Turnover at the family owned company rose to £667 million in 2015 from £604 million in 2014, with record sales of new cars — despite the oil downturn in Aberdeen — of 13,691 vehicles.

The firm said pre-tax profits declined by 13.5 per cent to £9.1 million because “market conditions saw pressures on gross margins”.

Group chairman John Clark explained: “The group’s primary aim in 2015 was to continue to build on the record results of the previous five years and, despite the expected downturn in the North Sea oil industry and the resultant impact on the Grampian region, to maintain positive momentum towards our key strategic objectives.

“We continued to focus on developing and extending the relationships with our existing franchise partners in the north, east and Central Belt of Scotland, as well as to diversify via opportunities which were presented to us by others.

“The group added seven new outlets, with one via acquisition and six through franchise transfers.”