Jaguar, Land Rover name top dealers for 2013

JAGUAR Australia has named Sydney dealership Alto Jaguar as its 2013 Metropolitan Dealer of the Year, with Hunter Jaguar at Bennetts Green, south-west of Newcastle, taking out the regional DOTY award.

Sister brand Land Rover also announced that Perth’s Southern Land Rover as its top-performing metro dealer for 2013, and that Mac Land Rover, in Millicent, South Australia, had won its top regional retail award.

The awards were presented at a function in Sydney attended by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Asia Pacific managing director David Blackhall and JLR Australia managing director Michael Winkler, who was presiding over his first DOTY awards ceremony for the British brands after joining the company in November last year.

He was previously managing director of Porsche Cars Australia.

In presenting the awards, Mr Winkler described the winners as “exemplary Jaguar and Land Rover dealers who have consistently achieved outstanding results in all key areas of the business”.

Part of the large Alto Group, Artarmon-based Alto Jaguar was represented by group dealer principal George Severino, managing director Anthony Altomonte and general manager Stephen Wild.

Hunter Jaguar dealer principal Len Lanzafame, Southern Land Rover DP Ben Tropiano and Mac Land Rover DP Angus McDonald were also on hand to collect their respective awards on behalf of their winning dealership.

Jaguar experienced double-digit sales growth to the tune of 40 per cent in Australia last year. More than 1100 new registrations were recorded, with XF accounting for most of those (874) – up 35 per cent on 2012, thanks in large part to a new sub-$70,000 entry-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder variant – while the all-new F-Type roadster launched mid-year also chimed in with 89 sales.

Land Rover sales were up 5.3 per cent last year to 8350 units, with the Range Rover Evoque remaining the biggest-selling model (2595, up 4 per cent) and the Land Rover Discovery and Freelander making a significant contribution with 2173 (up 9 per cent) and 1178 (up 38 per cent) new registrations respectively.