Sytner's Darren Edwards: ‘What matters is we're the best’

The events that pushed Sytner into the top spot were its acquisitions of two of the UK’s largest, most profitable independent used car supermarket chains – The Car People this month and CarShop last January. The acquisitions, which mean Sytner now has a used car supermarket division nearing £0.5 billion in sales from nine sites, is a clear signal of its intent to diversify and capitalise on a used car market still in growth, even as the new car market falters.

“As a company, we never set out to be the biggest, we just wanted to be the best,” said Edwards. 

“The best brands, in the best locations, with the best premises, and employing the best people. It just so happens that this formula has meant we have become the biggest. Whether we stay the biggest or not, doesn’t really matter to us. What matters is that we stay the best.”