Colt Car Company
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| The Colt Car Company Ltd | |
|---|---|
| Type | Private limited company |
| Founded | March 21, 1974 |
| Headquarters | Watermoor, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK |
| Key people | Jim Tyrrell (Managing Director) |
| Industry | Motor vehicle import and distribution |
| Revenue | £554 million[1] |
| Employees | 350[1] |
| Parent | Colt Automotive Ltd (51%) Mitsubishi Motors (49%) |
| Subsidiaries | Spitalgate Dealer Services Shogun Finance Colt Mid West |
| Website | Mitsubishi-Cars.co.uk |
The Colt Car Company Limited is a privately owned business established in 1974 as part of Mitsubishi Motors' global expansion programme for the purpose of importing and distributing cars and light commercial vehicles in the United Kingdom.[2] For the first decade of its existence, British market Mitsubishis were sold under the "Colt" marque.
It is a 51/49 joint venture between Colt Automotive Ltd and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.[3][4] Three subsidiary companies exist: Spitalgate Dealer Services, which specialises in dealer wholesale stocking, Shogun Finance, the retail finance company, and Colt Cars Mid West, which owns eight Mitsubishi dealerships across the south of England.[2]
[edit] Sales since 1995
For the first twenty years of its existence, business was restricted by voluntary import quotas, which limited the company to around 10,000 sales per year. The relaxation of these quotas in 1996, together with the introduction of European-built models at the NedCar facility in Born which were unaffected by the quota, allowed for a rapid expansion in the late 1990s.[2]
| Year | Total sales |
|---|---|
| 1995 | c.12,000 |
| 1996 | c.17,700 |
| 1997 | c.23,800 |
| 1998 | c.23,500 |
| 1999 | c.20,600 |
| 2000 | 18,087 |
| 2001 | 22,133 |
| 2002 | 26,419 |
| 2003 | 32,882 |
| 2004 | 37,545 |
| 2005 | 37,812 |
| 2006 | 34,467 |
(Sources: Facts & Figures 2000, Facts & Figures 2005, Facts & Figures 2007, Mitsubishi Motors website)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Gloucestershire Top 100 Companies 2006 (Colt Car Co Ltd ranks sixth by revenue)
- ^ a b c Official company history, Mitsubishi Cars UK website
- ^ Company structure, Mitsubishi Cars UK website
- ^ "Subsidiaries and Affiliates", Mitsubishi Motors website
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