9:54 am, April 22, 2024
Dealer group Lookers has opened a state-of-the-art new BYD dealership in Yorkshire as the Chinese brand continues to grow its retail presence.
Car Dealer reported last month that Lookers had opened its first standalone BYD site as part of a wider multi-franchise Car Hub in Middlesbrough.
That development has now been quickly followed up by a second showroom in Sheffield.
The premises, on Savile Street East, have space for around 80 vehicles from across the BYD range, and sit alongside an existing approved used Ford site.
Bosses say they are ‘excited’ to see how the new dealerships performs, with plans already in place for further expansion in both stock and staff.
Ryan Smith, general manager at Lookers BYD Sheffield, said: ‘It’s a really exciting time for BYD and we’re looking forward to sharing all the exciting things the brand has to offer with our customers.
‘Already, we’ve got more than 80 vehicles on site, bringing in BYD’s three electric car models, the Dolphin, the Atto 3 and the Seal, as well as BYD’s first EV van in the UK, the ETP3, with plans for more vehicle launches over the next two years.
‘At the moment, all vehicles are new, with used vehicles to join our stock as time goes on.
‘We’re delighted with the level of interest we’ve had so far as more and more customers engage with the BYD brand and the exciting possibilities of EV driving.
‘We anticipate further expansion in the future in terms of stock and staff, with more models joining the range over the coming years.’
Since launching in the UK, BYD has chosen to adopt a traditional dealer model, as apposed to agency sales.
The approach has seen it take on several dealer partners, including Arnold Clark, as it looks to establish a UK retail network of 100 dealerships by the end of 2025.
Last year, Car Dealer also reported on how the outfit had opened a luxurious flagship store in Mayfair, which is being run by Pendragon.
BYD’s UK marketing manager, Mark Blundell, was one of three industry experts sitting on our manufacturer panel at Car Dealer Live 2024.
The outfit also provided two cars – a Dolphin and a Seal – which were placed on display at the conference in Gaydon earlier this month.
You can read what Blundell had to say about the UK’s electrification plans here.
