Top Auckland Car Dealer, Andrew Simms, Launches Citroen, Alfa Romeo And Fiat With Star Studded Event

Last week, Auckland car dealer, Andrew Simms, celebrated the addition of Citroen, Alfa Romeo and Fiat to his portfolio with a glamorous, European themed launch event. The European themed cocktail evening, opened by Mayor of Auckland, John Banks, and hosted by Jeremy Corbett included a performance by Op Shop and drew more than 500 guests.
On the night, a charity auction hosted by Stacy Jones raised $33,000 for children’s charity, Camp Quality. Unique auction items included a Fiat 500 (New Zealand Small Car of the Year 2009) and a rally experience with national champion, Chris West. Star guests included Jeremy Corbett, Nathan Haines, Gilda Kirkpatrick, Op Shop & Elemeno P band members.
Andrew Simms, Managing Director of Andrew Simms European, invested $500,000 into his Newmarket based business, in order to accommodate the three new brands.
‘Alfa Romeo, Citroen and Fiat represent a perfect match for our Mitsubishi business and enable us to offer our customers a very complete range of unique vehicles from which to make their choice,’ explains Simms. ‘The existing customer base of these new brands will also ensure a new, strong business for our service and parts business.’
Laurie Malatios, General Manager of Ateco Automotive NZ Pty Ltd, the New Zealand Alfa Romeo, Citroen and Fiat importer, approached Andrew Simms to act as their Auckland representative because of the company’s professionalism, high standards of customer care and the success that they had already enjoyed with the Mitsubishi brand.
‘We could not ask for a better representative for our brands,’ says Malatios. ‘Ateco wanted one company to represent all its brands in Auckland and we were attracted to Simms by their national reputation for customer care and professionalism.
‘As our business relationship has developed we have been greatly encouraged by their plans, their long term commitment and their passion for our new business. Simms is has already taken our brands to a new level of visibility in New Zealand’s most important car market and this will be followed by new sales records in coming months. This opens a new chapter in the history of these three unique marques in New Zealand.’
A dedicated facility has been developed at the Andrew Simms flagship site at the corner of Broadway and St Marks Road, which has been completely refitted for the new brands. The 770 square metre show room is matched by a service centre with an 18 bay workshop capable of simultaneously servicing 32 vehicles. A total of 14 new staff have been appointed in a range of sales and technical roles.