Mazda Grows Retail Business To New Heights

DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – April 8, 2010: Mazda UK broke the 50,000 annual sales barrier for only the second time in its history for the fiscal year 2009 to 2010. The month also marked the company’s second best March for passenger car sales with customers driving away in more than 10,000 new Mazda vehicles.

“While the scrappage scheme played some part in pushing the company to new heights, it was only about 17 percent of the month’s total sales,” explained Jeremy Thomson, managing director for Mazda UK. “What has really driven our sales is a very healthy retail mix with 70 percent of total sales to private buyers, well ahead of the industry average of around 55 percent.”

This shows the “tremendous underlying strength” of the brand, its products and dealer network, highlighted Thomson.

Mazda UK’s policy of focusing on its core retail customers and profitable small fleet business is also helping dealers make money – return on sales for Mazda’s 154-strong dealer network is some 50 percent higher than the industry average, he said.

Mazda2 has been a star performer for the brand with total sales for the financial year to March topping 20,000, which is some 7,000 more than in financial year April 2008 to March 2009.

One of the surprises in this recession year has been the legendary Mazda MX-5 where sales of 5,000 – one in ten of Mazda’s total – were only 600 down on the previous year. “The MX-5 has proved surprisingly recession proof and is a real brand icon for us,” said Thomson.

Mazda’s success in March saw it grab a 2.6 percent slice of the UK market, up from 2.4 percent during most of the previous 12 months.