SsangYong Motors UK has announced the addition of a new franchised dealership to its network.
Optimum Vehicles, trading as SsangYong York, has been supplying vehicles to customers for over 10 years.
Nick Laird, managing director of SsangYong Motors UK said: “Optimum Vehicles has a well-established presence and excellent reputation in Yorkshire and the north, and we are delighted to welcome such a proactive and well-established business to our network as SsangYong York.
“We have more new sites to announce very soon and we are comfortably on track to reach 90 franchised dealerships by the end of 2020 – a key milestone in our mid-term strategy.”
Paul Sanderson, managing director at SsangYong York, added: “We are delighted to join SsangYong and we’re excited to represent the brand in this region.
“The marque offers an attractive, class leading seven-year/150,000-mile warranty, and a range of quality 4×4’s and SUV’s that will appeal to our existing customer base.
“In addition, the pure-electric vehicles SsangYong has in the pipeline will open up a whole new market for us.”
The brand’s vehicle technicians recently completed the first module of its apprenticeship programme.
The IMI-recognised, Light Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technicians programme was launched in April 2019. Run by Emtec it aims to maximise on-the-job training and cut time away from the dealership.
The programme is three years in duration and includes eight, one-week long modules per year, delivered at the SsangYong Academy in Nottingham.
As well as containing information on training and assessment, all apprenticeship standards must contain an End-Point Assessment where an independent organisation is involved – this ensures all apprentices following the same standard are assessed consistently.
Mark Burrows, aftersales director at SsangYong Motors UK, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new apprentices to this great brand, and commencing the journey in developing our technicians of the future.”