCHED
The brand new websites for Lookers and Charles Hurst are up and running, bringing an exciting new online resource to the group’s customers. The sites offer up-to-the-minute information on all of the group’s dealerships, franchises and products in an attractive and easily navigable format.
Each brand represented by Lookers and Charles Hurst has its own colour-coded home page on the site that’s packed with the latest news, model launches and promotions. Visitors can search the entire group network for new or used cars, read independent reviews on every model and check out testimonials from Lookers’ and Charles Hurst’s many satisfied customers. There’s also the option of signing up for mobile phone or e-mail alerts on the latest special offers as they happen.
Visitors to the site can head straight for the profile page of their local dealership. Every site in the Lookers and Charles Hurst group has its own personalised page featuring contact details, opening hours and directions to the showroom.
Interactivity is central to the design of the new site so as well as gaining information, visitors can request various services. There’s the opportunity to apply for a test drive on your chosen car, request a finance quote or enquire about the availability of a particular model. In every instance, the information is fed automatically back to the Lookers and Charles Hurst team who can respond accordingly.
A strong web presence is becoming an increasingly vital component of every dealer group’s operations and with its new websites, the Lookers and Charles Hurst Group is firmly ahead of the game in this area. Highly accessible and brimming with useful information, the sites set the standard for vehicle retailers on the web and can only be of benefit to the company and its customers.
Close