8:01 am, January 23, 2026
Chariots Specialist Cars has come out on top at BYD’s inaugural Dealer Awards, as the Chinese brand continues to grow its retail operation in Britain.
The awards aimed to celebrate the very best of the brand’s existing network, with gongs given out for both front-of-house and aftersales operations
Winners included Grainger Motor Group – which won Retailer Group of the Year and Aftersales Retailer of the Year – but its was Chariots which collected the overall UK Retailer of the Year prize in a glitzy ceremony at the Telford International Centre.
The accolade recognised the group which performed best across the board, showing excellence across customer experience, brand representation, sales performance.
The prize was formally presented to Chariots by Bono Ge, country manager of BYD UK, and Steve Beattie, deputy country manager alongside sporting legend Jason Robinson OBE.
Reacting to the win, Chariots MD, Franco Santoro, said: ‘We are honoured to receive the BYD UK Dealer of the Year award for 2026.
‘This achievement reflects the dedication and professionalism of the entire team, whose commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and championing the BYD brand has been outstanding.’
Car Dealer reported last week that Chariots had added a second BYD site to its network, having acquired the former site of Rugby Suzuki.
That showroom joins the firm’s existing location in Kettering and bosses say they are working through a ‘pivotal moment for the business’.
A spokesman for the group added: ‘The award comes at a pivotal moment for the business following the acquisition of a new dealership in Rugby, Warwickshire.
‘The expansion strengthens their presence in the Midlands and enhances their capacity to serve a rapidly growing customer base.
‘The group extends its sincere thanks to BYD for their continued trust, partnership and support. Chariots would also like to acknowledge the support of Pav Panesar at Knight Frank, whose expertise and guidance were instrumental in delivering their latest car dealership acquisition.’
