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The history of JCT600

The history of JCT600

Back to where it all started

Since being founded as Brooklands Garage on Sticker Lane, Bradford in 1946, we’ve sold more than one million new and used vehicles. And in 2026, we're celebrating 80 years in business. Check out some of the milestones in our journey on the timeline below.

As origin stories go, JCT600's is pretty good. Today, we’re one of the UK's most respected and most trusted motor retailers, representing 24 of the world's most famous manufacturers at more than 50 locations across the North of England.

JCT600: Our timeline

1946

JCT600 is born on Sticker Lane in Bradford

Yorkshire’s largest family-owned business began life as a single garage on Bradford’s Sticker Lane. Tordoff Motors was established by Edward Tordoff, before being taken on by his son, Jack.

1961

Vauxhall joins JCT600

Starting off strong in the 60s with Vauxhall joining JCT600. Vauxhall has been a name in the British motoring scene for well over 100 years, and many of the cars that adorn British streets pay homage to the success of this brand.

1967

Porsche joins JCT600

Arguably the greatest name in German motorsport, Porsche joined the JCT600 family in the late 1960s. Today, we’re proud to represent the Stuttgart automaker in Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Teesside, and York.

1978

BMW joins JCT600

It’s the late 70s, and BMW are the latest addition to the growing roster. Now, you’ll find BMW Bradford on Sticker Lane, serving up superb used BMWs and expert servicing.

1982

Ferrari joins JCT600

Into the 80s and the renowned Italian manufacturer enters the fold. Fast forward to present day and Ferrari Leeds now occupies state-of-the-art premises, while the addition of Ferrari Newcastle gives clients further north a name they can trust.

1984

Aston Martin joins JCT600

Next was the turn of the iconic British sports car maker, and 40 years later, Aston Martin Leeds continues to be the destination for owners and buyers looking for a team of experienced, knowledgeable experts.

1985

Peugeot joins JCT600

First of the big French brands to join the family, JCT600 Peugeot continues to operate with the help of an expert team in Leeds.

1986

Lotus and Mazda join JCT600

Into the second half of the 1980s, and a pair of new brands. Lotus, the famous lightweight sports car manufacturer, and Mazda, a growing influence from Japan both join the JCT600 stable.

1986

JCT600 sponsors Bradford City AFC

The late Jack Tordoff OBE, founder of JCT600, was a lifelong supporter of Bradford City AFC. We are proud to be continuing his legacy of partnering with the club until the end of the 2025/26 season, which is set to take JCT600’s association with the club close to the 40-year mark.

1987

Audi, Volkswagen and Bentley all join JCT600

The new members are coming thick and fast by the end of the 1980s, with German giants VW and Audi joining, along with luxury British manufacturer, Bentley.

1993

Mercedes-Benz joins JCT600

Six years later, Mercedes-Benz is the next name to join JCT600. Today, JCT600 Mercedes-Benz is right across the north with retailers in Chesterfield, Doncaster, Harrogate, Sheffield and York.

1994

SEAT joins JCT600

Barely a year later, and SEAT are the next name to join the family. It’s a brand that’s growing quickly, but no one could’ve predicted the place it would have in the market three decades later.

1998

Maserati joins JCT600

It’s now the turn of Maserati to join, bringing with them their unique blend of passion and performance, located on the renowned Sticker Lane.

2001

MINI joins JCT600

The Millennium comes and goes, and a year later, MINI are the next brand to join the growing family. MINI added a new dimension to JCT600’s presence on Bradford’s Sticker Lane.

2002

smart joins JCT600

Joining Mercedes-Benz in York and Sheffield, the urban-centric, envelope-pushing smart became the next brand to join the JCT600 family.

2005

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles joins JCT600

Almost two decades after its passenger-car sibling, VW Commercial Vehicles joins JCT600, bringing with it vehicles like the Transporter and Caddy vans.

2012

Kia joins JCT600

Into the 2010s, and another brand from Asia joins the JCT600 family, this time from South Korea. Kia was already establish in 2012, but a decade later, it’s quickly becoming the go-to for many drivers.

2018

Jaguar and Land Rover both join JCT600

A pair of famous British brands are next in line, with Jaguar and Land Rover both joining the family in 2018, while also increasing JCT600’s representation in Doncaster.

2019

CUPRA and Rolls-Royce both join JCT600

Two brands with plenty to offer, but at opposite ends of their history. CUPRA, SEAT’s sportier twin, and Rolls-Royce, with its famous Spirit of Ecstasy, join JCT600.

2020

MG and Mitsubishi joins JCT600

Into another decade, and there's no signs of slowing down the growth, as MG joins to provide Bradford customers with even more choice, Mitsubishi also joins to provide expert servicing.

2020

First vehicle reserved online

Online purchasing was always on the cards and when Coronavirus hit in March 2020, it ramped up that need further. We managed to launch Reserve Online in two weeks, ahead of the national lockdown.

2021

JCT600 logo rebrand

With our 75th birthday just around the corner, we were excited to take the wraps off our new logo. The new logo stays true to our roots, while also embracing a more modern, fresh feel

2021

Welcome to JCT600 Approved

We were delighted to announce the launch of our very own ‘JCT600 Approved’ seal of approval for used cars as the company brings together all our used car sales under one consistent brand across the Group.

2021

First online sale

With the automotive industry shifting gears to e-commerce, we had our very first online sale in the summer of 2021 and we continue to see online sales growing steadily.

2022

JCT600 becomes the largest VWCV retailer

As part of our Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles partnership, in 2022 we acquired Volkswagen Van Centre West Yorkshire to strengthen our retail van operation. This now makes JCT600 the largest Volkswagen Van retailer in the UK.

Representative finance example: Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)

Based on a cash price of £20,000 with a £4,000 customer deposit, borrowing £16,000 at a representative APR of 9.90% and the following:

48 Monthly payments of
£249.71		 Fixed rate of interest per annum
9.90%		 Optional final payment
£9,090.00		 Amount of interest
£4,826.37		 Total amount payable
£24,836.37		 Annual mileage limit
5,000		 Excess mileage charge
8.4p