LONDON Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealership Arena Auto has centralised its fleet operation for large customers to provide a more specialised and efficient service. A six-strong team has been created at the firm's Wembley offices as a single point of contact for major customers, including leasing and rental firms.

Local business will still be dealt with directly from the company's 16 sites based within the M25. The firm's 500 staff at the centres - seven Fiat dealerships and nine joint Fiat/Alfa dealerships - have been reorganised to cope with the sales rethink.

Fleet sales are roughly half the 10,000 annual sales for the firm, spread between local and central deals. It is hoping to achieve 20,000 units in the next two years. Arena Auto is owned by dealership group and contract hire operation Pendragon.