Pendragon used cars surge offsets dip in aftersales

Used and new car sales have risen at Evans Halshaw-owner Pendragon as the company said aftersales - its most profitable business - dipped slightly.

The company, which has more than 300 showrooms, said that the performance from used cars sales was the result of "initiatives, national coverage and scale, the choice from our wide product offering and the continued improvements in our internet proposition and brand recognition".

For the three months to the end of March, like-for-like used car volume was up by 15.6 per cent and that new car sales, excluding scrappage, were up 9.1 per cent on a like-for-like basis. This compared to a general market increase of 7.5 per cent.

In a statement, the firm said: "We are pleased to report an improvement in the key business metrics across the group during the first quarter and expect this to be maintained during the year."

Pendragon is the largest retailer in the UK of Vauxhall vehicles and operates through its Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Chatfields-branded franchises. The firm is also the largest franchised dealer for Harley Davidson outside of the US.