THE contrasting fortune of two of Scotland's biggest car dealers as they face rising fuel costs and a squeeze on household budgets have been laid bare in their latest accounts.
John Clark, which is headquartered in Aberdeen and runs a string of franchises in Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Dundee and in its home town, reported turnover of £258.7 million in the year to 31 December 2007 – an 18 per cent rise on a year earlier.
Th
e accounts, newly filed with Companies House, also show profit before tax rising to just over £1.9m from £507,050 last time. The figures are in line with those flagged in a trading statement in May.
The family-owned business, which sells a range of marques including BMW, Seat and Land Rover, said the "ongoing strength of the oil sector within the Grampian economy" had been a "key factor" behind the sales rise.
It added that 2008 was likely to be "another year of both change and challenge".
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz heavyweight John R Weir, owner of showrooms in Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Inverness and Grangemouth, said turnover had dipped 4.4 per cent to £112.6m in the year ended 31 October 2007. Pre-tax profits fell to £207,000 from almost £1m the year before.
A fall in new car sales was partly offset by a rise in sales of used vehicles.
• UK motor dealership Pendragon predicted another 18 months of UK trading misery yesterday as it warned over full-year profits.
The firm, owner of the Evans Halshaw and Stratstone brands, said underlying pre-tax profits slumped by almost 60 per cent to £13.4m in the six months to 30 June.
The full article contains 287 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
