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AUDI and Suzuki have named their top-performing retailers for 2018, with dealerships in New South Wales and Victoria leading the pack for the German prestige marque and South Australia’s Suzuki in the City taking the national Dealer of the Year award for the Japanese brand.

Audi Centre Sydney was named 2018 Major Metropolitan Dealer of the Year, finishing ahead of Audi Centre Mosman over on the north shore and, in third place, the nearby Audi Alto Artarmon.

Audi Centre Brighton in Melbourne took out the Metropolitan DOTY award, ahead of Audi Alto Pennant Hills in Sydney’s northern suburbs and Audi Solitaire in Adelaide, while the Rural DOTY award went to Audi Alto Central Coast in Gosford, New South Wales, from Audi Centre Townsville in Queensland and Audi Centre Hobart in Tasmania.

This was the first major category win for both the central Sydney dealership on South Dowling Street in Zetland and the Brighton dealership on the Nepean Highway in Bentleigh, south-east of the Melbourne CBD, while the Gosford dealership’s top ranking marked a back-to-back winning performance.

Standing tall: Audi Centre Sydney dealer principal Steve Cloete described the dealership’s Major Metro DOTY award as “an extraordinary team effort”.

Audi Centre Sydney dealer principal Steve Cloete described the achievement, which came after finishing runner up in the 2017 awards, as “the result of an extraordinary team effort”.

“My entire team is committed to excellence right across our business, in order to ensure we deliver the best sales, service and customer experience for our Audi owners. This award is testament to their commitment and professionalism,” he said.

Audi Centre Brighton is part of the Zagame Automotive Group and the award was accepted by company chief Bobby Zagame at the recent presentation event in Sydney, while Alto Group managing director Anthony Altomonte took to the stage on behalf of the Central Coast team.

Audi Australia managing director Paul Sansom said he was proud of the DOTY winners, as well as all personnel working across the brand’s national network.

“The Audi ‘vorsprung’ spirit of progress unites our entire team, and I couldn’t be prouder of all the winners tonight,” he said. “Winning an Audi Dealer of the Year award means that everything within the business has to be perfect throughout the entire year, in order to stand tall above a formidable set of peers.”



Audi’s retail incentive program has been running since 2007 and determines its DOTY award winners after a rigorous assessment of each dealership’s performance across all areas of the business, including sales, aftersales, marketing innovation and customer service satisfaction.

Individual performances across the various categories are also recognised in what is known as the Audi Quattro Cup.

Over at Suzuki, the annual ‘Dealer Excellence Awards’ highlight one national winner and the top 10 dealers who excel in the wide-ranging program, which awards points across a variety of areas including facility standards, sales-to-target and sales rankings, market share, CSI for both sales and service, service retention, accessory sales per new vehicle and parts sales.

Located in the inner-southern Adelaide suburb of Wayville, Suzuki in the City is part of the Australian Motors Group and its 2018 DOTY award ended the run of Mandurah Suzuki in Western Australia, which had taken back-to-back national titles in 2016 and 2017.

At the awards presentation in Melbourne recently, Suzuki in the City dealer principal and Australian Motors managing director Mark Heyburn said the dealership’s success “comes down to great people who are committed to the brand and our customers”.

Suzuki in the City DP Mark Heyburn

Australian Motors was founded by the Hassan family in 1952 and Mr Heyburn is the son-in-law of founder (and original ‘Great, Great Guy’), the late Morris Hassan.

Suzuki Australia general manager (automobile) Michael Pachota added that less than 10 points separated the dealerships which placed between sixth and 17th, making for “an incredibly close battle for a top-10 position”.

As well as Suzuki in the City, the 2018 Dealer Excellence award winners included two others from South Australia (Jarvis Suzuki and Southside Suzuki), three from Western Australia (Amity Motors, Gardner Suzuki and Rockingham Suzuki), two from New South Wales (Bellbowrie Suzuki and Kelly Suzuki) and another two from Tasmania (Jackson Suzuki in Hobart and Launceston).

Suzuki in the City and Gardner Suzuki were also recognised as members of the ‘500 Club’ after each selling more than 500 new vehicles last year.

By Terry Martin

Suzuki in the City

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