Continental Cars - Outlet Centre

It all started with one man and his tool box

The journey started in 1967 when a young Tim Bailey arrived at small workshop premises behind an unused Mobil petrol station at 40 Great South Road Newmarket.

As one of the three first A Grade technicians in New Zealand and with Service Manager experience at Town and Country Cars behind him, he started the company with nothing more than 600 pounds, a toolbox, an old Morris Minor van and a dream.

Tim’s passion was servicing continental cars, and so was born Continental Cars. From setting a new benchmark in customer service and from the humble beginnings of servicing and selling used Fiat Bambinas, the company continued to grow to a size that required investment to move the company forward and be New Zealand’s number one destination for European vehicles.

Sime Darby Motor Group’s involvement began with the acquisition of the company in 1999. Over the following years Sime Darby Motor Group invested heavily in new facilities that allowed the marques we represent to expand into purpose built dealerships in Newmarket and Greenlane.

Sime Darby began in 1910 when Scotsman William Middleton Sime and Englishman Henry Darby teamed up to form a company to manage a rubber estate in Malacca.

From these modest colonial beginnings Sime Darby has grown into one of Southeast Asia’s leading conglomerates. At present the Sime Darby Group employs over 100000 people in approximately 300 companies located in 20 countries around the world and has Revenue in excess of US $10 Billion . Today the Sime Darby Group parent company and head office are located in Kulala Lumper, in the capital of Malaysia.

Sime Darby’s success is due in part to their ability to recognise a winning formula and to that end they are committed to Continental Cars being managed by New Zealanders.

Today Continental Cars has six dealerships with nine vehicle brands and over 200 employees.

We have a passion for fine automobiles and now in our fifth decade we have been helping our customers experience the same passion.

Long may the passion continue.