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The brand new websites for Lookers and Charles Hurst are up and running, bringing an exciting new online resource to the group’s customers. The sites offer up-to-the-minute information on all of the group’s dealerships, franchises and products in an attractive and easily navigable format.

Each brand represented by Lookers and Charles Hurst has its own colour-coded home page on the site that’s packed with the latest news, model launches and promotions. Visitors can search the entire group network for new or used cars, read independent reviews on every model and check out testimonials from Lookers’ and Charles Hurst’s many satisfied customers. There’s also the option of signing up for mobile phone or e-mail alerts on the latest special offers as they happen.

Visitors to the site can head straight for the profile page of their local dealership. Every site in the Lookers and Charles Hurst group has its own personalised page featuring contact details, opening hours and directions to the showroom.

Interactivity is central to the design of the new site so as well as gaining information, visitors can request various services. There’s the opportunity to apply for a test drive on your chosen car, request a finance quote or enquire about the availability of a particular model. In every instance, the information is fed automatically back to the Lookers and Charles Hurst team who can respond accordingly.

A strong web presence is becoming an increasingly vital component of every dealer group’s operations and with its new websites, the Lookers and Charles Hurst Group is firmly ahead of the game in this area. Highly accessible and brimming with useful information, the sites set the standard for vehicle retailers on the web and can only be of benefit to the company and its customers.

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Charles Hurst Sales Executive Drives off with TOYOTA EUROPEAN SKILLS GRAND PRIX Stephen Smyth, Sales Executive in Toyota Newtownabbey flew to Japan this summer to visit the Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Headquarters as part of a once in a lifetime reward following his recent success in the Toyota European Sales Skills Grand Prix. Representing Great Britain, Stephen finished a very credible fourth place in the competition against the top 16 Sales Consultants from the 16 European Toyota markets at the Toyota Europe HQ in Brussels. He and his fellow competitors had to complete a series of role plays and demonstrations that focused on all aspects of customer interaction and service, such as competence in presenting products, handling enquiries and vehicle handover. As a reward for his success, Stephen flew to Japan for 5 days to visit and meet senior board members from TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation). He also got the opportunity to take part in a number of exclusive excursions such as travelling on Japan’s famous high speed Shinkansen (Bullet Train), visit the Toyota Production facilities, Toyota Formula One Headquarters and Toyota Museum. Speaking about competing at the Toyota European Sales Skills Grand Prix and his trip to Japan, Stephen said: “Getting the opportunity to represent Toyota (GB) in the European Sales Skills Grand Prix, against the top Toyota Sales Consultants from across European, was a daunting, yet exciting challenge”. “The competition had a ‘Group’ format with the 16 Sales Consultants divided into 4 groups of 4. Each competitor had to complete a series of exercises such as dealing with a new customer, make a follow-up phone call to a prospective customer, present a range of products that suited a specific customer outlining the features, functions and benefits of the products to that customer and make asuccessful hand-over of a new Toyota Prius to a customer. The final exercise was the Toyota challenge quiz, where each contestant had to answer a series of questions on their product knowledge, technical knowledge and Toyota’s history, values and core promises. “The whole event proved to be a tiring, yet exhilarating experience with everything coordinated to the highest possible standard from the full-scale showrooms that were built in the Toyota Europe HQ to the spectacular awards ceremony at the end of the event. “The reward for my success in the competition was a real dream come true. The whole trip to Japan was organised with no expense spared.We flew first class to Japan and then got the opportunity to visit Toyota’s production facility and see how the various Toyota models are assembled.We also got the opportunity to visit the Toyota Museum, go off-roading, and travel on Japan’s high speed Bullet Train. However, for a huge Formula One fan, the highlight of the trip was our visit to the Toyota Formula One Headquarters, were I even got the chance to sit in one of the racing cars.”

