Imperial Cars will aim to prepare 3,500 used vehicles for sale via its car supermarket network each month at its new 10.8-acre Bristol facility which begun operation this week.

The ID50 retail group said in a statement issued today (October 3) that it had seen “exponential growth in tough market conditions” and suggested that the opening of the new preparation centre in Royal Portbury Docks, Bristol, should demonstrate that it is showing “no signs of stopping”.

Annual financial results for Imperial Cars for the period to March 31, 2019 – published via Companies House last month – showed that revenues had grown from £142.4m in 2018 to £201m while pre-tax profits had declined amid its expansion, falling from £2.51m to £1.33m.

The winner of the Best Used Car Dealer (Independent) Award at the AM Awards 2019 now has 16 car supermarket locations and 12 aftersales facilities across the UK following a recent expansion which aims to deliver 20 operational sites in 2020 as it builds a national brand, managing director Mike Bell has revealed to AM.

Over the past two years alone Imperial Cars has acquired and opened seven new dealerships through a model which sees it move in to sites vacated by former franchised retail operations. 

The opening of the new preparation facility comes in addition to an existing two-acre facility operating in Eastleigh, Southampton, and will grow its capacity considerably, taking Imperial Cars’ total preparation capacity to a staggering 5,000 cars per month.

Mike Bell, managing director of Imperial Cars, said: “Opening this brand-new, state-of-the-art facility is an achievement we are extremely proud of.

“Not only does it future-proof our business and allow us to keep acquiring and supplying new dealerships nationally, but it also opens up the opportunity for the provision of de-fleet, vehicle refurbishment and vehicle imaging services to anyone who needs it.

“We’re continuously working towards making improvements in this area of the business and provide customers with the best possible end product. Quality is something we’re not willing to compromise on.

“Our people have been fantastic in their support in the busy months leading to the big opening. All this wouldn’t have been possible without their dedication and hard work.”

Imperial Cars recent growth plans have seen it move to a new 16,500sq-ft, two-storey open-plan headquarters at the Botley Grange Business Park, in Southampton, housing all the company’s support functions – across accounts, administration, customer contact centre, HR, IT, marketing, purchasing and senior management.

With parking for about 100 staff, meeting and training rooms, a gym and shower facilities, canteen and kitchen areas, Imperial House has undergone a £1 million refurbishment and another £750,000 fit-out of office equipment.

Alongside this centralisation of its back office team, the independent used car operation said that its new preparation centre in Bristol would create hundreds of new jobs within the business.