The opening of GWM Hyde Park marks a return to familiar territory for dealership owner Bradley Scorer, whose career in the South African motor industry began in the same area decades ago.
The privately owned dealership brings GWM’s P-Series, HAVAL, ORA and TANK brands together under one roof, with WEY also set to join the line-up shortly. For Bradley, however, the new venture is about more than adding another dealership to the local retail landscape. It represents a return to the area where his management career began.
Bradley started his management career at the original Arnold Chatz Cars in Hyde Park, continuing a family connection with the motor industry that stretches back more than four decades. He later spent seven years running Arnold Chatz Cars Constantia Kloof, where the business received multiple Dealer of the Year and aftersales accolades.
His career subsequently included senior executive leadership within one of South Africa’s largest listed automotive retail groups, before returning to dealership ownership with GWM Hyde Park.
“Opening GWM Hyde Park in Jan Smuts Avenue feels like coming full circle,” Bradley says. “This is where a big part of my journey in the motor industry started, so to return to the area with a dealership of my own and an exciting group of brands behind us is incredibly special.”
According to Bradley, the dealership has been structured around a more personal approach to the customer experience, with the privately owned business aiming to provide a single point of contact from vehicle selection and finance through to registration, fitments and aftersales support.
The dealership’s sales strategy will also be based on a stated “price you see is the price you pay” principle. Advertised vehicle prices will not be followed by additional dealership administration or on-road charges, according to the dealership.
“We don’t believe a customer should get to the end of a deal and suddenly find additional charges they weren’t expecting,” Bradley says. “Transparency builds trust, and that needs to start from the very first conversation.”
Bradley has also assembled an experienced management team for the new venture. New Car Sales Manager Candice Ribeiro joins the dealership with a record of multiple new car sales manager of the year accolades during her previous five years with another brand.
Aftersales will be headed by Yusuf Kasodjee, who brings technical and aftersales experience to the operation, including awards for technical excellence and customer service.
GWM Hyde Park will handle new vehicle sales alongside a selection of pre-owned vehicles. Its ownership offering includes finance, servicing, genuine parts and aftersales support, as well as assistance with registration, paperwork and custom vehicle fitments.
For Bradley, aftersales forms an important part of the dealership model.
“Selling a vehicle is the beginning of the relationship, not the end of it,” he says. “Our measure of success will be whether people want to come back to us and whether they are comfortable sending their family and friends to us.”
His connection with motoring also extends beyond dealership operations. Bradley comes from a family with a long history in motor retail and has experience across sales, operations, aftersales, franchise management and dealership ownership. He is also a motorsport enthusiast and former National Endurance Series champion.
For Bradley, the new dealership therefore combines his return to Hyde Park with ownership of a business representing the expanding GWM stable in South Africa.
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