Jardine Motors Group has acquired three Toyota dealerships and a Lexus authorised repairer from Lookers for an undisclosed sum.

The Toyota sites in Chelmsford, Rayleigh and Romford will trade as Lancaster Toyota.

Alun Jones, Jardine chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be growing our relationship further with Toyota who are our key brand partners.

“The South Essex territory is adjacent to the market area we acquired last year in Ipswich and Colchester giving us opportunities for further synergies.”

This latest acquisition continues Jardine's strategy to growing the business and developing its relationships with existing partners. It takes the group's number of locations to 79 trading under Lancaster, Scotthall, Wayside, Appleyard, Minories, Abridge and Clover Leaf Cars.

Jardine was behind the most significant deal in the AM100 since Cambria Automobiles bought Summit Auto in 2008, when in 2011 it took over Wayside Group, pushing its turnover above £1.2 billion and into the top 10 of the AM100 for the first time.

Jardine subsequently went on to to buy three Toyota dealerships in Ipswich, Colchester and Frinton-on-Sea and a Lexus dealership in Ipswich from Thorndale Investments (turnover in 2010 £33 million, 92 staff).