Martins Group

Founder Robert Martin established his Fly-Cab business in Winchester more than 100 years ago.

This was the first step in the Martin family’s aim to offer Hampshire motorists a first-class service from showroom to service centre. We moved to The Broadway in Winchester around 1910, operating a motorcycle franchise and selling used cars. Not long after, a Car Hire business was established.

In the swinging 60s, we operated Martins Self Drive. Come the early 1970s, we had opened Chandlers Ford Motors in School Lane, Chandlers Ford. Our first Volkswagen dealer was opened in Andover in 1979. Three years later, another Volkswagen dealer was added to the rapidly-expanding business. Head office is now at the Basingstoke showroom.

In 1991, Rover and Nissan were added to our portfolio, with dealerships opening in Winchester. The doors to our state-of-the-art Audi showroom, adjacent to the Volkswagen franchise in Basingstoke, were opened in 1999. In 2005, a busy year for Martins, we opened our first Renault dealership in Basingstoke, a Volkswagen showroom in Camberley, and changed the Winchester showroom from MG Rover to Renault. Between 2005 and 2006, we also introduced Nissan and Renault aftersales services in Andover, and opened a dedicated Volkswagen aftersales dealership in Farnham.

Our dedication to excellent customer service at all times has been recognised with a number of honours over the years. In 1990 and 1991, we were awarded the Volkswagen Blue Riband Dealer of Excellence Award, and we are five-time winners of the Volkswagen Gold Pin recognition award for exceptional individual contributions within our Volkswagen dealerships, in addition to this is two 'diamond pin' winners, the highest possible accolade. In 2007/08/09/10 we have won the national award for Customer Service in the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle network.