Britain’s top-selling MG dealer just can’t stop celebrating – or selling cars!

Britain’s top-selling MG dealer just can’t stop celebrating – or selling cars!

W.H.Brand, based near Spalding, Lincolnshire, won the accolade of ‘Top Performing MG dealer of 2014’ and also clinched the trophy for the country’s ‘Top Selling MG3’ dealer. Now the family-run firm has celebrated 90 years in business and threw a party for more than 250 guests at the showroom in the small Fenland village of Whaplode Drove.

The celebrations also coincided with the 90^th birthday of Fred Brand, the son of the firm’s founder, William Horace Brand. Fred showed off a classic 1949 speedway bike – he took up the sport to earn money to build a new garage for the business.

While customers tucked into a fish and chips supper on a London double-decker bus parked outside the showrooms, Sales Manager Adam Brand – great grandson of the firm’s founder – just couldn’t stop himself from selling MGs.

Adam said: “It was purely a party to mark our 90^th anniversary and Fred’s 90^th birthday, but I was chatting away to a customer I’ve known for years and before you knew it, I had an order for an MG6 Magnette.

“Ten minutes later the same thing happened and someone ordered an MG3 and then yesterday someone else rang up and ordered another MG3. I didn’t really sell the cars – they sold themselves! Taking on the MG franchise was the best business decision we have ever made.

“We seem to have been celebrating for weeks on end, but we’re not complaining. We’ve got our eyes set on retaining the winner’s awards this year and it seems our customers are keen to help us.”

During the 90^th celebrations, W.H. Brand’s customers and suppliers raised nearly £500 for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance charity.

W.H. Brand joined the growing MG dealer network in December 2013 and covers Spalding, Peterborough and a large rural area covering parts of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire.

In the last 12 months the number of MG dealers has almost doubled. There are currently 56 MG dealerships and 10 after sales outlets across the country. More dealers will be appointed in the coming months.

Andrew Jordan visits Longbridge ahead of BTCC season opener, and collects his new MG3

• New MG ace Andrew Jordan sets sights on 2015 BTCC crown
• Visit to MG’s Birmingham operation marks countdown to season
• Collects new MG3 – and tunes in!

MG’s new race star, Andrew Jordan, laid down the gauntlet when he visited the iconic Longbridge factory to mark the three month countdown to the start of the new season.

Looking lean and mean, the ultra-quick driver who became the youngest ever champion in the history of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship when he captured the winner’s crown in 2013, said he was determined to re-claim the championship again in 2015.

Last year MG and Triple Eight Racing took the BTCC Manufacturer/Constructor title and Andrew visited the MG factory to get an insight into MG, the fastest growing car brand in the UK. 

Accompanied by his father Mike, an ever-present guide in Andrew’s hugely impressive career, Andrew (25) had a peek behind the scenes into some of the operations at MG’s Birmingham headquarters.

Representatives from Pirtek UK, one of MG’s new partners supporting the Triple Eight Racing prepared MG6’s and Andrew’s longest running sponsor under the ‘Pirtek Racing’ banner, were also shown around the iconic Longbridge site.

Andrew and his fellow guests were able to gain an insight into the MG business both in the UK and abroad and he was introduced to a variety of people involved in designing, engineering and building the fast-selling MG3 and multi-award winning MG6.

With his Triple Eight race engineered MG6 GT now ready to start its pre-season testing programme, Andrew said he was just itching to get behind the wheel for the first time.

Meanwhile he collected his new MG3 from the MG Sales Centre, based at the factory site and the sales team enjoyed showing their newest celebrity customer the wide range of features and benefits that his new car has to offer.

Andrew said: “I just can’t wait to get started. I love the MG3, it’s a really funky little machine. I love the detail in everything down to the seats and even the red trim on the mats. I’m looking forward to giving it a good run out when we go testing in February and March.

“I think we’re going to have a really competitive season and there’s a few things that we’re looking to try out that I’m confident will help us bring even more out of the MG6, which has proven to be a really competitive package. Make no mistake about it, I’m here to win.” 

MG’s Head of Marketing, Matthew Cheyne, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Andrew, Mike and the team from Pirtek UK to Longbridge. We’re confident that with Andrew and Triple Eight Racing in tandem, we are going to have a great year on the track. But we’re also very excited at the prospects off track too as we develop relationships with our new team partners Pirtek Racing.

“Andrew looks great in his MG3 and we know he will help bring this car to a wider audience, just as his racing will continue to do with the MG6.

“It was a bit of an eye-opener when he asked the MG Sales Centre team to pre-set Radio 1 on the DAB radio in the MG3, but then you have to remember that despite already being an experienced racer and champion, he’s still a very young driver and that’s doubly exciting for the future.”

The first race of the 2015 season will be at the world-famous Brand’s Hatch circuit on the weekend of April 4/5.