One of the UK's largest car dealer groups, selling and servicing premium and volume brands from sites across the UK.
Sytner Group is a UK car retailer. Its dealerships sell new and used cars and look after them afterwards with servicing, repairs and parts. It carries a very wide range of brands, including Audi, BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover, Jaguar, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Volkswagen, Volvo, Skoda and CUPRA, plus motorcycles through BMW Motorrad. The full list on its site also includes Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bugatti, Pagani, smart, and newer brands such as Chery, Geely, JAECOO and OMODA, and a Sytner Select used car offer.
The story starts in 1968, when Frank Sytner and his older brother Alan opened a used car dealership in Nottingham. Two years later they were awarded the BMW franchise. Frank also won the British Touring Car Championship in 1988 and 1990 driving for BMW, so motorsport is part of the group's roots. A second BMW dealership followed in Leicester in 1993, then a third in Sheffield, and by 1997 the group held franchises such as Ferrari, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover and Porsche. Penske Automotive Group bought Sytner in 2002.
In its own words, the group aims to be the best company to work for in its industry and the best to do business with. Its "One Team" ethos and a commitment to "getting it right first time" guide how it treats customers. It describes its workplace as diverse and inclusive.
Sytner's registered office is in Leicester and its dealerships operate right across the UK, so jobs exist in towns and cities rather than in one head office. The group has also expanded abroad into Italy, Germany and Spain, according to its site, while the UK remains its home base. John Cragg became chief executive in January 2025, having joined Sytner in 1994. That path from the dealership floor to the top is a useful example of how careers can grow in this sector. The company says it was named the UK's Best Retailer to Work For in the 2019 Glassdoor awards, which is its own claim to check against current reviews.
A dealership employs many different people: sales executives, service advisers, technicians, parts staff, valeters, finance and administration teams, marketing, and managers. If you like cars but also like talking to people, retail may suit you as much as engineering. A franchised dealer group also gives you a chance to learn about many manufacturers' products and customer service standards in one employer. It also holds a four-star Glassdoor rating and a 4.5-star Trustpilot rating, which it quotes itself, so read recent reviews as well.
Website: sytner.co.uk
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