1:32 pm, January 29, 2026
US giant Group 1 Automotive has signalled further job losses in the UK in 2026 as it continues a major restructuring programme, despite reporting record annual revenues for 2025.
The dealer group, which operates 254 showrooms across the US and UK, said it expects to take ‘additional actions in 2026’ to further optimise its UK operations and reduce costs.
It confirmed that its UK-wide restructuring plan includes ‘further workforce realignment and strategic closings of certain facilities’.
During 2025, Group 1 closed BMW and Mini showrooms in Stansted and Hindhead, along with confirming it would be shutting all of its JLR sites over the next two years.
Only last month, Group 1 said it would axe one of its VW service centres just months after ending retail operations at the same site, and a Toyota showroom in Burton.
At the time of the JLR dealerships closure announcement, bosses admitted the UK remains ‘challenging’.
Group 1 announced it was restructuring its business in October 2025 and booked $8.1m (£6.4m) in UK restructuring charges during the fourth quarter.
Total restructuring charges linked to the UK plan reached $28.4m (£22.5m) for the full year.
The news of further UK job losses came as the business published its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2025.
Group 1’s president and CEO Daryl Kenningham said the company had delivered a record year, with revenues rising strongly.
‘The fourth quarter capped off a record year for Group 1,’ he said. ‘Our revenues totaled $22.6bn (£16.7bn), up 13.2% year over year. We achieved record revenues across all of our major business lines and record gross profits in parts and service and F&I.’
However, profitability fell compared with 2024.
Full-year net income from continuing operations dropped to $323.7m (£255.7m), down from $497.0m (£360m) the previous year. Group 1 said results were impacted by $192.8m (£103.5m) of non-cash asset impairment charges.
In the fourth quarter, revenues rose slightly to $5.6bn (£4.4bn), up 0.6% year on year, but net income from continuing operations fell sharply to $43.0m (£31.5m), compared with $94.6m (£74.7m) in the same period last year. The quarter included $68.2m (£54m) in impairment charges, ‘primarily attributable to the US reporting unit’.
Despite the lower profits, the group highlighted resilience in key areas. Parts and service gross profit rose 6.3% in the quarter to $394.2m (£285.4m), while finance and insurance revenues increased 1.9% to $229.7m (£166.3m).
Along with the UK showroom closures, Group 1 shuttered a Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram store in the US. Meanwhile, it acquiring ‘high-performing’ Lexus and Acura dealerships in Fort Myers, Mercedes-Benz of South Austin, and Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead.
