Giltrap Group will take over retail representation of Volkswagen and Škoda on Auckland's North Shore from 1 October, bringing the Volkswagen Group's brands together in the heart of the North Shore. Volkswagen will be based at Giltrap Group's 150 Wairau Road site, while Škoda joins Audi and CUPRA across the road at Diana Drive.
The consolidation brings to the North Shore a model that Giltrap Group has refined over decades on Great North Road in Grey Lynn, an award-winning multi-brand arrangement long recognised for delivering world-class customer experience.
Steve Kenchington, Giltrap Group Chief Executive Officer, says: "Bringing these four brands together on the North Shore is about delivering the best possible level of customer service. It is a great opportunity for Giltrap Group."
For existing Volkswagen and Škoda owners, nothing changes other than the location. Both brands still have a home on the North Shore, with the same familiar standard of care that customers have come to rely on. Giltrap Group has worked closely with Tristram European to ensure the transition on 1 October is smooth.
Tristram European, led by Mark Hayward and Wayne Leach, has championed Volkswagen and Škoda on the North Shore since the Wairau Valley site opened in 2007. The business will continue to represent both brands from its West Auckland
and Whangarei operations.
Giltrap Group acknowledges the significant contribution Hayward, Leach and the Tristram European team have made over those 19 years, during which both brands have grown substantially.
The move reflects a broader consolidation of brands in a changing automotive retail environment and confirms Giltrap Group's long-term commitment to the Volkswagen Group, the world’s second-largest automotive manufacturer.
