In a competitive category, it was a tale of transformation from Celtic Subaru and Mitsubishi that helped it secure the Franchised Dealership of the Year award.

A business restructure to offer greater profitability from used cars and a platform which would ensure that the future retailing of new vehicles would “complement the business and not overpower it”, after an over-reliance on its former Mitsubishi franchise, was at the heart of its entry.

The subject of an management buy-out by managing director Tony Sciascia in the summer of 2021, family-run Celtic has since become one of Subaru’s top performing retailers.

A drive to create its own brand and sharpen its used car operations have led to the creation of a new website, which places a ‘celtic direct’ branding at its heart.

A renewed focus on customer service, leveraged by a celebration of handovers and QR codes to attract positive reviews and feedback have helped the business grow its profile.

Sharpened used car processes with a tightening of the appraisal processes and a shift towards pick-ups and 4x4s has also helped the business to more than treble its profit per unit between 2019 and 2022.

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While Celtic Subaru and Mitsubishi’s turnover has declined by 25% between 2020 and 2022, therefore, its pre-tax profits have grown by almost 40%. Now Sciascia is targeting a larger used car forecourt and eyeing growth with new car brand entrants to the UK market.

“I liken ourselves to a speedboat, able to easily manoeuvre, quickly change direction and adapt to the conditions,” he told AM in his award-winning entry.

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