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Vauxhall, the number one selling motor manufacturer in Northern Ireland, has linked with RPM, Ireland’s popular motorsports TVshow,to provide them with a new high spec. 1.9CDTi Vauxhall Zafira. The new crew car, resplendent in its RPM and Charles Hurst livery, will whisk the camera crews between locations during their frantic late summer and autumn schedule of events. August will see the RPM crews at the Lurgan Park and Ulster International rallies and the Phoenix Park Motor Races. In September the RPM Zafira will cross to England for Tour Britannia, a Classic Saloon and Grand Touring event, and finish the month in Cork for the final round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Then RPM will be making two documentaries on Rally Ireland in November, the country`s first World Rally Championship qualifying event. “I am delighted to renew my links with Vauxhall. I raced a Vauxhall Magnum Production Saloon Car with backing from DTV, (Vauxhall’s competition arm), and won the Irish Production Saloon Car Championship in 1976, so it is good to see the Vauxhall Griffin emblem back on the central vehicle in our fleet again.” said Alan (Plum) Tyndall, Tyndall Productions Ltd. The actual `Droop Snoot` Vauxhall Magnum (BIL 1850), now owned by Drew Hull, which was driven by Alan Tyndall in the late 70`s, was present at the hand-over of the new RPM Zafira, to mark the long term link between the former Irish Saloon Car Champion and Vauxhall Motors.

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Portadown Football Club is delighted to announce a new and lucrative sponsorship deal with the Charles Hurst Group’s Vauxhall and Jaguar franchises, based at Carn Court Road, Portadown. This agreement sees the launch of an imposing 50 metre advertising sign above the new grandstand at Shamrock Park, along with a prominent site at the front entrance, programme advertising and website link on www.portadownfc.co.uk. This is an exciting time to be involved with the Club, as it has just been announced that there is to be a new, invitational premier league for the 08/09 season, which will feature 12 teams. Also, the Club is at an advanced stage with the Sports Council to build a new 1,800 seater grandstand, with the additional prospect of new changing rooms to be included. This shows a natural progression and development for the Club, as it looks to the future and expands on past successes. The Club also works hard at building close ties for itself within the local Portadown area and has now become a key part of the community. The Chairman and Directors of the Club have spoken highly of the level of support offered by the Charles Hurst Group, and thank them sincerely for their much needed sponsorship. Portadown Football Club Secretary, Bill Emerson, said that this arrangement furthercements the excellent relationship that exists between Portadown supporters and Charles Hurst, and again thanked the Company for their support and professionalism in carrying out the negotiations. Charles Hurst Vauxhall and Jaguar currently have some excellent offers available to all their customers but would particularly welcome Club supporters to their sites. Contact Vauxhall on 028 3836 1111, Jaguar on 028 3833 8000, or call in today for more information.

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Glenarm, Ballymena, is the proud owner of a brand new Kia ceed, after winning a 12 month test drive. She collected her keys from Charles Hurst Kia today. After the success of the three-day test drive, which ran until the end of August, Kia Motors UK has given 100 of the testers the opportunity to continue their test drives for a year. Gavin Martin, dealer principal at Charles Hurst Kia said: “We are delighted that a Ballymena driver has won the year-long test drive from Charles Hurst Kia. With the success of the test drives and the recent launch of the ceed SW, there has not been a better time to check out Kia”. All winners will receive a 1.6 LS petrol ceed with a retail value of £14,005. This top of the range car comes with 16” alloy wheels, climate control and MP3 compatibility; along with a whole host of safety features including twin front, side and rear curtain airbags and speed sensing auto door locking. Kia is very proud of the ceed and is continuing to show this by adding to the family with two new members; the ceed SW was launched in September, and the three door sporty pro_ceed is set to launch early next year. Being the first Kia ever to be built in Europe, for the European market, the ceed marks an extraordinary turning point for Kia. To find out more about test driving one of the new Ceeds, contact Charles Hurst Kia on 02890 381721.

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Lookers announced on The London Stock Exchange the completion of the acquisition of Dutton Forshaw Group, the motor retail division of Lloyds TSB Asset Finance Division.

Dutton Forshaw has 31 outlets which operate under the Dutton Forshaw and Dovercourt brands. The acquisition will increase Lookers total number of Ford outlets from one to eight, Mercedes-Benz outlets from four to eight and vw outlets from five to nine. Other outlets Lookers have acquired include Chevrolet, Chrysler Jeep and Dodge, Citroen, Honda, Hyundai, Land Rover, Peugeot and Skoda.

This will increase the growth of the company and this acquisition will enable us to further expand our currant market areas and build on our strong relationshipd with our manufacturer partners.

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