Vertu Motors

What Vertu Motors does

Vertu Motors plc is the fourth-largest automotive retailer in the United Kingdom, operating a franchise dealership model across approximately 191 sales outlets under brands including Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors, both rebranded to "Vertu" in February 2025. Headquartered in Gateshead and listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (ticker VTU), the company sells new and used cars, vans, and motorcycles representing over 30 manufacturers — spanning legacy brands (Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Volkswagen) and an expanding roster of Chinese EV brands (BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda, Leapmotor, Chery, Geely). It serves three primary segments: individual retail consumers, business fleet customers operating 25+ vehicles (via Vertu Group Fleet), and disabled drivers through the government-backed Motability scheme.

The business model is a high-volume, low-margin retail operation generating £4.83 billion in FY2026 revenue (year ended 28 February 2026) across multiple streams: new vehicle sales, used vehicle sales (inventory of 8,900+ vehicles), aftersales and servicing (MOT, repairs, parts — contributing over 46% of group gross profit and providing the most resilient margin pool), commission-based finance and insurance brokerage (PCP, HP, PCH at ~11.70% representative APR), and fleet/contract-hire services. Vehicle pricing is published per-unit, ranging from £3,995 used vehicles to premium models exceeding £150,000.

Technology is a supporting capability rather than a differentiator: an integrated automotive retail platform combining online buy/reserve/click-and-collect functionality, real-time inventory search, home delivery (free within 30 miles), and "Vertu Pay," a digital payment tool recognized at the 2025 Autotrader Retailer Awards. Adjacent e-commerce parts operations (Wiper Blades Limited, acquired 2022; PowerBulbs; Car Bulbs Direct; Aceparts) and specialist sub-brands (Vansdirect, The Taxi Centre) round out the portfolio. The company has no public API and no app.

Name

Vertu Motors

Legal name

Vertu Motors plc

Website

https://vertumotors.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Vertu Motors is the UK's fourth-largest automotive retailer, operating ~191 franchise dealerships selling new and used cars, vans, and motorcycles across 30+ manufacturers, plus aftersales servicing, finance brokerage, and fleet services for consumers and businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gateshead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Vehicle Sales: Sale of new passenger vehicles through franchise dealerships representing multiple manufacturers including Audi, BMW, BYD, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MG, MINI, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT, Skoda, smart, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Chinese brands (BYD, Geely, Jaecoo, Omoda, Leapmotor, Chery).
2. Used Vehicle Sales: Sale of pre-owned vehicles through dealership network and online platform. Company stocks over 8,900 used vehicles across 30+ manufacturers.
3. Aftersales and Servicing: Vehicle maintenance, repairs, MOT testing, parts and accessories sales through manufacturer-accredited workshop facilities. Aftersales contributed over 46% of Group gross profit.
4. Finance and Insurance Products: Finance brokerage services offering PCP, HP, and PCH products through panel of lenders. Company receives commission from lenders on arranged finance.
5. Fleet and Business Services: Fleet management and contract hire services for businesses operating 25+ vehicles through dedicated Vertu Group Fleet team.
6. Online Parts E-commerce: E-commerce business for automotive parts and accessories, including acquired Wiper Blades Limited (£3.5m acquisition in 2022).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vertu Motors is a UK automotive retailer that sells new and used cars, vans, and motorcycles across more than 30 manufacturer franchises through approximately 191 physical dealerships and an integrated online platform. Its offering also includes manufacturer-accredited aftersales servicing and MOT, parts and accessories, finance brokerage (PCP, HP, PCH), dedicated fleet management for businesses, and Motability scheme vehicles. The group is the fourth largest UK automotive retailer with reported revenue of £4.83 billion for the fiscal year ending February 2026.

