Colin Appleyard Celebrates 40 Years Since Opening Its First Suzuki Car Dealership

March 22, 2019 by Suzuki

COLIN APPLEYARD CELEBRATES 40 YEARS SINCE OPENING THE UK'S FIRST SUZUKI CAR DEALERSHIP

•Colin Appleyard Ltd. opened its first Suzuki car showroom in 1979, the same year that the vehicle manufacturer started to export its SC100 'Whizzkid' model to the UK

•The Yorkshire-based and family-owned and run business has become the country's largest Suzuki car retail group, and is a seven-time winner of Suzuki's coveted 'Dealer of the Year' award

•Colin Appleyard now has four Suzuki car showrooms across Yorkshire, and is responsible for 5% of the brand's nationwide car sales

Colin Appleyard Ltd. is marking the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of its first Suzuki car dealership in the UK. The business was established in 1970 by the 34-year-old apprentice mechanic and entrepreneur, Colin Appleyard MBE, who sold motorcycles as a one-man band from premises in Keighley, West Yorkshire. He then opened Cornmill Garage in 1979, the same year that Suzuki began to export its small SC100 'Whizzkid' coupé to this country.

During the past four decades, the Yorkshire-based company has been proud to stay owned and run by the Appleyard family, and Colin's son, Robin, remains at the helm. Over the years, Colin Appleyard has evolved as an organisation, thanks to a significant level of investment, and today, its growing portfolio counts state-of-the-art Suzuki car dealerships in Keighley, Huddersfield, and Ashton-under-Lyne, as well as its newest showroom in Bradford. This thereby makes it one of the vehicle manufacturer's largest retail groups in the UK. It is responsible for generating around 5% of all nationwide Suzuki sales, and to date, has sold and delivered over 35,000 new Suzuki cars and 4x4s in the UK.

Colin Appleyard continues to pride itself both on its friendly and personal 'Feel Like Family' approach, and loyal staff, where several members of its 150-strong team have worked for the business for over 25 years. This means that repeat customers are often welcomed by a familiar face, and their long-standing commitment to delivering a high standard of service of quality has been rewarded with Colin Appleyard winning Suzuki's coveted 'Dealer of the Year' trophy seven times.

In 2019, and 40 years on from when the first Suzuki car showroom opened its doors, the retailer has seen the arrival of the all-new Vitara compact SUV, the most technologically-advanced Suzuki ever made, and the latest-generation Jimny, the lightweight and agile 4x4 which has been sold by Colin Appleyard for the past two decades. They are offered alongside the other stylish, affordable and economical models in the award-winning Suzuki line-up, which are namely the 1.0-litre Celerio city car, the IGNIS compact crossover, and the 1.4-litre Swift Sport hot hatch.

Dale Wyatt, Director of Automobile at Suzuki GB PLC, said: 'We would like to congratulate Colin Appleyard on this significant milestone, and thank them for 40 years of commitment to our brand. As the biggest Suzuki retailer in the UK, they have been an integral part of our success since our arrival in this country, and we have been very encouraged to witness the growth of their Suzuki business through the decades. Without the hard work of dealers within our network like Colin Appleyard, we wouldn't have achieved such a strong foothold in the market.'

Robin Appleyard, Managing Director at Colin Appleyard Ltd, added: 'Our core philosophy of always putting the customer first, and maintaining an inviting family atmosphere, has consistently resonated with existing and prospective Suzuki car buyers. Combining values that my father instilled across our organisation, with a brand that provides vehicle owners with great value and low running costs, this has allowed us to excel during the last 40 years and reach this important chapter in our history. We can't wait to see what the future holds.'

As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, Colin Appleyard will be hosting commemorative events during the coming months, and showcasing the organisation's past through a series of photographic displays and timelines for customers to peruse when visiting their showrooms.

For further information on Suzuki products and the latest zero per cent finance offers, or to book a test drive at any one of Colin Appleyard's four Suzuki car showrooms, visit www.colinappleyard.com/cars-and-4x4s/new-suzuki.

Photo credit: Suzuki
posted on conceptcarz.com

Colin Appleyard Celebrates 40 Years Since Opening Its First Suzuki Car Dealership

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