DIRECTORY : AUTHORISED FIAT ALFA ROMEO DEALERS : DESIRA GROUP PLC

DESIRA GROUP Contact Details

Desira - typical dealership facilities (please ring for confirmation): New and used car sales; Business to business sales; Finance; Servicing and repairs; Collection and delivery; Courtesy cars; Valeting; Parts and accessories

Desira Fiat & Alfa Romeo
129 Heigham Street
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 4TG

Tel: 01603 633222
Alfa Romeo Sales Email: alfa01@desiragroup.com
Fiat Sales Email: fiat01@desiragroup.com

Sales Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.00pm; Sat 9.00am to 5.00pm; Sun 10.30am to 4.00pm

Desira Fiat
North Quay
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk
NR30 1RD

Tel: 01493 844266
Fiat Sales Email: fiat05@desiragroup.com

Sales Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm; Sat 8.30am to 5.00pm; Sun 11.00am to 4.00pm

Desira Fiat & Alfa Romeo
Woodbridge Road
Rushmere
Ipswich
IP5 1BH

Tel: 01473 333311
Alfa Romeo Sales Email: alfa11@desiragroup.com
Fiat Sales Email: fiat11@desiragroup.com

Sales Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.00pm; Sat 8.30am to 5.00pm; Sun viewing only

Desira Fiat
Victoria Road
Diss
Norwich
Norfolk
IP22 4GS

Tel: 01379 650111
Fiat Sales Email: fiat06@desiragroup.com

Sales Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm; Sat 9.00am to 5.00pm; Sun viewing only

Desira Fiat & Alfa Romeo
231 Colney Hatch Lane
Frien Barnet
Southgate
London

Tel: 0208 211 9117
Alfa Romeo Sales Email: alfa09@desiragroup.com
Fiat Sales Email: fiat09@desiragroup.com

Sales Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm; Sat 8.30am to 5.00pm; Sun - viewing only

Website:       www.desiragroup.com

 
Desira Group Plc has seven automotive retailing sites located throughout East Anglia, and a further site in London. One of the region's première motoring groups, it has a long standing tradition with the Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands, bringing enjoyment of the Italian lifestyle to a wide as possible customer base for year after year. Desira Group currently holds four major franchises: Alfa Romeo and Fiat, which are complemented by Nissan and Citroen.

Desira Fiat

Fiat has been part of the motor industry since cars were invented! The passion, evocative styling and performance of this classic brand name has always been a driver's dream. Desira Group Plc is a leading authorised Fiat dealer, with 30 years of franchise experience, and 2006 promises to be a really exciting year for Desira and Fiat with the launch of three new models.

There are five Fiat franchises in the Desira Group, four in East Anglia - in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Diss and Ipswich and one in North West London, in Southgate.  If you cannot get to a dealership, you could speak to our friendly sales team direct by calling any branch and make the most of our very competitive deals via the telephone or by using the enquiry form online to request a quotation, test drive or place an order.

Desira Group has a complete range of new Fiats for you to choose from and they can be tailored to your exact specifications. We can offer you the latest finance deals and lease plans to make your Fiat ultimately affordable new or used! We have over five hundred superb Fiat approved used cars and other prestigious makes, all prepared and presented to the most stringent standards with Main Dealer and Fiat support. All Desira service and body centre facilities have Fiat technical specialists at your service and our Online Shop can deliver any kind of auto parts and accessories directly to your door.

Discover the difference at Desira where an experienced, knowledgeable sales force is ready to help find the right car for you and where a customer focused after sales team, with the most comprehensive warranties, aims to exceed your highest expectations.

Desira Alfa Romeo

Desira Group’s two Alfa Romeo franchised dealerships are easily accessible - in  Norwich, Norfolk and Southgate, London but if they are not convenient for you, we can simply carry out the whole deal by telephone!

We supply new and used cars to hundreds of happy customers throughout the United Kingdom and abroad via the internet and over the 'phone and offer a nationwide delivery service: New cars to your exact specification; Used cars - over two hundred superb Alfa Romeo approved used cars at our disposal (and other prestige makes too, see our 'Used Car Search' on our website), all prepared and presented to the most stringent standards with Main Dealer and Alfa Romeo back up; Auto parts and accessories in our Online Shop, delivered to your door; as well as full service and body centre facilities with Alfa Romeo technical specialists.

