Polar buys First Motors
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• Polar Motor Group's move to acquire First Motors Group—bestknown for its trading title Dagenham Motors—could pose problems for lveco Ford.
Polar is a joint venture set up by Ford and global dealer giant Jardine International Motor Holdings. It already embraces Iveco Ford dealer outlets in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Batley.
Acquiring Dagenham Motors, with Iveco Ford sites at Hayes, Barking, and Chelmsford, means Polar will handle a significant per centage of Iveco Ford's annual sales. Manufacturers tend to dislike having any one dealer group controlling too much of their volume, although in this case the situation is unusual in that Ford is a shareholder in both Polar and Eveco Ford.
Iveco Ford would not comment; a spokesman says any review of franchising would have to be seen in the context of its long-term plan to reduce the number of Iveco Ford heavy-truck outlets in line with policies pursued by other manufacturers, most notably Mercedes.