A new Mitsubishi dealership has opened in Dundee, creating jobs and renovating a site that has been empty for more than three years.

Autoecosse Mitsubishi opened today in the newly refurbished old showroom in Kingsway East.

Chairman Richard Lawson, who owns Autoecosse in Monifieth Road, Broughty Ferry, has been in the motor trade since 1971 and previously ran a successful Mitsubishi dealership in Kirriemuir in the 1970s and 80s.

Lawson, who founded Autoecosse in Dundee in 2005, said: "This site has been empty for three-and-a-half years and we certainly intend to be one of the bigger Mitsubishi dealers in the UK and set very high standards in all that we do.

"Our main focus is customer care and we have many customers who we have been dealing with since for many years because we have built up long term relationships and catered for their motoring requirements. That’s the backbone of the company and we fully intend to provide a superb experience to new and current Mitsubishi owners."

His co-director and Mitsubishi dealer principal Tim Hancock will lead the development of the Mitsubishi brand in the region.

Hancock has taken on new sales executives and technicians who are currently undergoing training and induction. Once the dealership is up and running he expects the number of Autoecosse staff to almost double from 16 to 30.

Mitsubishi was the fastest growing mainstream car brand of 2013, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing sales were up 38% in 2013, compared with 2012 (see AMi stats below).