Vehicle Technician / Mechanic

Former Lookers Audi boss to lead Vertu Glasgow Geely dealerships. * By Aimee Turner * | * 14 August 2026 * News AM100 dealership group Vertu has appointed Stuart McGilvary as the first general manager responsible for its two Geely Auto dealerships in Glasgow. McGilvary joined Vertu in June from Lookers where he was head of business at its Audi Hamilton dealership, following management roles at Audi Stirling, Taggarts Land Rover and Lookers' used car operation in Carlisle [Vertu expands Geely partnership]. Vertu opened its first Geely Auto dealership in Darnley in February, followed by the Glasgow Central showroom in April. McGilvary will take responsibility for the day-to-day management of both dealerships as Vertu develops its relationship with the Chinese manufacturer. The Glasgow businesses currently offer Geely's first two UK models, the all-electric EX5 family SUV and Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid. McGilvary said: "I'm delighted to have joined Vertu, and to have the opportunity to represent an award-winning retailer and to lead Glasgow's two Geely dealerships is one I'm relishing. "Although the two sites have only been open for a matter of months, we have been seeing lots of interest in Geely from customers from across the local area and fully expect the upcoming EX2 to be hugely popular. "It's a hugely exciting time to be involved with one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in the market, and I'm looking forward to working with the whole team at Geely Glasgow South and Geely Glasgow Central to drive the dealerships on to success in the future." [EX2 set to join Glasgow range]. Both dealerships are preparing to receive the new Geely EX2 electric hatchback, which will expand the manufacturer's UK range to three models. The compact electric car is priced from £20,990 and offers a maximum WLTP range of 214 miles in selected versions. Vertu said the EX2 was China's best-selling vehicle last year. Chris McKenzie, Vertu regional director, said: "Stuart is a proven operator who will not only be strong lead for the team at Geely Glasgow South and Geely Glasgow Central, but will also strengthen our leadership team in the region as a whole. He is already making an impact at the dealership, and has an important role to play as our relationship with Geely continues to develop." Vertu operates 193 sales outlets across the UK and is the country's fourth-largest dealership group. Deputy editor. Aimée Turner is deputy editor at Automotive Management, where she helps steer the daily and long-range editorial agenda for one of the UK's most-read B2B titles serving automotive retail. Award-winning and deadline-hardened, she specialises in the parts of the industry where the stakes are highest and the jargon is thickest: technology, market development and the business model shifts that decide who thrives and who simply survives. With 20+ years in journalism across automotive and aviation, Aimée has built a reputation for turning complex industry change into clear, usable insight. At Automotive Management she focuses on the EV transition, supply and stock-mix dynamics, profitability pressures, and the practical realities of manufacturing and retail transformation, from emerging brands and network strategy to the operational impact of data, digital tools and regulation. Her work is grounded in what retailers and decision-makers actually need: what's changing, why it matters, and what to do next.

Lookers adds Leapmotor to brand range with two new dealerships. Lookers launches Leapmotor in Liverpool and Chester Lookers Motor Group has welcomed the launch of cutting-edge electric vehicle (EV) brand Leapmotor to two new dealerships in the North West of England. The leading automotive and aftersales dealership group is now representing Leapmotor in Liverpool and Chester, further expanding its range of sustainable driving options and giving customers greater access to the latest generation of electric vehicles. The Leapmotor range will initially include the T03, a compact fully electric city car positioned as one of the UK's most accessible EVs; the C10, a spacious and technology-focused SUV; and the B10, a new mid-sized SUV offering strong value and high levels of standard specification. The range is set to expand further later this year after the recent arrival of the B05 hatchback with the new the B03X compact SUV, providing customers with an even wider choice of electric vehicles to suit different lifestyles and driving needs. Leapmotor Chester is based at Sealand Road in the city, while Leapmotor Liverpool is located on Derby Road, Bootle. Lookers' Operations Director, Dave Graham, said: "Adding Leapmotor to Lookers' dynamic portfolio of exciting brands is another important step in its commitment to offering customers greater choice and easy access to groundbreaking technology and innovation. As the automotive market continues to evolve, LK Communications is seeing rapidly growing interest in EVs from customers looking for practical, affordable and sustainable ways to drive. Leapmotor's impressive range combines innovative technology, high levels of specification and remarkable value, making it an exciting addition to its offering." Committed to becoming the UK's number one dealership group in the UK and Ireland, Lookers is embarking on its partnership with Leapmotor at a time of considerable growth for the brand. By the end of June 2026, Leapmotor had achieved 3% share of electric car market just three months into its second year in the UK, with 11,000 registrations recorded since its UK launch last March. "The launch of our new Liverpool and Chester dealerships represents a significant investment in the region and demonstrates our confidence in the future of sustainable driving," Dave Graham said. "We look forward to introducing customers to the Leapmotor range and supporting them as they make the transition to electric driving." Founded in 2015, the Stellantis-backed Chinese car maker focuses itself on redefining the EV landscape by leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovation. Undergoing repaid expansion across the globe, the brand announced it had surpassed 1.5 million deliveries worldwide last month. Through its Lookers and Charles Hurst brands, Lookers represents 39 luxury, supersports, premium and volume car, commercial vehicle and motorcycle brands in the UK and Ireland across 150 franchised dealerships.