The group has acquired Hartwell Ford's dealership in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, under its Polar Ford brand.

The deal, which was secured for an undisclosed sum, takes the number of outlets operated by Polar Ford in Yorkshire and the North East to fourteen. Chris Hayden, chairman and chief executive of Ford Retail, said: “The purchase of the Hartwell Ford dealership provides a good geographic fit that strengthens our presence in the north of the country.” The dealership employs 71 staff in new and used car sales, commercial vehicle sales and its servicing, body shop and parts businesses.