Drive Motor Retail has been named European Dealer Group of the Year 2019 as part of Vauxhall's latest dealer awards. 

Beating 30 European Dealer Groups in 14 countries, Drive was recognised for its “exemplary levels of customer satisfaction, exceptional sales performance and financial results” throughout the first six months of 2019.

The business has reported like-for-like sales growth from new and used cars over the period, including contributions from its fleet, van and Motability sales businesses. Drive’s aftersales and body repair business has also seen improvements so far this year, contributing to an annual turnover of £350 million.

Former Drive Retail boss Chris Roberts told AM in a profile of the business that everything is managed "to the nth degree".

Roberts left the business in May 2018 to join Cambria Automobiles as operations and business development director.

The Drive Vauxhall team will celebrate the win at the European Dealer Group of the Year Award ceremony in Croatia in November.

Individual sites within Drive have also been recognised, including Drive Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill as Retailer of the Year 2019. A number of Drive sites across the group were awarded with Customer Excellence Award 2019 earlier this year too. 

Rob Keenan, Drive Group operations director, said: “The Drive Group has, and always will, take customer satisfaction very seriously, and we always try and go the extra mile.

“I’d just like to say thank you, to each of the one thousand team members across the UK, for the huge contribution you have each played in winning this award; we couldn’t have done it without you."