The two-level building in Flinders Lane, Maroochydore, has a 630-square metre showroom with an 18-bay service centre on the first floor.

Crick Auto Group managing director Garry Crick said the new facility was built on land that had been part of the company for about two years.

“We chose to build it because Volkswagen was at a sales level that was sufficient for it to have a stand-alone premises,” he said.

“The previous site in Sugar Road was busting at the seams. We had two Volkswagen showrooms there – one for passenger cars and the other for commercials – on a site with Mitsubishi and Subaru.

“By moving Volkswagen to its new site we could then bring in our Honda and Skoda franchises from other sites so we could operate more efficiently.

“This has left our Wises Road site with Renault, Suzuki and the main used-car outlet.

“Moving Skoda was well timed because there is a change in the signage for the brand.”

The new Volkswagen dealership is one of three within the Crick Auto Group.

Crick Auto Group in December last year partnered with Australian capital equity firm Archer Capital.

Mr Crick said at that time that the deal would maintain current management and allowed it to strengthen the dealership business.

The diverse Queensland car and truck dealer, which started in 1995, has 12 dealerships with 27 new-car brands on sites from Tweed Heads in NSW to Rockhampton in Queensland.

By Neil Dowling