The renovation of Alan Mance Mitsubishi’s showroom follows the first Australian dealer to adopt the new look, Paul Wakeling Mitsubishi in Campbelltown, NSW.
MI-Playground – pronounced “my playground” – began its global rollout in 2019 and hit Australia last year.
Alan Mance Motors managing director Phillip Mance said he was very happy with the look of his dealership in Footscray, telling GoAutoNews Premium that the striking black finish produced a “class” appearance.
“It looks fantastic and at night it is really something special,” he said.
“Having the service department open to the showroom – previously it was in its own little box – gives the interior an open feel that allows customers to interact between sales and service.
“The workshop is behind glass with the service reception in the main showroom so there’s now no division between the two.”
Mr Mance said this is the second corporate identity program he has been through with Mitsubishi in the dealership’s 25-plus years with the brand.
“Previously it was white – which we have had for about 15 years – and before that the Mitsubishi colours and look was based around the colour blue,” he said.
The showroom features a black ceiling with lighter-coloured tiles designed to amplify the look of the cars on display.
The new CI has an open layout with plenty of room between the showroom cars, a dedicated delivery section for new customers, a TV wall that runs lifestyle images, a computer screen that allows customers to research and select accessories for their Mitsubishi, a lounge, cafe and a business centre with internet and phone charging.
“We see it as a step towards making people comfortable while waiting for their service or while browsing new models,” Mr Mance said.
“I think this upmarket appearance and the features of the showroom add to the professional impression of our dealership and that goes a long way to customer retention, especially now Mitsubishi has a 10-year warranty.”
The MI-Playground is based around Mitsubishi’s “Drive your Ambition” brand message and aims to “serve as a field of interaction and inspiration” to display the brand’s culture and technologies.
In a statement, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) said: “MI-Playground refers to an idea that everyone can experience and enjoy this platform, where ‘M’ stands for Mitsubishi Motors, and ‘I’ stands for intelligent, inspiration, ingenious and interaction.”
“MI-Playground marks the company’s dedication to continuously enriching customer experience that feels personal, adventurous and progressive.”
The company said the showroom is about maximising the customer experience and expects to bring visitors an enjoyable experience to test the latest Mitsubishi models and feel closer to the brand.
MMC said the new retail design would eventually spread to its 5000 global dealerships.
By Neil Dowling
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