Alan Day Motor Group opened its multi-million-pound Kia showroom on Garrick Road in West Hendon.
Kia President and CEO Paul Philpott attended the opening.
He said: “I have no doubt this is going to be an incredibly successful dealership.
“I know now that we’ve got the name Alan Day on the outside of this fabulous new building, this dealership is going to be amongst our very best in the whole country.”
The facility will have capacity for over 200 new and used vehicles. The workshop will feature 14 service ramps, diagnostic bays, and the latest technology, with a further 12 ramps planned for early 2027.
As a Crystal Palace fan, Philpott was presented with a signed team shirt celebrating the team’s Europa Conference League victory by former Eagles manager and ex player Alan Pardew.
Speaking to Motor Trader, Pardew said: “The brand is doing very well. I think their product is fantastic. I really like the van, the PV5.”
On the showroom itself, he said: “I thought it was brand new and then someone told me it was derelict for around two years. I think they have done a fantastic job. It is certainly a great showroom. I think they will do very well here.”
He added: “I am old school. I have had many cars, different types. Quite a few Porsches, Ferrari, this that and the other. ObviouslyThe landscape has changed with electric vehicles. I think there are a lot of pluses for electric vehicles, but also combustion engines. I hope we don’t lose them.”
Paul Tanner, Alan Day MD, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Kia for giving us the opportunity to be a part of their network, but also for their help with this site. We couldn’t have asked for more.
“We can do everything on site – sales, services, and we have a massive parts operation that runs like clockwork. That is important to our business.”
The opening night was attended by England rugby stars Ben Earl, Chandler Cunningham-South, Theo Dan, Ben Cohen, Marlie Packer OBE and Rosie Galligan.
Cunningham-South said: “I’m currently driving the Sorrento. I just love the car. First of all it is very comfortable. It is a hybrid, good on miles, a nice clean looking car, and it is reliable. I am 6ft 6 and I fit in it easily.
“I would try an EV9, I would get the EV9 in black. I just need to get a home charger.”
World Cup winner Rosie Galligan added: “When I first passed my driving test, my first car was a Kia Picanto. It was light blue, and it was called Pablo. I’ve never had a bad experience in a Kia car so I went from the Picanto to a Kia Ceed, then a Kia XCeed, and now I’m in a hybrid Sportage.”
On the electric transition, she said: “My only apprehension is travelling a lot with rugby and making sure that there are chargepoints on the motorways that are easily accessible so you are not having to spend too long at a services, because you want to get to camp. It is definitely getting there in terms of infrastructure.”
