Top Mitsubishi dealers honoured at star-studded ceremony

April 2, 2014: Car manufacturer Mitsubishi has named its top UK dealers of 2013 at its annual awards ceremony.

The family-run Firs Garage, of Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, beat more than 100 fellow Mitsubishi retailers to carry away the title of UK Dealer of the Year at the black-tie event held at Gleneagles in Perthshire on 19th March.

Livery Dole in Exeter, Devon, was named UK Runner-Up, while Poole Mitsubishi in Dorset scooped the Best UK Newcomer award. The awards ceremony formed part of the annual dealer conference organised by Mitsubishi Motors in the UK and was held to recognise the hard work put in by dealerships nationwide last year.

Their efforts all helped Mitsubishi enjoy its most successful year yet, with sales up in the region of 40 per cent.

Firs Garage, which was founded in 1960 and is believed to be the only dealership in the country with its own landing pad and airstrip, was also the winning dealership in 2010 and came runner-up in 2011, and Dealer Principal Dean Wood said:

“To be recognised three years out of four is very satisfying. We very much see the award as recognition for the whole team here at Firs Garage. We work hard to provide great customer service and we have been pleased to enjoy some successful times recently.”

The runner-up gong was Livery Dole’s second major award this year, as the company – started in 1923 – was named ‘Most Improved Dealer of the Year’ in February at a ceremony organised by trade publication Automotive Management.

Managing Director Nigel Clegg said:

“As you can imagine, we’re pretty chuffed and of course it follows on from our success in the AM Awards. I’m delighted for the team really because it’s their award. We’ve got a great team of people and I think the one thing that’s a real advantage is the fact that so many of our staff are long-serving. The average length of service of our staff is something like 14 years.”

Poole Mitsubishi opened in April 2012 and has 10 members of staff, and General Manager Grant Murphy said:

“It felt very good to get the award. It’s nice to be recognised for all the hard work that has gone into starting up. It’s been hard work but it’s very, very pleasing to win it, and we are very excited about the future.”

Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, paid tribute to all three dealerships, saying:

“Everyone can be rightly proud of their awards because they richly deserve them. Firs Garage, Livery Dole and Poole Mitsubishi are shining examples of what makes Mitsubishi such a terrific brand, and it gives me immense pleasure to acknowledge all the hard work, effort and dedication that has brought them here today.”

Top-flight entertainment was provided at the awards ceremony by comedian Dara O Briain, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers with their “bagrock” fusion, plus singing legend Lulu.

This year sees Mitsubishi Motors Corporation celebrating 40 years of being in the UK, and the Japanese marque is going from strength to strength, with this month seeing the launch of its Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), heralded as a true game-changer.