Work has started on a £250,000 purpose-built showroom at Colley Mitsubishi, in Maendy Way, Cwmbran, South Wales.

The dealership will be treated to a purpose-built showroom, turning part of its outside display area into a 200 square metre building that will house up to six cars in a spacious covered setting. The work will last some 14 to 16 weeks, depending on the weather, and has come about as confidence grows in the industry.

The work will last some 14 to 16 weeks, depending on the weather, and has come about as confidence grows in the industry.

Proprietor John Colley said: “I like the Mitsubishi product and really see a big future with the brand. Mitsubishi intends to grow and we intend to grow with it. It’s a big investment for us but we’re very, very confident in the Mitsubishi product and we’re looking forward to the work being finished.

“We’re excited about the future. There’s going to be some disruption but it’ll be worth it. When we come out the other end it’ll be a much nicer place.”

Colley Motor Group, which was founded 44 years ago by John and his brother Bob, joined the Mitsubishi family a year ago and is very much a community-focused enterprise, sponsoring Cwmbran Town AFC for 35 years and helping rugby, cricket and athletics clubs too – so rather than look elsewhere to develop, it decided to stay put as people know where it is.

John said: “Because lots of customers have been coming here for 40-odd years they don’t want us going anywhere. It was as much their decision to stay here as it was ours. People like us create the business but it’s the people who build it in the end, so we really have to take their opinion into consideration. They really like the fact that they see the same faces when they come back here.

“They’re not actually customers as we know them. To me, we’ve got hundreds of friends who happen to buy cars off us.”