THE expansion of Sir Arnold Clark's car dealership empire continued yesterday with the opening of Europe's largest car showroom, under the Machargs banner. The GBP7m "super dealership" in the recently regenerated Glasgow Harbour district, will employ 200 staff in a three-storey, 110,000 sq ft development, selling Mazda and Ford marques. Clark (pictured), whose father was a Clydeside shipworker, welcomed the development on the former brownfield site as part of the renewal of the river, while Elizabeth Cameron, Glasgow's Lord Provost, who opened the facility, said: "This is further evidence of the Clyde being taken back to the time when commerce was at the heart of the riverside." Machargs was formed in 1921, while Clark opened his first showroom 50 years ago. In May this year he acquired the Harry Fairbairn BMW and Mini dealership. The bulk of the Arnold Clark dealerships are in Scotland,

although around 30 are south of the border and the company recorded operating profits of GBP65m in 2005, on sales of GBP1.7bn.