Unity Automotive wants more growth after latest expansion

Unity Automotive is expanding its dealership portfolio and workforce as the privately-owned dealer group seeks to increase its scale.

Its management team expect its annual revenues to exceed £100 million following its next stage of expansion, which takes it into Gloucestershire for the first time.

Unity has acquired its eighth location, a former Land Rover dealership at Rutherford Way, Cheltenham, which the group says will "be bringing brands into Gloucestershire that have been absent for many years along with some new contenders into the market".

Fiat, Jeep and Leapmotor are planned for the site, AM understands.

It will also be Unity's second dedicated new and used commercial vehicle dealership, representing Fiat Professional.

This latest expansion comes after growth in 2024 with Unity's acquisition of Fiat dealership Grays Garage in Warwick and the opening of a central PDI and preparation centre.

It also refranchised its Leicester dealership, which had previously represented Subaru and SsangYong, with Fiat and Jeep, and its Balsall Common dealership added Jeep and Leapmotor alongside its existing KGM, Subaru and Isuzu operation.

The company said it expects to create more than 45 new jobs in Gloucestershire over the next 12 months and it hopes group vehicle sales to exceed 3,000 units.

The business has also reshaped its leadership team.

Russell Boot has taken a new position as director of sales operations, to work alongside aftersales director Jamie Holliday, finance director Rob Davis and director Mark Hensher, and of whom report to managing director Tim Huxley

"With the reformed senior team reporting directly to Tim Huxley this gives both Tim and chief executive Jon Mathers time to concentrate on further strategic growth opportunities with existing and new franchise partners along with promoting our fast growing retail and wholesale e-bike and motorcycle business, unity-moto.co.uk," said the company.

Having started with one business, Cross Roads Garage at Tredington, Unity Automotive now has dealerships in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

In 2019 it took on its first Chinese brand when it signed up to join the MG dealer network.

Unity's Cross Roads Garage won the AM Award for Sales Team of the Year in 2011.