Prestige Car Dealership in North Warwickshire Expands With £10k Grant

An entrepreneur’s prestige car dealership has expanded after securing funding to create a new showroom.

DT Performance Cars, based in Atherstone, was launched in 2017 by Daniel Tranter from Nuneaton after years of buying and selling vehicles, starting with a Ford Fiesta in 2007.

Daniel’s £2,500 purchase paved the way for years of upscaling vehicles for a profit before he eventually opened DT Performance Cars in 2017.

Now, the site has been expanded to include a new showroom for its range of kit cars, track cars and American cars, with improvement works also carried out to make the unit more environmentally and economically friendly after grant funding was secured from Coventry City Council.

DT Performance Cars received a £10,000 grant which has been invested in a new energy efficient heating system incorporating partition offices on a mezzanine.  This has resulted in reducing the need to provide space heating for the whole warehouse resulting in a 90% reduction in energy consumption and over 10 tonnes in CO2e saved per annum. DT Performance Cars applied for the grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with fewer than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Dr. James Bridges, Green Business Energy Advisor said: “ In discussions with DT Performance cars it was great to see the potential savings that could be realized by reducing the energy requirements of heating the whole of the warehouse with a more focused approach.  I therefore set about working with them to identify the most suitable heating solution for their requirements and I am absolutely delighted with the outcome.”

Daniel’s work with the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub account manager Gary Thyeson helped him unlock the funding, which he hopes will benefit DT Performance Cars in more ways than one.

He said: “Creating our new showroom has huge benefits for us and our customers. We are always looking at ways to improve our environment for customers and this gives them a chance to really take their time and consider their purchase in a fitting environment.

“As a business, the grant has also helped us cut down on heating costs and improve our environmental output.

“It is a big step forward as we continue to create a top level showroom and base.”

Daniel, who studied Business Management at De Montfort University, puts his success down to commitment and a real passion for cars.

As a teenager he set himself a target of acquiring a Ferrari by the time he was 25, which he managed to do at just 23 thanks to a consistent run of profit on vehicles he had purchased and strived to improve in order to get maximum value.

He said: “I think that my genuine love of vehicles comes across to customers when they discuss their requirements.

“It also means I have an in-depth understanding of the marketplace which allows me to source truly unique vehicles.”

DT Performance Cars is a family-run business which has worked with both the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub and Warwickshire County Council since it was created.

Gary Thyeson, of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub, said: “DT Performance Cars is a great business for North Warwickshire and Daniel is a great businessman.

“The latest improvements to the showroom will have a long lasting effect for both customers and the business and we are pleased to have been able to unlock this funding for Daniel and his team.

“We can steer businesses of all kinds in the right direction, whether they need help to fund an expansion, find new premises or are looking for business advice, we can provide the right assistance.”

Fay Winterburn, business skills advisor at Warwickshire County Council, said: “DT Performance Cars has been developing at a fantastic rate since opening and this latest round of improvements will stand the company in good stead for the future.

“Daniel and the team will be saving money, improving their green output whilst providing customers with a luxurious and premium experience when visiting the site, we now look forward to supporting the team further in their recruitment of apprentices and identifying additional funding for training as they move into their next phase of growth."