Dealer takes Fiat Group brands under one roof for the first time

Dealer group T H White will be the first of its kind in the UK to sell and service all Fiat Group Automobiles brands from one site, when its purpose-built showroom is completed this summer.
 
The Wiltshire-based business plans to sell more than 1,000 Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat Professional vehicles each year from the stunning new two-acre development currently being constructed in Swindon.
 
With specially-branded areas for each of the product line-ups, seven service bays and a class 4/7  MOT bay in a smart new workshop, the company is confident it will achieve the ambitious targets it is setting itself.
 
“The Swindon project is driven by really big brands that we can be passionate about,” says Nick Down, divisional director, T H White. “They are car names that really get people interested, that people want to talk about, enjoy, and have a relationship with. The new site will allow us to engage with that way of thinking.”
 
More than 25 staff will start work at the new site, which was designed from scratch more than a year ago. But that’s just the beginning: as the business develops, there are plans for more staff to join the group.
 
One of the Swindon location’s many positive points is its environmental-friendliness. The site will burn waste oil for heat, solar panels will provide much of the power, rain water will be harvested, and used water will be recycled.
 
Much of the area surrounding the site has been extensively replanted with trees and shrubs and the dealership is designed to meet the ‘very good’ status for BREEAM (Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method) – the leading environmental assessment system for buildings.
 
“We have worked alongside the local residents’ association and partnered with the district council to create a showroom site that everyone will be happy with,” says Nick Down.
 
With an opening planned for July this year, there is still much work to be done. The vast showroom will be split into separate sections for each of the FGA marques, with distinct branding, decoration and furniture featured in each area.
 
“We are delighted that T H White is developing this superb new site,” says Tim Head, dealer development director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK. “It’s a big investment, with bold plans, but we have been very happy to assist with the project. The result will be a showroom that we can all be proud of.”