The sale price of the nine retail and service centres – which support seven new-car brands – was not disclosed but they have a combined annual turnover of about $A325 million ($NZ355m).

Eagers’ COO Edward Geschke

The sale by Eagers has been attributed in some quarters to slowing new-car sales in NZ – now down to about 8000 units a month – but Eagers’ COO Edward Geschke told GoAutoNews Premium that the sale of its NZ dealerships was not a matter of NZ new-car sales but that the dealerships “haven’t operated at the same level as our Australian businesses for some time”.

He added that Armstrong’s business structure was a better fit for NZ 

“Armstrong’s is both a retailer and distributor – a model common in NZ – and a business model well suited to that market.  We are not distributors and don’t have the synergies of vertical integration available to businesses like Armstrong’s in NZ,” added Mr Geschke.

He said that the Armstrong’s Group has been well known to Eagers for some time.

North Harbour Ford

“Like so many things, timing is everything. And the timing (for the sale) was right,” he said.

“We are still fully committed to the NZ market with our easyauto123 used car business and remain excited by the growth opportunities we see there.”

The proposal to divest the NZ new-car operations was recorded in the company’s latest annual report, but the buyer was not made public until last week.

The deal includes the new-vehicle franchises of Ford, which will be the first time long-standing retail group Amstrong’s has a Ford dealership. 

There are two Ford dealerships in the sale for Armstrong’s that have been approved by Ford New Zealand, North Harbour Ford, and John Andrew Ford, effective October 31.

Other franchised brands being sold Eagers are Hyundai, Nissan, Mazda, Isuzu, Suzuki, MG, and GMSV. 

Mr Geschke said most of the OEM approvals have been satisfied “but there are still items to work through as we get closer to settlement, as with any transaction”.

“We remain on track for settlement within the original timelines,” he noted.  

North Harbour Ford

Armstrongs have 20 brands in its group, including some heavyweight brands such as Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Mazda, Porsche, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volvo.

The latest dealership purchases add to a busy year for Armstrong’s.

The dealer group has this year become the national distributor for Chinese brand Arcfox (part of BAIC) , started a nationwide finance brokerage (Armstrong’s Finance), and become the franchisee for additional Chinese brands.

This is in addition to the distribution network of new vehicles held by Armstrong’s, which now comprises Peugeot, Citroen, JMC, Leapmotor, Smart, Dongfeng, and BAIC (Arcfox).

(L-R). Ford NZ finance director Linda Yuen; Armstrong’s Group executive director Rick Armstrong; Ford NZ managing director Annaliese Atina; Armstrong’s Group CFO/COO Michaela Shaw; Armstrong’s Group CEO Troy Kennedy; and Ford NZ network director Greg McDonald

Ford NZ announced this week that it has formally approved Armstrong’s purchase of the two Ford dealerships – Auckland-based North Harbour Ford and John Andrew Ford – clearing the way for the ownership transition to proceed. 

In a statement, Ford NZ said that “this strategic acquisition, effective from October 31, 2026, marks a significant expansion of Armstrong’s footprint into the Ford brand and reinforces Ford New Zealand’s commitment to delivering exceptional service and support to its customers across the wider Auckland region”.

Ford NZ managing director Annaliese Atina said she was enthusiastic about the acquisition by Armstrong’s.

Ford NZ managing director Annaliese Atina

“We are delighted to welcome Armstrong’s to the Ford New Zealand family as the new custodians of our North Harbour and John Andrew dealerships,” she said.

“Armstrong’s has built an outstanding reputation over more than three decades for customer care, operational excellence, and investment in its people and facilities. 

“Their scale, expertise, and dealer network across New Zealand align perfectly with Ford’s ambitions for growth in Auckland, and we are confident this transition will deliver real, lasting benefits for our customers and team members at both dealerships.”

Armstrong’s Group executive director Rick Armstrong said, “We are proud to be taking on ownership of North Harbour Ford and John Andrew Ford”.

Armstrong Group executive director Rick Armstrong

“Ford is a brand with real momentum in New Zealand, particularly with the strength of Ranger and Everest, and these two Auckland dealerships represent a fantastic opportunity for our business,” he added.

“We are committed to building on the strong foundations already in place, investing in our people and facilities, and delivering the standard of sales, service and customer experience that Armstrong’s is known for right across our network.”

Ford NZ said that through the acquisition, “Armstrong’s will bring its extensive experience and resources to bear at both North Harbour Ford and John Andrew Ford, elevating the customer experience through expanded service capacity, broader facility investment, and enhanced levels of care throughout the sales and aftersales journey”.

“Customers can expect a seamless transition, with continued access to professional sales advice, expert servicing, and genuine Ford parts, backed by Armstrong’s group-wide support functions in finance, marketing, and operations,”the company added.

North Harbour Ford

Background: Easyauto123 has three NZ retail sites, two in Auckland and one in Christchurch which Eagers retains.

While NZ used-car sales have been relatively subdued, with private-to-private used cars sales falling, dealer-to-public used-car sales have actually recovered with dealer-to-public used passenger-car and van sales rising from around 15,000 a month in 2024 to around 16,500 a month in 2025 and 2026. 

These results show the strength of the market in which easyauto123 is a major player.

The move to retain easyauto123 in NZ shows how important the business model is to Eagers. Eagers itself said in its latest annual report that easyauto123 is a scalable independent used-car platform with a strategic growth platform.

Recently easyauto123 reported a record first half with volume up 30.4 per cent, revenue up 39.9 per cent and underlying profit up 42.9 per cent (on H1 2025). 

Eagers is now targeting sales of 100,000 units a year by FY30, three times the current 30,000 annual sales this year.

By Neil Dowling