Product overview

Vertu Motors is a UK-based automotive retailer operating as a multi-brand dealership network. The company offers new and used car sales across over 30 manufacturers (including Audi, BMW, BYD, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo), commercial vehicles, and motorcycles. The portfolio includes core sales operations, servicing and repair services, fleet management (Vertu Group Fleet), and Motability scheme services. Vertu Motors also operates digital services including Vertu Pay (digital payments), Click and Collect, online sales platforms, and a car valuation/sale service. The company acquired Wiper Blades Limited in 2022 for its e-commerce parts business and operates subsidiary brands including Vansdirect (commercial vehicles) and The Taxi Centre. Vertu was rebranded from Macklin Motors in February 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vertu New Car Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• 14-day money-back guarantee on all used cars
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BYDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Chinese EV manufacturer partnership through franchise dealer agreements. Vertu established approximately 125 BYD sales points across the UK in under three years, contributing to BYD surpassing Tesla in UK vehicle sales with approximately 51,000 units in 2025.
• JaecoocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Chinese automotive brand partnership as part of Vertu's portfolio optimization strategy to expand into Chinese brands including Jaecoo, Omoda, Leapmotor, Chery and BYD.
• OmodacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese automotive brand partnership as Vertu expands its portfolio with new Chinese brands to offset ZEV mandate pressures on traditional manufacturers.
• LeapmotorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese EV manufacturer partnership as Vertu diversifies brand portfolio with new Chinese brands including Jaecoo, Omoda, and Leapmotor.
• CheryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese automotive manufacturer partnership as part of portfolio optimization strategy to expand with Chinese brands.
• GeelyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese automotive group partnership, with Geely Glasgow South dealership operated by Vertu.
• Arnold ClarkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPeer automotive retailer group also partnering with BYD for EV distribution in UK market, serving as reference point for competitive positioning.
• Jaguar Land RovercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise partnership for Jaguar and Land Rover vehicle sales and servicing. Company was affected by JLR cyber attack in September 2025 and settled £3.9m business interruption insurance claim.
• Motability SchememinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing vehicles to disabled customers through UK government-backed Motability scheme.
• Co-op LiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArena partnership as part of sports and community sponsorship program.
• English Football LeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFootball league sponsorship as part of sports partnership program.

Scale indicators8 records

Direct peers

• Caffyns: Long-established UK automotive retailer group operating multiple franchises across southern England. Comparable to Vertu as a multi-brand dealer group with similar franchise mix and aftersales-driven earnings profile.
• JCT600: Privately held UK automotive retailer group operating premium and volume franchises. Comparable to Vertu as a multi-brand dealer group with similar manufacturer relationships and UK geographic footprint.
• Pendragon plc: Major UK automotive retailer group operating multiple franchises. Closely comparable to Vertu as a multi-brand UK dealer group, with similar franchise model, scale, and EV transition exposure.
• Marshall Motor Group: UK automotive retailer operating across multiple OEM franchises with both consumer and fleet channels. Directly comparable to Vertu in business model, customer mix, and aftersales weighting, with similar exposure to UK automotive transition.
• Lookers plc: One of the UK's largest automotive retailer groups operating across multiple manufacturer franchises. Closely comparable to Vertu in scale, franchise portfolio breadth, and exposure to the same ZEV mandate and UK consumer cycle dynamics.
• Inchcape plc: UK-listed global automotive distributor and retailer with operations across multiple markets. Directly comparable to Vertu as a multi-brand automotive retail group with similar franchise model, aftersales focus, and exposure to UK and European OEM transition pressures.
• Cambria Automobiles: UK-based automotive retailer listed on AIM with premium franchise portfolio. Comparable to Vertu in business model, scale, and exposure to UK consumer vehicle demand and aftersales revenue streams.
• Arnold Clark: UK's largest privately held automotive retailer operating numerous franchises and dealerships nationwide. Directly comparable to Vertu as a multi-brand UK car retailer serving similar consumer and fleet customers with overlapping franchise portfolios.

Emerging players

• Group 1 Automotive: US-headquartered international automotive retailer with growing UK presence. Comparable to Vertu as a scaled multi-brand dealer group, though operating primarily in the US; the UK overlap is partial but the operational model and franchise economics are closely aligned.

Others

• Auto Trader Group: UK's leading automotive marketplace platform connecting buyers and sellers. Adjacent to Vertu rather than directly competitive — Auto Trader provides the digital marketplace infrastructure that Vertu and its dealer peers rely on for online vehicle discovery and lead generation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vertumotors
• Facebookfacebook.com/robert.forrester.7186
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vertu-motors-plc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A10 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vertu Motors