Daihatsu aims to double UK sales
While most car franchises spend an obsessive amount of time and money on building and policing brand identities, Daihatsu s UK boss has a healthy disregard for what he describes as the corporate cufflinks culture which is forced upon many dealers. The brand is a niche player in the UK.
Since the turn of the decade annual sales have hovered above the 4,000 mark but with year-to-date sales tracking 25 per cent ahead of 2006 and apparently on course to hit 5,000 units, 2007 is shaping up to be a year of change for the franchise. The brand s Japanese masters want to rapidly grow international volumes so the next step for the UK will be a doubling of sales to 10,000 units by the end of 2009. Masterminding this drive is UK managing director Paul Tunnicliffe.
This is his second innings with the brand having been its marketing director when distribution was handled by Inchcape in the 1990s and sales, powered by daily rental and fleet deals, hit the 12,500 mark. He was promoted to his current position in 2005 and has also worked at Alfa Romeo and Land Rover.
Since 2000 UK distribution has been handled by International Motors, the Midlands-based importer which also looks after Subaru and Isuzu and is expected to shortly add a Chinese brand to its UK portfolio. Tunnicliffe is delighted with the brand s September sales which leapt 43 per cent year-on-year to 1,321 units the second biggest jump after Alfa Romeo.