AM100 group set to expand with BMW, JLR dealerships acquisition

Park's Motor Group is set to start 2025 with expansion in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Motherwell through an acquisition of multiple dealerships.

It comes as fellow AM100 car dealer group Peter Vardy downsizes, disposing of its AM Award-winning BMW and Mini dealership in Edinburgh, its Jaguar and Land Rover dealership in Aberdeen, and its Omoda/Jaecoo dealership in Motherwell.

Park's already represents BMW and Mini at Glasgow, Hamilton and Stirling, and has JLR dealerships at Ayr and Inverness. It recently opened Omoda/Jaecoo showrooms at Carlisle and Arbroath.

The deal will likely lead Park's to overtake John Clark Motor Group into 15th place in the AM100, making Park's Scotland's second largest motor retailer after Arnold Clark.

The sale to Park's will leave Peter Vardy Group with just its two Porsche dealerships at Aberdeen and Perth, plus its FlexAuto leasing/mobility business and its CarMoney finance brokerage. It could drop out of the top half of the AM100 turnover table.

Vardy's 2030 strategy stems from considerable research into likely future trends in the motor industry, including business model changes and EV adoption.

Peter Vardy's commercial director Euan Cameron left the group recently after 17 years with the business, which in August welcomed back Jamie Crowther into the role of chief operating officer. After Peter Vardy Group launched in 2006 Crowther served as managing director for about eight years before being tempted by Daksh Gupta to join him at Marshall Motor Group, where Crowther had remained until this summer. 

Peter Vardy, chief executive, said in a statement: "We are delighted that over 300 of our colleagues will transition to a thriving and reputable organisation in Parks Motor Group, ensuring continuity in their career development and future opportunities within a leading company."

He thanked the leadership team at Parks Motor Group for their "collaborative approach" in getting this deal finalised, and added that he is confident his staff moving to Park's "will thrive under their leadership".

At Park's Motor Group, director Graeme Park said: "We are delighted to grow our business with this acquisition. We would like to thank Peter, his family and his team for their collaboration throughout this transaction and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to the wider group."

It is the largest acquisition for Park's Motor Group since its 2022 takeover of Borders Motor Group, which added Toyota car dealerships in St Boswells, Carlisle and Dumfries, along with Hyundai in Carlisle and Dumfries, Lexus in Carlisle and Skoda Dumfries.