After 44 years of service, the landmark VW building, situated on Mount Road in Port Elizabeth, is undergoing a revamp to the tune of R13 million. The revamp will boast a new VW Crafter Workshop, be home to the MotoRent division and every floor has been remodelled with new amenities for staff and customers.
“We will be back in operation in August,’ says Alan Taverner, chairman of Tavcor Motor Group.
The revamp also prepares a way for a new franchise, Tavcor Commercial Vehicles , sales and service as well as VW Mastercars.
“The full range of commercials will be available and the service division will cater for older car owners as well as commercial vehicles,’ says dealer principal, John Els.
The Mount Road premises will remain the headquarters of the Tavcor Group as well as the trade parts, accounts and administrative divisions.
Known for many years as the Embassy Building, the Mount Road building was built by LTA Construction in the late 1960’s. It was the home of VW passenger sales and service for 43 years and also, for a short while, to the Porsche and Jaguar franchises as well as the Audi franchise which relocated in the 1990’s.
Established in 1948, Taverner (senior) went on to buy Embassy Motors in 1961 and from 1980, Alan Taverner took over as GM going on to become the MD in 1981 when his father passed away.
“The building far exceeded its capacity for too many years,’ says chairman Alan Taverner. In 2000, it underwent a “facelift’ to become VWSA’s new Piazza concept showroom. At its peak, the building housed 140 people and was responsible for sales deliveries of close to 150 cars per month.
