Desmond Motors adds new BYD dealership

BYD has rapidly advanced its Northern Ireland presence with a second dealership now covering the western counties. The long-established Desmond Motors Ford hub has maintained its Derry City presence while other car companies settled on the periphery. Now, BYD joins Ford on this prime city site with this high-profile Chinese brand.

BYD was the choice of the Desmond board of directors and little time was wasted in establishing the new facility. This was made all the easier by sharing the substantial site to sit alongside the Ford dealership. Clear BYD signage highlights the new five car showroom including offices and customer areas.

Sales manager, Michael Clarke brings with him seven years’ experience with another leading brand, and is supported at present by two sales executives, Luke Mc Williams and Conor Mc Carron.

Clarke is quick to point out that the establishment of BYD is intended to complement Ford, giving customers a wider choice. One example of this is the small car availability from BYD, following the discontinuing of the Fiesta by Ford.

The Fiesta was a major seller for Desmond Motors, and the BYD option continues to support the customer base that was committed to the popular hatchback. The Dolphin Surf is the range-opening model for the Chinese company and the all-electric four-seater is available at the lowest PCP rate available.

However, the immediate top seller is the car that offers the best of both worlds – the plug-in hybrid Seal U. Featuring a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, its all-electric range varies from 50 miles to over 70, depending on battery option. The customer base for this model is predominantly retail.

Addressing trade-ins, the dealership sees a bias of prestige German cars as customers move to the comparable Sealion 7. This flagship model offers a range of around 300 miles as well as a high specification and competitive pricing.

All BYD models are also protected by a six-year, 150,000 mile warranty. Motability support is available on two model choices.

BYD is very proactive in the market with an early delivery date of around two weeks in most cases, and ongoing market adjustments to ensure the customer has access to the best incentives. A full service facility supports the sales department.

With the expansion of its model ranges, Desmond Motors is already planning a larger premises to maintain pace with the increased business. Immediate customer acceptance of the brand has also driven this.

Currently, Desmond Motors is in negotiations with Northern Ireland’s electricity supplier to have upgraded connections in order to provide on-site DC rapid charging to improve on the existing AC charge points.