Sitting at the centre of a triangle of three Aston Martin dealerships and a stone’s throw from the manufacturer’s HQ in Gaydon, Warwickshire, McGurk Performance Cars has carved itself out an impressive niche between the brand’s franchised network and other independent specialists.
John Tordoff had no intention of working in the family firm, but a love of business rather than cars led him to the hot seat
John Stone, Bentley brand director, HR Owen, on balancing the demands of his customers, stakeholders and staff, and the joy of fulfilling a childhood dream
After becoming Ringways' MD on the cusp of the last recession, Stephen Russell believes the hard choices he made then laid the groundwork for prosperity now
Glyn Hopkin’s Stuart Hodson believes getting the staff and processes right is the answer to most challenges
Chris Roberts was enticed to return to running a dealer group after five years away from the MD’s chair. Doing it well is still all about people and process
Phil Regan, Vertu Motors, on why confidence is so important for motor retail’s exciting first steps in e-commerce
Afzal Kahn believes his high-end, coach-built designs offer a lucrative opportunity for the right independent dealer partner
Matt Kay had no experience, no funding and no stock when he sold his first car 18 years ago, but it was the beginning of his current 700-car business
Hepworth Group MD Stephen Brighton wants to grow organically and boost profits, but not at the expense of his staff.
Jardine Motors Group’s Jason Cranswick on meeting technological challenges, getting the best from people and turning targets to dust
Donnelly Group MD Dave Sheeran says he is using his manufacturer-side experience to boost business while preserving the Northern Ireland group’s customer values
Although MD Paul Goodwin is risk-averse, he says Arbury’s solid foundations and focus on cost will allow him to expand without sacrificing profits.
Robin Luscombe wants low-pressure, long-term relationships with his customers and he’s happy to fill the gaps left by bigger dealer groups.
Glyn Hopkin MD Fraser Cohen says centralised management and beating customer expectations allowed the dealer group to keep standards and profits high as it grew
Acquiring two car supermarkets in 2017 made Sytner the UK’s biggest dealer group, but that was never the aim, says chief executive Darren Edwards
Norton Way Corporate Sales' focus on customers, cradle-to-grave fleet services and in-house expertise have delivered, says operations director Richard Siney.
Dieselgate, rising wages and even terrorists have hurt his business, believes MD Paul Tanner. 'Our model needs to change,' he says.
Shakeel Shah has worked night and day to build his business into a success. Now he plans to take it to the next level.
Trevor Finn is confident that his PLC’s growth lies in consumer-focused technology, a more flexible business model and used car sales.
Benjamin Grant, digital marketing manager at Donalds Group on ensuring digital return on investment and the enduring importance of face-to-face marketing.
Nick Beevis hit the ground running as general manager of Perrys Group’s multi-brand Aylesbury site and he’s not finished yet.
Recessions, whether real or threatened, can cause companies to adopt damaging behaviour. Peter Smyth's priority at Swansway this year is stability.
Jennings Motor Group’s HR manager, Julia Bradford, on how good HR needs a feel for all parts of a business and why she dreams of the Good Life
Vospers chairman Peter Vosper and his MD, Nick Vosper, believe scale, property and efficiency will push up margins, but carmakers must help.
