At St Leonards Motors, we offer a vast range of new and used vehicles across all our dealerships. With over 60 years of trading experience, the St Leonards Motors team are fully equipped to assist you in choosing your perfect car to suit all of your requirements.

Our team of manufacturer-trained technicians work with cutting-edge diagnostic and repair equipment to ensure that your car runs smoothly and is off the road for as little time as possible- meaning that you can drive away full of confidence. 

As one of the leading car dealers across East Sussex, Kent and East Anglia, we pride ourselves on the excellent customer service we offer. Whether you're browsing for a new vehicle or simply in for a service- we will prioritise your satisfaction every step of the way.  

The SLM Group began as the vision of father and son team Graham and Brian Wakeford. Following the completion of his engineering training, Brian joined retired banker Graham in the purchase of a small garage on The Green, St Leonards-on Sea in 1958. On 1st January 1959, St Leonards Motors opened for business for the first time.

The enterprise expanded quickly, on the 11th October 1960 Brian and Graham were joined by John, Brian's brother, a retired pilot and aircraft engineer at Vickers Aviation. That same year, the business became St Leonards Motors Ltd under the control of the Wakeford family, who still own the company today.

In 1972 Bo Peep Filling Station was opened, followed by the main Fiat garage in 1973. At that time SLM, as they began to be known, also operated petrol stations at the original site on The Green, as well as Silverhill, Queens Road, Red Lake, and Sidley in Bexhill.

In 1986, the company and the aircraft relocated to Churchwood Drive. The beloved aircraft was eventually donated to a museum in the north of England but remains a fond memory of locals in and around Hastings.

In 1989, SLM split off its Bodyshop which finally settled in Brunel Road. In 1994 the site opened a Nissan dealership alongside the Fiat site, and in 1995 opened a Vauxhall site on Sedlescombe Road North.

In 2005, having outgrown the site in Bexhill the company moved its Toyota business into the same location as the Vauxhall site, and soon after acquired a second Toyota site in Uckfield.

In 2011, we opened our first dealership in Tunbridge Wells with a full Vauxhall dealership. During this time, the Bexhill site remained within the family as a specialist used car site. Recognising the success of this site, the company decided to introduce a large dedicated used car site in Churchwood Drive, St Leonards, and SLM Select Cars opened for business in 2013. 

In 2017, SLM Group expanded further by purchasing Dingles Motor Group based in East Anglia. This addition brought three Toyota dealerships - SLM Norwich, SLM Attleborough, SLM Lowestoft and a Lexus Authorised Repairer to the group, plus a second Bodyshop in Norwich.

In 2019, after many years at the helm, Managing Director, Ian Wakeford retired, at which point Mark Phillips, who joined the company in 1979 became Managing Director, accompanied by Gus Wakeford, Jason Barlow and Will Woods, forming the board of directors for the SLM Group.

2023 was a year of change and growth for SLM Group. The company were delighted to welcome the GWM franchise to its portfolio. On 14th June doors opened to the brand new GWM ORA showroom at Delft way, Norwich, marking the beginning of a new era in sustainable and innovative transportation solutions for the people of East Anglia. This addition was the ninth official sales and service centre in the UK for the brand.

In August 2023, the Churchwood Drive site became a large used car site under the name of SLM Select, and enhanced its aftersales services by becoming a BOSCH Service Centre, retaining ts Nissan Authorised Repairer status to continue to look after our valued Nissan customers.

In November 2023, SLM Group expanded further by acquiring two more family companies, with rich histories: Style Motors Limited, better known as SMC Motor Group, and Quest Motor Group. SMC Motor Group, operating for over 39 years, continues to operate under their current name, adding the brands Renault, Dacia, SEAT and CUPRA to the SLM Group. Quest Motor Group have been a family-owned company since 1924, and also continue to operate under their current name, adding a Suzuki site to the SLM Group.

After the groups expansion in 2023, Tim Kempner and Andy Bullimore became Group Operational Directors in 2024.

In July 2025 SLM Group announced the official opening of Alpine Store Weybridge the newest addition to the family-run business and a milestone moment for automotive enthusiasts across Surrey and beyond. 

SLM Group now operates sites across the South East and East Anglia. As of 2025, the family group is comprised of 5 Toyota dealerships, 1 Vauxhall dealership, 1 Suzuki dealership & Bosch Car Service, 1 GMW dealership, 2 Renault/Dacia dealerships, 1 SEAT/CUPRA dealership, 1 Alpine, 2 Body Repair Centres, and SLM Select & Bosch Car Service, our used car brand which has its flagship branch in St Leonards.

Interested in starting your career at SLM Group, click here to see our current vacancies.

View our Gender Report below:

GENDER PAY GAP REPORT