Patterson has attracted the Seat car brand to its new £200,000 showroom in Newcastle – its first non-Ford franchise in 15 years.

Patterson will sell Seat vehicles for the first time from the showroom, which is based near the company’s headquarters in Scotswood Road.

The dealership will create around 15 jobs and is expected to help Patterson break through the £200m turnover barrier in 2005 for the first time. It is the company’s first non-Ford dealership since the Renault dealership in Berwick was sold over 15 years’ ago.

In addition Patterson Seat will stock over 50 used vehicles and is expected to boost company sales by 10% in 2005. Last year, the company turned over £180m and sold 13,100 new and used car and commercial vehicles.