9:08 am, May 14, 2018
THE BOSS of Peugeot UK has admitted that dual-branded Peugeot-Vauxhall dealerships could soon become a reality.
In an exclusive interview with Car Dealer, Peugeot UK MD David Peel revealed he has already been approached by dealers looking to sell both brands from one site.
He said Peugeot would be ‘foolish’ not to do it and that he wasn’t worried about a cross-over of sales between the brands.
Peel – a former Peugeot car dealer himself – said: ‘We’ve had a number of Vauxhall investors who can see an opportunity and they’re desperately trying to build relationships, but they’re doing it through our network development team.
‘If opportunities come up it would be foolish not to. I don’t have any issues with it because we do it with Citroen today. They’ll be some cross over, but it’s no different to a Vauxhall dealer setting up across the road.’
Peel explained that the main advantage would be more income for dealers but no increase in overheads.
‘I’m more concerned about customers having room to park – but if the scale of the site is right, we’re open to it,’ he said.
‘I’m open-minded to anything that gives a better business model than the one that’s currently there. We haven’t got anything to stop us from doing dual Peugeot-Vauxhall sites, but it has to be the right opportunity.
‘Our network teams are working very closely with the network teams at Vauxhall.’
Peel helped set up the dual franchise Peugeot-Citroen sites when he was heading up Peugeot’s own dealership group, Robins & Day.
He said potential sites needed to have separate receptions and the brand experience must be kept pure, however he identified efficiencies in the back office and servicing departments.
Peel said that since the PSA takeover of Vauxhall it was simply a case of ‘business as usual’ for himself and the Peugeot UK network, adding: ‘We are being clearly guided – don’t get distracted by it. Just get on and do the job.’
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