Vertu Motors is taking on the Japanese premium brand Infiniti for the first time.
The AM100 dealer group has posted a recruitment advert for a general manager to run the business, which will open in Newcastle in July.
The Infiniti Centre Newcastle will be the first for the brand in the north-east of England and will be based at Silverlink Business Park.
It will be housed in a refurbished former Honda dealership, and the new business will create up to 25 jobs.
It will be the latest new brand to join Vertu Motors. In 2013 it added Land Rover and Volkswagen, this year it has expanded existing relationships with Volvo and Nissan.
Infiniti, the premium sister brand of Nissan, currently has eight dealerships in the UK but a gap in the network from Leeds to Glasgow.
Robert Forrester, Vertu's chief executive, said: “We are extremely excited to be the company which is bringing Infiniti to this region.
"It will be a growing brand in the UK that will introduce a wealth of cutting-edge products over the next few years.
"Next year, the Infiniti Q30 will be manufactured just down the road in Sunderland, meaning we will have another car brand both produced and sold in the region, which is fantastic news for the North East."
As editor, Tim is responsible for the media content, planning and production of AM's multiple channels (AM print and digital magazines, website, social media and contributing to our events planning). He interviews and writes about as many franchised dealer groups and UK divisions of motor manufacturers as possible, to explore the issues facing UK motor retail and understand what solutions dealers and suppliers are using to overcome these.
Shareholder - 11/02/2014 10:22
Another interesting development. No costs mentioned. I do hope these investments are being done with a view to value added and profitability. This one sounds costly if it includes refurbishment and 25 new staff. Sales achieved must reflect this investment.