There have been two big Ford stories in the media over the past week. One you will have seen - the other is an exclusive for QLocal Ormskirk!

Last month, Ford announced that its Mondeo saloon will be killed off after 29 years as the company moves away from traditional saloons to concentrate on sports utilities and MPVs.

And now Lancashire Ford's making its own headlines after a decision by Ford to axe smaller, family focused dealers in favour of larger retail outlets. And Ford's loss will be west Lancashire's gain with Lancashire Auto launching on Thursday April 1 with this exciting announcement from MD Dave Maher to customers past and present.

'Evolution - it is true!

Smith and Landers have moved through several transitions since we began trading in 1948, most recently when we expanded to become Lancashire Ford back in 2007.

We thrived through the economic nightmare that followed in 2008 as a result but we will exit the most recent calamity as Lancashire Auto, and I have to say this is the most exciting chapter in our history since this director joined the company back in 1989.

It isn’t Ford themselves that precipitated the decision to move away from selling their new vehicles, and they were certainly relieved to hear that we would keep their logo and continue to support their excellent brand in the aftermarket, offering the same high quality servicing, supporting their new car warranties in just the same way that we always have but the fact is that we have more to offer and can no longer limit our sales to simply one product, our customers want more choice, they want better value and they want it from a reliable and professional dealer that isn’t driven by targets and pressure from a boardroom in another country.

Some may be sad to hear that as from today we will cease to sell new Ford cars, but many others will know that those cars have become increasingly limited in their range as well as increasingly high in price, that trend will continue and we invite them to visit us over the coming weeks to see and hear how this new phase in our long family history will can bring benefits to them.

The cars they have bought from us already will remain fully supported by us and the cars that we hope they will continue to buy will be just as good, with brands from Mercedes, BMW, Porsche to Kia, Nissan et al joining Ford in our ever changing line up.

Our costs will be down, our value for money will be up, I can’t wait, so I won’t, it all starts this month.

Naturally, we don’t consider hanging a bright new sign above the door and modernising our showroom and workshops is enough to ensure our continued success, but that is just the culmination of a plan that has been quietly in place for several years. It is people that make successful businesses both customers and the team that serves them and I thank all of our team for supporting the change and for bringing these plans to fruition, it is difficult to single anybody out.

Mike Woods with us for forty years (and where would we be without him) has welcomed Mike Jarvis our ultra-professional service manager to bring a modern well equipped aftersales operation. Brent too has been with us for four decades in our body shop and has supported Jonathon Jones who will see the continued success in his department, or Phil Pantlin who has taken the reins brilliantly in the workshop, bringing on our younger technicians and making a team with the more experienced men that keep your engines running smoothly.

As I write I cannot forget, Daniel, Damyn, Alex, Derek, Owen, Paul, Liam and Val who have joined us more recently but represent in themselves the honest conscientious and hardworking folk, they continue to make us an honest, conscientious and hardworking dealer, and this ideal has always been our first priority.

I have to give special thanks to Matus Astary for making hugely complicated procedures of moving our websites, software google platform, email transition and logos across to Lancashire Auto a worry free experience.

And finally, Adam Gilmartin, just a few years ago a trainee salesman whose vision and belief brought the plan together and in the process earned himself the position of company director in charge of daily operations. Well done!

We all promise Lancashire Auto will continue to offer the first hand level of service expected since we began 73 years ago, that is literally still in our DNA as a family business, but times change and we have too! Come and see us soon to find out how.'

With thanks to you all,
David Maher,
Managing Director

News of the newcomer comes just weeks after Chorley Group acquired 06 Vauxhall just round the corner on County Road:
https://ormskirk.qlocal.co.uk/ormski...1-55049679.htm