Mazda Revolutionizes Car Buying With Lee Johnson Dealership

Lee Johnson Family Opens State-of-the-Art Facility Encompassing New Retail Philosophy at Lee Johnson Mazda

KIRKLAND, Wash., Nov. 1 -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) showcased its commitment to enhancing the car-buying experience for customers with the grand opening today of the Retail Revolution at Lee Johnson Mazda in Seattle.

Lee Johnson Mazda adopted the company's new retail philosophy that is focused on delivering unique buying experiences for car shoppers through technology, environment and the Mazda Test Drive.

"The blueprint for our new retail experience blends modern-day advances such as wireless technology and computer kiosks with sleek architecture and customer-centric design elements to create a car-buying experience like no other," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO of MNAO. "This concept injects our Zoom-Zoom philosophy into our dealer network, and customers will find that purchasing Mazda products mirrors the excitement of driving Mazda products."

No example better illustrates Mazda's new concept than the Mazda Test Drive. The experience has been created to highlight the company's mantra, "Mazda ... Always the Soul of a Sports Car." This is done through a custom test-drive route featuring carefully and uniquely selected routes, traffic patterns and road conditions specific to each dealership location.

Another key to Mazda's retail philosophy is found in the use of technology. Today, the vast majority of auto shoppers rely on the Internet to gather objective and reliable vehicle information. Consequently, this process brings an interactive component into the dealership, closing the gap between online information and the Mazda dealership and creating a "site-to-store" experience.

"One of our top priorities is to ensure that future consumers have complete access to everything Mazda before, during and after they purchase a vehicle," said Brett Johnson, dealer principal of Lee Johnson Mazda. "This new experience will only enhance Mazda earliest visions for potential car buyers."

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

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