JCT600 has expanded its car retail portfolio in its hometown of Bradford with the opening of new Citroën UK and MG Motor UK dealerships.
The AM100 car retail group has introduced the brands to its collection of franchised outlets on Sticker Lane, with Citroën joining its existing Peugeot and Vauxhall facilities, while MG has been brought into a showroom which also accommodates Mitsubishi Motors in the UK.
JCT600’s Groupe PSA operations in the city now include 27 workshop bays on-site, which includes two MOT bays.
Commenting on the creation of the new Citroën outlet, JCT600 chief executive, John Tordoff, said: “We are delighted to welcome Citroën to the JCT600 family, where it will sit nicely alongside our other Stellantis brands, Vauxhall and Peugeot, in our home town of Bradford. Citroën is a unique brand offering a very different range, but one which I’m sure our customers will enjoy.”
The creation a multi-franchised site featuring Citroen is in-line with new plan to drive profitability outlined by Citroën UK managing director, Eurig Druce, last month, and a strategy recently put into action by Vertu Motors.
Unveiling three-year, mid-term Citroën Advance UK strategy, detailed in a feature in AM, Druce said the plan that the brand has been “crying out for” included a concerted push for the brand to be brought under the same roof as fellow Groupe PSA brands Peugeot, DS Automobiles and Vauxhall, in particular.
“For us, we see sustainability through growing volumes, through growing the profitability of our dealers and by sharing facilities, so it’s a plan for us to have as many of our sites multi-branded as possible,” he said.
Commenting on the opening of the new JCT600 franchise in Bradford, Druce said: “The Bradford site is our latest new showroom opening for Citroën UK. As part of our ‘Advance UK’ plan, we are introducing new sites across the country to improve our brand presence in 2021, as we continue our electrification offensive.
“We are excited to continue our work with JCT600, as they have a 75-year history as a trusted family brand.”
JCT600’s new MG dealership shares space with its existing Mitsubishi Motors dealership, which was opened in September 2019.
The facility has capacity for 30 new and used cars.
Tordoff said: “We’re always on the look-out for new opportunities and MG will complement our existing brands in our home city of Bradford.”
Earlier this week MG Motor UK revealed that it has targeted the appointment of 10 more franchised car retail sites to its network in 2021 after welcoming 28 new dealerships last year – expanding its network to 130 locations.
The Chinese-owned car brand, which scored a hit with its ZS EV electric vehicle and has since added the MG5 SW EV to its line-up, saw its UK registrations rise by 41% last year against the backdrop of a market down 29.4% overall.
Guy Pigounakis, commercial director for MG, said: “We are delighted to welcome JCT600 to the MG family and are extremely excited about the potential the new partnership gives to both MG and to JCT600 as we expand our network.
“Bradford and the surrounding area is a key strategic growth opportunity for us and with JCT600’s impressive reputation, excellent customer service and established motor trade experience, it makes the group a perfect partner for us in the region.”