MOTOR racing commentator Murray Walker will open the new £8m ICA Bristol auction centre in February next year. The centre will be able to offer around 70,000 cars a year in two American-style back-to-back auction halls, with buyers able to bid in both halls simultaneously.

Following ICA's acquisition of control over CMA Group last summer, with help from US-based Manheim Auctions, the new centre will be a second flagship for the ICA/CMA Group alongside CMA's Leeds headquarters. It will continue established ICA Bristol policy of selling fleet cars for contract hire companies, as well as dealers and individuals, but will also hold closed sales for manufacturers including Ford, Vauxhall, BMW, Fiat, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and VAG.

The 160,000sq ft centre on a 24-acre site at Ashton Gate, just south of the city centre, will be officially opened on February 17. It will include undercover storage facilities for more than 500 vehicles, customer parking for 400 vehicles, an on-site valeting service and restaurant facilities. There will also be a VIP viewing/hospitality area overlooking the halls.

The centre will offer total data capture for all vehicles on entry, designed to improve service, speed up processing of vehicles and produce up-to-date and flexible client reports and management information at the touch of a button.