A SUCCESSFUL motor dealership has added another string to its bow with the opening of a new showroom.

Howards Motor Group has introduced Kia to Weston, with the new site now open next to Hildesheim Bridge.

Within the six-car showroom there is an eight-bay workshop that is manned by a Kia-trained master technician. Howards Kia stocks not just new, but a vast array of nearly-new cars.

It is also an authorised replacement parts dealer for Kia.

The showroom has been designed to include a separate customer waiting lounge with luxurious leather sofas, a 51-inch plasma screen, free WiFi and built-in drinks dispenser and water cooler.

Tony Lippe, Howards Group franchise general manager, said: “We are really excited to take on the Kia franchise and have created a visually stunning showroom.

“We have also taken on three new members of staff and hope to add to that in the very near future.

“We hope that existing Kia customers who have had to travel to Taunton or Bristol for services after the previous Kia dealership closed will now come to us.

“We can promise them the same level of award-winning customer service we have been proud to deliver to all our customers for more than 40 years.”

The Howards Group started in 1972 as a father-and-son business and is still a family owned multi-franchise motor group representing Peugeot, Honda, Citroën, Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia operating in Weston, Taunton, Yeovil and Dorchester.

The company sells more than 5,000 cars and commercial vehicles each year and provides service and repair facilities from eight dedicated workshops.