Lyons of Limerick has been appointed as BYD's main dealer for the mid-west of Ireland, bringing the total number of Irish BYD dealers to six. Lyons will become the "home of BYD" in the west of the country, and the brand plans further expansion in 2024.
Stronger presence
BYD importer Motor Distributors Limited (MDL) says the opening of the Lyons dealership, which will be known as BYD Limerick, will "create an even stronger presence for BYD in an area where the Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal models will have a strong customer appeal."
The dealership itself will be inside the Lyons motor retailing campus on Ballysimon Road, in the eastern part of Limerick city. The business currently holds Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Ford franchises but will soon add the all-electric Chinese brand BYD to the site, nestled into the corner between the busy Ballysimon Road and Old Ballysimon Road.
The business, run by father-and-son team Ken and Keith Lyons, has been established in Limerick for more than 40 years and has become a long-standing employer in the region.
It will become BYD's sixth Irish dealership, with two already in place in Dublin, one in Waterford, and one in Cork, as well as another in Enniscorthy, Wexford. The Limerick showroom will be the brand's most westerly, although BYD's plans for expansion are likely to include further dealerships in the northwest of the country.
Growing brand
Although it only arrived in Ireland last year, BYD has already brought three new models to market in Ireland, with the Atto 3 SUV followed by the Dolphin hatchback and the Seal saloon. The Chinese brand, whose initials stand for Build Your Dreams, has also announced plans to build a European factory in Hungary, from which it will expand its offering in Europe.
More new models are planned for the coming years, but BYD has promised to continue with "highly competitive pricing" and in-house manufacturing processes, including that of its cobalt-free Blade battery. The brand has already won several awards and hopes to continue its success.
Speaking of their appointment, Ken Lyons said: "We welcome our appointment and the opportunity it brings to offer customers a new and exciting EV offering," said Ken Lyons, "and the chance to share in the value and enjoyment of EV motoring that BYD has brought to Ireland with its award-winning Atto 3, the all-new Dolphin, and in the stunning new Seal, tipped by the Irish Times as its top-placed new car arrival for 2024".