THE well-known Powell family, which has been selling and servicing Mazdas in the Frankston area on the bay south of Melbourne for more than 45 years, has decided to retire from car retailing and has sold their business to the Penfold Motor Group owned by the Johnstone family.

Penfolds took over the standalone Mazda dealership in Wells Road, Seaford, on February 1. It will be rebranded Frankston Mazda on May 1.

Graeme Powell, who is in his 90s, handed over the reins to his son Colin, who has been running the dealership for 31 years and will now retire. Colin Powell became dealer principal at the age of 29.

Sam Johnstone, the dealer principal of Penfold Mazda, told GoAutoNews Premium: “It is a great PMA. The area has had huge growth, and while the growth has probably petered off a little bit, it is a good, young, up-and-coming area.

The PMA covers Melbourne bayside suburbs including Edithvale, Chelsea, Bonbeach, Carrum, Patterson Lakes, Seaford, Frankston, Mt Eliza, Baxter, Carrum Downs, Skye, Cranbourne, Sandhurst, Devon Meadows, Cannons Creek, Warneet, Tooradin, Langwarrin, Karingal, Clyde, Five Ways and Bangholme.

Mr Johnstone said the surrounding Mazda dealers to the Frankston dealership were Brighton, Berwick and Mornington.

Penfolds have installed a 20 per cent equity partner as dealer principal, Patrick Latin, in accordance with Mazda Australia rules for DPs in metropolitan dealerships. Mr Latin was previously the dealer principal of Audi Penfold in Burwood.

Graeme Powell Mazda currently has 50 staff, sells 125 new cars a month, services 40 to 50 car a day and moves about 20 used cars a month.

Mr Johnstone said: “The business is a lot like ours in that it has been in the one family forever and it has a very good name. It is a pretty nice fit. There will be no changes in staff.

“Patrick is pretty good at used cars, and he is looking to get it up to 40 to 45 used a month. Mazda dealers are pretty blessed because of the volume of trades we get from the new-car volumes we are doing.”

Mr Johnstone said the name change “made sense” and was in line with Mazda policy that any change of ownership will trigger a change in name to reflect the name of the suburb over time.  

“So we have all the signage ready to go on May 1,” he said.

The Penfold Group now has two Mazda dealerships (Burwood and Frankston), Audi Penfold in Burwood, Audi Centre in Doncaster, Doncaster Volkswagen, Doncaster Hyundai, Penfold Suzuki in Burwood, a recently opened Audi service centre in Waverley, another Audi service centre in Malvern and a Mazda service centre in Hawthorn.

By John Mellor