London-based luxury car dealer enters Kenyan market by buying out RMA Group

Inchcape Plc is set to take over the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealership in Kenya after buying out the operation from RMA Group.
Kenya will become Inchcape’s second market in Africa after Ethiopia where it currently deals in several brands including Toyota and Hino.
Sales of new luxury cars in Kenya rose nearly five per cent in the first quarter ended March, helped by increased demand for Porsche models.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealership in Kenya is set to be taken over by a London-based luxury car dealer following RMA Group exit from the local market.

Inchcape Plc is set to take over the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealership in Kenya after buying out the operation from RMA Group.

JLR and Inchcape reached the dealership agreement in recent weeks, with a formal announcement expected to be made soon, according to sources familiar with the deal.

Regional executives of JLR declined to comment on the matter.

“JLR is not in a position to comment at the moment. At the appropriate time JLR will make a formal announcement of its new partner,” JLR sub-Saharan Africa sales director Nigel Clarke told a local business daily.

RMA is exiting the Kenyan market after five years, having taken over the JLR franchise from CMC Holdings in 2013.

Also read: Land Rover Kenya CEO invited us inside this sexy Jaguar F-type and revealed how he is steering RMA Motors in the right direction

Inchcape, which already sells JLR brands in the UK, will inherit the most valuable and one of the fastest-selling portfolios of luxury cars in Kenya including Ranger Rover and Jaguar models.

Sales of new luxury cars in Kenya rose nearly five per cent in the first quarter ended March, helped by increased demand for Porsche models.

According to data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMA) 4,123 brand new vehicles have been sold locally since the beginning of the year.

Also read: All you need to know about the car President Kenyatta fell in love with at Total Motor Show 2018

The KMA data shows in the first five months, two Bentley Bentaygas were sold.

Other brand new luxury vehicles on the enviable list were seven Jaguars and 26 Porsches.

The UK multinational sells several vehicle brands including Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Audi and BMW in 31 countries.

Kenya will become Inchcape’s second market in Africa after Ethiopia where it currently deals in several brands including Toyota and Hino.

The conglomerate, which is owned by institutional investors such as Standard Life, BlackRock, Vanguard and Aberdeen Asset Investments Ltd, had sales of £8.9 billion (Sh1.1 trillion) in the year ended December 2017.