MAZDA is taking its test vehicles and finance business into the city homes of United Kingdom buyers after a successful two-year trial showed positive customer reaction.

The mobile service is a win for city buyers who are unable to visit a Mazda dealer and also for the dealer who may no longer have to invest in a showroom in expensive CBD property.

The Mazda MyWay program started as a trial in London two years ago. It has netted 375 new-vehicle sales since then and this week, Mazda announced it would expand the program to other UK cities.

Potential customers can arrange online with Mazda MyWay to have a brand ambassador deliver a car – sometimes more than one model – to their home or office for a 90-minute test drive. Any sales discussion, purchase or finance arrangements would then be conducted at the customer’s home.

Mazda UK managing director, Jeremy Thompson, who came up with the program and worked on it with automotive solutions provider Mea Via, told AM Online: “Although it can be difficult logistically, it is a very low-cost sales channel.

“There are no bricks and mortar and no commissions. We are now talking to interested dealers about rolling out the project to other major UK cities,” he said.

“When we started two years ago we had 12 ambassadors who between them could speak 18 different languages. We have now scaled need to demand and have six in London.

“We are now looking for dealers around the UK who have the desire to do something different, to appoint ambassadors to reach out to customers rather than wait for them to come through the door.

“It’s another way to get the brand on the shopping list.”

Mazda Australia told GoAutoNews Premium that while it was a successful program for the UK market, there were no plans to introduce it into Australia.

By Neil Dowling