Colt Mid West group aims to open its new Mitsubishi dealership in Weston-super-Mare on June 1, filling an important open point for the franchise and boosting the group’s turnover by £8m to total £65m.

The group, which is the retail arm of Mitsubishi Motors UK, is developing the 1.1-acre site with a glass-fronted two storey showroom. This will also become the hub of its group-wide fleet activities, which account for 35% of its sales.

The site will hold 20 new and 80 used cars. Showroom features will include full climate control and an enormous plasma screen wall, which will display promotions and let customers see their choice of cars fitted with optional equipment.

The Weston outlet will expand Colt Mid West group’s portfolio to six outlets, with its other dealerships sited in Cheltenham, Cirencester, Bristol, Reading and Putney. It will boost the group’s workforce by 25 to 170.

Rob Ayland, Colt Cars Mid West’s general manager, says: “The existing dealerships have already seen more than 200 advance orders for the new L200 pick-up. With the addition of this site, 2006 should be a very prosperous year.”