AP EAGERS Ltd has sold its Volvo dealership in Brisbane, with the outlet now part of the Sime Darby Motors (SDM) group in partnership with Martin Roller and Marvin Burke.

Volvo Cars Brisbane North, formerly Austral Volvo, remains on the same location in Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.

SDM’s other automotive businesses in Queensland and in partnership with Messrs Roller and Burke’s LMM Holdings, include Brisbane BMW, Westside BMW, Brisbane Mini Garage, Ferrari Brisbane, and Brisbane Alfa Romeo and Fiat. In NSW, it has the Porsche Parramatta dealership.

SDM told GoAutoNews Premium that the addition of the dealership “aligns with our key growth strategy in Australia”.

“All staff employed at the time of the purchase joined LMM Holdings, with Neil Marshall appointed as the day-to-day operations head.

“We will continue to operate from the recently-upgraded facility in Fortitude Valley. However, we are considering a new purpose-designed facility for the near future.”

 

Volvo Car Australia said it welcomed SDM to the brand saying “it understands luxury cars whilst providing the highest customer experience in all of their showrooms and workshops”.

The dealership is now known as Volvo Cars Brisbane North after a name change from Austral Volvo.

GoAutoNews Premium has learnt that SDM is looking to expand its retail presence in Australia but is being selective about brands and locations.

It disposed of its distribution of Peugeot and Citroen in the middle of last year with the French brands being picked up by Inchcape Australasia.

In February SDM appointed Andrew Basham as its managing director. Mr Basham was previously the managing director for Lei Shing Hong Automotive, the world’s biggest retailer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

He was one of the architects for LSH’s growth and particularly in Australia where he managed the purchase of Mercedes-Benz retailers from the Mercedes-Benz factory. LSH now has four dealerships in Australia.

Prior to his 10 years at LSH, Mr Basham was with Volvo Cars in positions including president of the company in Taiwan.

His expertise is now seen as a catalyst for SDM to follow LSH’s success in Australian automotive retailing.

Volvo Cars Australia director of corporate and PR, Greg Bosnich, told GoAutoNews Premium that the Volvo Cars Brisbane North premises had recently been refurbished and the next step was to have a showroom with full Volvo Retail Experience – Volvo’s new corporate identity – status.

SDM has plans to relocate the Volvo dealership into a purpose-built showroom in the near future.

Mr Bosnich said that almost all staff had been retained in the takeover.

“Brisbane is represented by two Volvo dealerships – Volvo Cars Brisbane North and Volvo Cars Mt Gravatt, owned by Autosports Group Ltd,” he said.

The sale of the Volvo dealership is the second disposal by AP Eagers within a month. In June it sold its Surfers City Holden outlet to Von Bibra Motors.

Mr Bosnich said other changes were happening in the Volvo network this year.

These include the relocation of Volvo Cars Perth from its original Scarborough Beach Road site in Osborne Park to the site owned by the Barbagallo Group. That site also includes showrooms for Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Maserati and Jaguar.

Barbagallo took over the Volvo franchise in 2016 from long-time franchise holder Peter Webster and his family. The property is owned by the Webster family.

Mr Bosnich said that in NSW, Volvo Cars Central Coast has moved to a temporary facility on Central Coast Highway in West Gosford while its new dealership is being built.

“Volvo Cars Geelong is now operational after moving into a new building that reflects the Volvo Retail Experience design,” he said. This dealership is owned by Rex Gorell.

Mr Bosnich said the new CI known as the Volvo Retail Experience “supports our ambition to do ‘what matters most’ to our customers”.

“On the outside the distinctive ‘cool’ exterior design creates the right first impressions of a luxury brand and sets us apart from our competition,” he said.

“On the inside it is a ‘warm’ and inviting interior design that is comfortable and well equipped living room with iconic Scandinavian design furniture, a signature scent, and a more enticing and engaging showroom that displays our products.”

By Neil Dowling