Clive Brook Volvo in Bradford has sold more cars in its first five months of trading than previous owners Harratts did in the whole of 2007.

Despite being Volvo franchise manager for Harratts previously, Clive Brook said that while he was in charge, he was not able to influence group decisions.

Brook bought the business in January for an undisclosed sum, financed by himself and “a very nice bank manager”, at a time when Harratts was “not particularly happy with Volvo”.

The site, a Harratts franchise since 2002, has retained the same staff and is run by Brook alongside financial director Kay Colgrove. She previously worked with a Toyota-sponsored dealer scheme site and a Volvo truck and bus franchise in Warwickshire.

The dealership has sold 198 cars since January, already surpassing the year’s target. With turnover expected to exceed £9 million, Brook expects to make a 2% return this year.

Brook is aware that Clive Brook Volvo is doing very well despite a difficult market. He believed this could be down to a change of ownership which appealed to “some of Harratts’ more troubled former customers”.

He also recognised that Volvo has improved supply this year and that the business has received a significant amount of Motability business.

With the new management team and a “different energy”, Brook said he would be disappointed if he “wasn’t in a position to acquire another business within the next year”.

Brook started working for Harratts 12 years ago, originally managing the Volvo site in Barnsley, before assisting in the takeover of Jansen’s Volvo in Huddersfield.

He helped set up its Volvo dealership in Huddersfield, before becoming Volvo franchise manager for Wakefield, Barnsley and Sheffield sites.