Thurlow Nunn adds Leapmotor showroom in Luton, growing its Chinese-brand portfolio

# What happened Thurlow Nunn has opened a Leapmotor showroom in Luton, extending the AM100 dealer group's representation of the Chinese electric vehicle brand to three UK dealerships. The Luton location sits alongside the group's existing Vauxhall car and van operation in the town.

# Why the move matters Milton Keynes sites. Leapmotor is already showing measurable market presence in the UK: in June 2026 the brand had around 1% of the overall new-car market and 3% of the battery-electric vehicle market. By the end of June it had recorded more than 11,000 UK registrations, including 6,770 in the first half of 2026.

Thurlow Nunn's Leapmotor rollout sits alongside the dealer group's existing relationships with mainstream manufacturers. The group represents Vauxhall, Peugeot, MG and Hyundai across dealerships in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

# Nunn will offer customers The new Luton showroom will display Leapmotor's full UK model range and provide test drives, servicing and aftersales support. That mirrors the customer-facing services the group already offers for other franchises and at its other Leapmotor sites.

Simon Grylls, Thurlow Nunn sales director, said Leapmotor has been well received at Norwich and Milton Keynes, citing the combination of value, technology and equipment levels as reasons customers choose the brand.

# How Leapmotor is performing in the UK

• Market share in June 2026: 1% of new cars, 3% of BEVs.
• Registrations to end-June 2026: more than 11,000 units.
• Registrations in H1 2026: 6,770 units.

The brand's growth has been supported by an active pricing response to the UK Government's Electric Car Grant, including manufacturer discounts timed to capitalise on consumer interest.

# Where this sits in Thurlow Nunn's strategy Leapmotor is the second Chinese car brand in Thurlow Nunn's portfolio. The group added MG Motor in 2023 and has been expanding its representation of EV-focused manufacturers during 2026.

Nunn is pursuing a dual approach: keep established mainstream franchises (Vauxhall, Peugeot, Hyundai and MG) while selectively adding new EV-focused brands to capture shift in customer demand.

# Implications for dealers and customers For customers: more local choice of EVs, the ability to test-drive Leapmotor models locally, and local aftersales support through an established dealer group.

For other dealers: the move signals that AM100 groups are willing to add relatively new Chinese EV brands alongside traditional franchises and that those brands can reach measurable national volume quickly when supported by pricing and dealer networks.

# Immediate next facts to watch

• How quickly Thurlow Nunn converts showroom footfall into Leapmotor sales at Luton compared with Norwich and Milton Keynes.
• Whether Leapmotor adds more UK dealerships through multi-franchise groups or dedicated showrooms.
• Any changes to pricing or promotional offers tied to government incentives.

# Bottom line