Annual sales at Essendon Fields Auto, which passed 20,000 vehicles in June to present a 51 per cent increase on 2021, are now set to grow further with the addition of three new brands in Volvo, Ducati and Blinkr. 

Essendon Fields CEO Brendan Pihan said he was delighted to welcome these new international leaders in the automotive world to EF Auto.

“Volvo, Blinkr and Ducati arrive at Essendon Fields at a great time. EF Auto is one of the great success stories in Australian automotive retail,” he said.

“The dealerships based at Essendon Fields have experienced consistently strong sales over many years, outperforming the national average, even throughout COVID. 

Blinkr general manager Michael Sistanis (L) and Essendon Fields CEO Brendan Pihan. Picture by Craig Moodie

“Now covering more than 24 hectares, there are now only two remaining auto dealership sites on Wirraway Road, and space for an additional training facility.

“The sales growth at EF Auto clearly illustrates the public’s love of choice, convenience and competition all in the one location, coupled with an expansive catchment area of over one-million people within 15 minutes. The growth we’ve witnessed since it opened in 2008 is quite remarkable.”

Since opening, Essendon Fields Automotive precinct has grown to become the largest single-site collection of new car dealers in Australia, with 16 dealerships and over 18 global brands.  EF Auto has now sold almost 150,000 cars between February 2013 and March 2022 with an estimated value of around $3.6 billion.

Blinkr, the new pre-owned vehicle brand for Servco Australia Automotive, has opened its first showroom, a 2630 square metre facility at Essendon Fields, before plans to expand the concept with additional stores around the nation. 

Blinkr allows customers to choose an online or instore experience when buying, financing or selling their pre-owned vehicle. The business has a 12-month mechanical protection plan, 12-month roadside assist and seven-day money-back guarantee included in the price.  

Blinkr managing director Michael Sistanis said “independent used cars at scale was a largely untapped business space in Australia.”

“We think Blinkr can provide a large variety of cars with the flexibility to decide how to purchase or sell a car which could be a fully online process or an in-store process at Essendon Fields.  

“We chose Essendon Fields as it suits our business model. The location is a central part of Melbourne and the accessibility of the precinct and the convenience of having many major car brands surrounding provides great convenience to car shoppers.”

Ducati Melbourne West, owned by Preston Motor Group, also recently opened a new state-of-the-art 2150 square metre showroom and a large service centre at 295 Wirraway Road. 

The motorcycle business is close to PMG’s Polaris showroom.

PMG CEO Robert Gattereder told GoAutoNews Premium last year that his company was “excited to add another premium and prestige brand to our stable and look forward to exceeding customer expectations. 

“As a passionate motorcyclist, I am thrilled to introduce motorcycles to our organisation and I very much look forward to enjoying the passion that exists within the Ducati family and community.

“Our aim is to make it a flagship site in Victoria and a destination for Ducatiti.”

Eagers Automotive is currently completing the fit-out and ground work for its new Volvo dealership at Essendon Fields with an anticipated opening in late August.

These new dealerships come on the back of further movement in the precinct, with the recent addition of Volvo, the relocation and expansion of Volkswagen, and a significant refurbishment for Mazda in delivery to facilitate continued forecast sales growth and expand service capability 

The EF Auto offer has also grown to include off-road vehicles, water and ski craft and boats, with Seadoo, CanAm and Quintrex boats joining the Wirraway Road cluster in 2021. 

These dealerships are complemented by ancillary businesses in the automotive supply chain, including training centres for Porsche, Volkswagen and KIA Motors, and an extensive pre-delivery area.

Ducati Essendon

By Neil Dowling