Airport Toyota upgrades to bigger dealership site as Autoleague increases footprint at EF Auto
Essendon Fields is pleased to announce that Airport Toyota, a foundation tenant in its successful EF Auto precinct, has signed an agreement to expand into a larger custom-built facility to accommodate the award-winning dealership’s growth plans.
The new Airport Toyota dealership, to be set over 10,900 sqm, will be located at 365 Wirraway Road and will incorporate a new 2,500 sqm showroom, 2,000 sqm workshop and mezzanine show room overlooking the Tullamarine Freeway.
Designed by JMA Architects, the new dealership is currently under construction by builders 2Construct with development management by Legacy Project Management. This new development at Essendon Fields Auto occupies the last remaining car showroom site on Wirraway Road and will be visible to over three million cars passing on the Tullamarine freeway each month once complete.
Autoleague, the owner of Airport Toyota, will also retain the current Airport Toyota site at 355 Wirraway Road, and reconfigure that space when Toyota moves to its new home in second quarter of 2025. This is a significant illustration of the commitment by Autoleague to grow its footprint at Essendon Fields Auto, taking the group to five dealerships featuring six global brands, now encompassing almost 67,000 sqm of leased space that includes showrooms and predelivery centres.
“The new site is setting us up perfectly to expand as the EV market continues to grow and prepares us for hydrogen vehicles, which are expected post 2030. We’re positioning ourselves to lead in this space as Toyota moves toward a multi-pathway approach to the future, covering both electric and hydrogen technologies,’’ he said.
“When we built the current Airport Toyota dealership 16 years ago, we had just 66 staff members. Today, that number has nearly doubled to 118, and that’s a big part of why we needed a new facility. Initially, we aimed to sell 1,500 new cars and 400 used cars per year, while servicing 55 customers daily. Now we’re handling 2,300 new cars, 1,000 used cars annually, and seeing 80 service customers each day from Essendon Fields Auto. The new site will give us the room to grow even more, especially in our service department, where we’ll be able to accommodate up to 130 vehicles daily,’’ finished Mr Scaturchio.
“Airport Toyota has been an anchor at EF Auto for more than 16 years and this is a fantastic next step for this market-leading brand. It’s the best site in EF Auto because it’s huge and has the best visibility from the freeway, and we’re excited to be able to deliver a new dealership to help Airport Toyota continue with their ambitious growth plans,” said Brendan Pihan, CEO of Essendon Fields.
Mr Pihan said the ongoing popularity of Essendon Fields Auto can not only be measured by the public being drawn to the precinct, but also dealerships making the decision to invest more heavily into Essendon Fields.
“Once Airport Toyota moves to its new site and the old dealership is refurbished, there will be more than 20 branded dealerships on show at EF Auto. Customers love the convenience of a one-stop shop, where they can see all the leading brands, compare options and get the best price all in one place. Customers love choice, convenience and competition. That’s why the EF Auto platform continues to deliver results for dealers” he said.
“Legacy Project Management is proud to have worked on multiple new dealerships at Essendon Fields and has seen the area’s exciting growth firsthand. The progress of the new Airport Toyota project is particularly special, and we look forward to working alongside Essendon Fields and Autoleague to continue shaping this precinct,” said Will Fuller, Senior Project Development Manager at Legacy Project Management.
“2Construct are excited to partner with Essendon Fields, Autoleague and Legacy Project Management on this significant project for Airport Toyota. Our experience in constructing car dealerships and industrial developments aligns perfectly with Toyota’s vision for growth, and we are excited to play a part in expanding their operations to meet future demands, including the growing EV and hydrogen vehicle markets, ” finished Peter Rahilly, Construction Director at 2Construct.
Construction is underway on the new Airport Toyota development, with the current Airport Toyota dealership open and trading whilst their new home is delivered.