With a number of purchase and lease plans to make your Alfa Romeo ultimately affordable, a customer focussed after sales service with the most comprehensive warranties and an experienced, knowledgeable sales staff to help you find the right car for you:- Discover the difference at Desira.

The Desira Group Plc

Desira Group plc has evolved over 33 years from its origins as a small garage in Brooklyn, Norfolk. The turning point for the company came with the de-merger of DMC Ltd in 1995. Desira Group then consisted of two sites in Diss and Great Yarmouth holding Fiat franchises and a multi-million pound parts operation distributing all over the UK.

At the time the group was performing well, outselling other Fiat dealers across the UK, and it wanted to expand into a city centre location. An opportunity arose in 1997 that gave them an opening in Norwich. Blue Boar Garage, on Wroxham Road, held Kia and Proton franchises, not quite the major franchises the company was seeking, but the location was perfect to launch into Norwich. 

This was just the start of a time of rapid expansion. In 1998, the perfect new franchise for the Group became available: Lancaster Nissan at Hall Road and Whiting Road, Norwich. It had split sales and service sites but it gave Desira an enviable coverage of the city and also meant they could then put Nissan into the Wroxham Road dealership, relinquishing the Kia and Proton franchises. In 1999 exactly the right proposition became available: Lindfield, on Heigham Street, one of the most prestigious and important Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealerships in the UK, and for Desira Group it would be the jewel in their crown.

Desira Group Plc was performing incredibly well for Fiat and Alfa Romeo, and was the leading dealership within the UK. When in 2000, Pendragon decided to terminate their contract for Fiat and Alfa Romeo in London, the territories needed to be filled.

Fiat and Alfa Romeo knew just who they wanted to take over the North West London territory: Desira Group.  This would give Desira two large Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealerships that would be multi million pound sites, owned by Fiat, and employing over 100 staff. The company would be doubling its turnover in one fell swoop. For Desira's ambitious management this was an opportunity not to be missed. So the takeover of North West London started.  It did ensure Desira Group had a steep learning curve, but one that was suitably integrated into the company.

Whilst the Group was expanding they still wanted to provide excellent coverage within their existing territories to all their franchises.  So in 2001 a new showroom was built at Great Yarmouth to house the Nissan franchise giving Nissan a greater coverage in Norfolk.

Over the next two years consolidation was the key, the management and staff spending much time focusing on ensuring Desira Group's eight dealerships were performing well for the company and their franchises. Then, another opportunity arose, this time a little closer to home. In 2003 Desira Group took over Sterling Fiat and Alfa Romeo and at a stroke they were now the largest Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealers in the UK. 

Never ones to sit still, Desira looked closely at how each dealership was performing. One site was not so successful, Wroxham Road, so after much research into the market place and looking at the competition, the decision was made to change the site into a 4x4 and Van Centre for Fiat and Nissan, giving Norwich something entirely new. What a great decision: the site was transformed overnight giving the business community a dealership with a stock of more than 80 vans.

Whilst looking closely into the marketplace a few gaps came to Desira's attention, firstly adding a new franchise to the group that complemented the other brands well, whilst also giving a growth opportunity within Norfolk. Thus in 2004 a new showroom was built in Great Yarmouth adjoining the existing Fiat and Nissan site, and Citroen was added. This gave the Group a whole new opportunity. The Citroen service franchise was then also integrated into Diss. Secondly, a Car and Van Rental business which would complement not only the Group but also the Wroxham Road 4x4 and Business Centre was targted. So Abacus joined Desira Group bringing with it 150 vehicles, enabling a new market place to be conquered.

The same year also saw a major move for Desira Nissan from its Humble Hall Road sales site to a new, highly prestigious two million pound dealership for Nissan at Vulcan Road, Norwich. This also gave Nissan service an operation covering both the North and South of the City. Now we reach 2005: Desira Group in October added Citroen servicing into their Diss and London dealerships.

The Desira Group today employs 350 staff, has eight dealerships, four franchises, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Nissan and Citroen, a multi-million pound parts operation, Abacus Rental and a Group turnover of £78 million.