Each year, the best of the best Volkswagen dealers and their achievements are recognised at the exclusive Grand Prix Awards ceremony. This year‘s ceremony, held in Durban, under the theme‚ ‘Boldly Go‘, saw Volkswagen dealers honoured for their contribution and steadfast loyalty in growing the Volkswagen Brand in South Africa.
A total of 99 awards were handed over at the Grand Prix Awards ceremony which rewards exceptional performances from the 108 Volkswagen Passenger and 15 Volkswagen Commercial dealerships across South Africa. The two most prestigious awards of the night were awarded to Garth La Reservee from the Alpine Group, who won the Dealer Micro Group of the Year award, and Brad Kaftel from the Hatfield Group, who walked away with the Macro Dealer Group of the Year Award.
The most coveted award for the evening went to Gavin Le Roux from Hatfield VW Braamfontein, who won the Dealer of the Year Award. This award is given to the dealership that delivers the best and most consistent overall results across various disciplines in the business. The dealership must represent the values of the Volkswagen Brand at the highest level.
Two dealers were also recognised with the sought-after Diamond Pin awards, with the first recipient being Spencer Tait from Alpine Motors. Spencer first joined Alpine Motors as a Sales Executive in 1990 and has since achieved great feats. Spencer’s vibrant personality and his contribution to the Alpine Group made him a natural choice for the award.
The second Diamond Pin award went to Chris Beukes from Hatfield VW Rivonia. Chris began his career as a Business Management Consultant and in 2012, was appointed General Manager at Hatfield Braamfontein. That same year, he received the Volkswagen Dealer of the Year award and subsequently achieved Club of Excellence in 2012, 2013 and 2015. He has an intricate knowledge of the business and what it takes to maximise efficiency.
“The dealer network is an integral aspect of Volkswagen South Africa’s business. Last year Volkswagen‘s sales were supported by a strong performance of the dealer channel, which accounted for 70% of the total sales. I am proud of the dedication and commitment shown by all winners to make the Volkswagen Brand the icon that we know it is,” said Mike Glendinning, Volkswagen Group South Africa Sales and Marketing Director.
Picture Captions:
Dealer of the Year Award: L – R: Martina Biene (Head of the Volkswagen Brand), Thomas Schaefer (VWSA Chairman and Managing Director), Gavin Le Roux (Hatfield VW Braamfontein) and Mike Glendinning (VWSA Sales and Marketing Director)
Macro Dealer of the Year Award: L – R: Thomas Schaefer (VWSA Chairman and Managing Director), Martina Biene (Head of the Volkswagen Brand), Brad Kaftel and Chris Beukes (Hatfield Group) and Mike Glendinning (VWSA Sales and Marketing Director)
Micro Dealer of the Year Award: L – R: Thomas Schaefer (VWSA Chairman and Managing Director), Martina Biene (Head of the Volkswagen Brand), Garth La Reservee (Alpine Group) and Mike Glendinning (VWSA Sales and Marketing Director)
Volkswagen’s top dealers awarded at annual ceremony https://t.co/jIanX4G9uK #ArriveAlive #TopDealersAwards #AnnualCeremony @volkswagen pic.twitter.com/cZVrmnVDnG
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) May 20, 2019