Arden Motors, which operates BMW and Mini dealerships in Kent, has been acquired by US-based vendor group Lithia And Driveway.

Lithia (LAD) will bolt on the brand new companies, BMW/Mini Maidstone and BMW/Mini Tunbridge Wells, to Jardine Motors Group, the AM100 retailer which it acquired earlier this yr to begin to construct a big scale presence within the UK.

It doubles the dimensions of Jardine’s relationship within the UK with BMW Group; Jardine already has BMW and Mini dealerships in Milton Keynes and in Bury St Edmunds.

The Tunbridge Wells enterprise had solely been in Arden’s fingers since 2020, when it purchased the dealership from Inchcape.

The acquisition is probably going so as to add greater than £130 million annual gross sales to Jardine’s turnover.

Neil Williamson, former Jardine chief government and now Lithia And Driveway’s UK regional president, stated: “Following LAD’s entrance into the UK with the Jardine Motors Group earlier this yr, we’ve got at all times said our want to develop.”

“Bringing the groups from each Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells along with our present BMW & Mini companies in Bury and Milton Keynes additional strengthens our capability to serve clients with these thrilling manufacturers.

“Our collective efforts will assist ship on our aspirations throughout the UK and helps our mission of ‘development powered by folks’.”

The deal was managed by David Kendrick and his automotive group at UHY Hacker Younger, who represented Arden Group.

Kendrick stated: “The acquisition of Arden makes full sense for Jardine because it compliments their portfolio in addition to increasing their relationship with BMW and Mini considerably. Ross (Daverson) and his group at Arden have constructed a number one enterprise with sturdy profitability that can little question proceed underneath its new group possession.”

Lithia And Driveway declared ambitions “to develop a market-leading UK presence” after its acquisition of prime 10 AM100 motor retailer Jardine Motors Group.

The £300m takeover implies that now three of the ten largest automotive sellers within the UK are owned by American firms.

Sytner, no.1 within the AM100, is owned by Michigan-headquartered Penske Automotive Group; Group 1 Automotive UK, no.7 within the AM100, is a part of Texas-headquatered Group 1; and the brand new house owners of Jardine, no.9, are based mostly in Oregon.