Tributes paid after death of boss of award-winning car dealer group

Tributes have been paid following the death of Dave Turney, who was the owner and chairman of Delgarth Motor Group until its sale to Supergroup’s Allen Motor Group last year.

Turney founded the business in 1981 in Milton Keynes with the Reliant, Lada and subsequently Proton brands. His partnership with Hyundai began in 1986, when he bought Delgarth’s second site, and 10 years later he added a Kia business.

He remained actively engaged in the business even after his son Steve (pictured right with his father) took the role of managing director in 2010, still popping in two or three mornings each week until the 2022 sale of the £50m+ turnover business, which in 2017 won the AM Award for Best Retail Group (up to 10 sites).

Steve Turney told AM: “He was a really strong character and a very good business leader. He always knew what was going on in the business. And he was a good friend as well as a father, very supportive to me and always around to be helpful.”

Steve Freeman, head of automotive at accountants and advisors MHA Macintyre Hudson in Milton Keynes, was a close friend of Turney and said this is the loss of another “motor trade great”.

“He was my client but above all he was my friend and he was loved by his friends and family and all of his employees,” Freeman added.

Charles French, national franchise manager at Hyundai, also paid tribute: “Dave was great character & businessman within our industry and one of the first Hyundai retailers in the UK, back in 1987.”