PERRY Group has pulled out of car dealerships after selling its Perrys Motor Sales business for £25.9 million to its management team. The deal is part of a shake-up at Perry Group as it restructures the business to focus on its network of nationwide crash repair centres and on parts distribution.

Fleet business will form the focus for expansion in the crash repair network, which is expected to grow from 64 centres to about 100 in three years. The centres deal with about 30,000 repairs every year. The motor division covers 28 franchises and follows the sale of the firm's contract hire arm in 2000 to First National Vehicle Contracts, for £1.3 million. Last year, the group announced that results would be below expectations and a statement last week added: 'Nothing has occurred since then to change the board's expectations.'

The motor sales business will be renamed Pearlglass, although the dealerships will continue to trade as Perrys, under former motor division managing director Paul Millard and ex-finance director Ken Savage. About 1,100 staff will move to the new company, leaving 2,500 still working for Perrys firms.