ACCC approves Peter Warren's acquisition of Wakeling Automotive's dealership sites subject to conditions

The ACCC has approved, subject to conditions, the acquisition by ASX listed Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Limited of 30 new and used car dealership sites in New South Wales from Wakeling Automotive Group. The acquisition involves Peter Warren acquiring the shares of Paul Wakeling Motor Group Pty Ltd and Wollongong City Motors Pty Ltd, along with the business and assets of the Moss Vale Motor Group operated by Hurrikayne Pty Ltd. Peter Warren already operates more than 80 dealership sites across 25 locations on Australia's east coast and represents more than 30 vehicle brands.

The ACCC's phase 1 determination, published on 4 September 2026, found that the acquisition as originally proposed could substantially lessen competition in the supply of new cars, servicing and repairs in Sydney's Macarthur region, where Peter Warren and Wakeling both operate dealerships around Campbelltown, Narellan and Smeaton Grange. Without conditions, the ACCC found the combined business would have operated 25 of 34 new car dealerships in that region. To address this, Peter Warren offered, and the ACCC accepted, an enforceable undertaking under section 87B of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 requiring divestment of eight dealership sites representing the Kia, GMSV, RAM, Isuzu UTE, GAC, Volkswagen and Suzuki brands.

The matter proceeded through the ACCC's mandatory merger notification regime: Peter Warren lodged an initial phase 1 notification in March 2026, the ACCC moved the matter to a phase 2 review in June 2026, that phase 2 review ceased after a written request from Peter Warren, and Peter Warren then lodged a fresh phase 1 notification in July 2026 accompanied by the remedy offer that the ACCC ultimately accepted. It confirms that regionally concentrated dealership acquisitions, not only large national transactions, are being assessed in detail under the mandatory regime and can attract conditions targeted at specific local markets.