F&I Management & Training

Lookers reported a 41% rise in pretax profits in the six months to end of June after it continued to outperform the market for new cars. Like-for-like new car sales were up 6% against a market up 2%,' chief executive Ken Surgenor said. High-end vehicles from Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin were strong sellers for the group, which represents the brands in Northern Ireland through its Charles Hurst division. The mainstream market also held up, despite a backdrop of rising interest rates, with a particularly strong performance from Vauxhall and Mercedes, Surgenor said. Lookers is adding Ford to its portfolio with the opening this week of a dealership in Sheffield acquired from the administrator of Dixon Motors. 'We are the partner of choice for many manufacturers, and that now includes Ford,' he said.

DATED: 04.09.07

FEED: AW