Arnold Clark has confirmed its new Vauxhall Edinburgh dealership is up and running after the site was axed as part of cuts at Evans Halshaw.
Car Dealer reported earlier this year that the Car Dealer Top 100 leader had agreed to purchase Evans Halshaw Vauxhall Edinburgh for an undisclosed fee in a move which protected the jobs of existing staff.
The deal was subject to its fair share of rumours, with insiders accusing the Scottish dealer group of trying to ‘back out’ at the last minute.
One insider even claimed to Car Dealer that all staff had been sent home early just before the proposed sale went through with Arnold Clark sending workmen to remove equipment, uniforms and signage.
The dealer group denied the rumours when approached by Car Dealer and the the acquisition was officially rubber stamped back in February.
Now, Arnold Clark has completed a transformation of the premises, with new branding going up throughout.
The group has also added the Stellantis-backed Leapmotor brand from the site, after agreeing franchise agreements with the outfit last month.
The new branch is the 23rd Vauxhall site in the Arnold Clark network.
Confirming that the site is now operational, David Boyd, brand director at Arnold Clark, said: ‘We are extremely excited to have opened another Arnold Clark Vauxhall and be able to offer our customers even more choice.
‘We know Vauxhall is always very popular with our customers and it’s great that we can continue to give them access to some of the most exciting models on the market.
‘We are also delighted to be showcasing Leapmotor, a recent addition to the Arnold Clark family.
‘Leapmotor is an innovative and forward-thinking brand, and one which I’m sure will be very well received.
‘We aim to make the car-buying journey as simple as possible for our customers. Arnold Clark’s ethos has always been to offer genuine value for money and create high levels of customer satisfaction, and we’re positive this new Edinburgh branch will deliver just that.’