Mitsubishi Motors in the UK is continuing to embrace the evolution of consumer car buying habits and expand its retail operation’s routes-to-market with the imminent opening of its first shopping mall-based store.
Located at intu Lakeside and due to open in June, the new store provides customers with an additional way in which to engage with the Mitsubishi brand and purchase a new vehicle. The development of the new store concept complements Mitsubishi Motors’ traditional dealer network and its Buy Online facility, making it one of the very few automotive brands in the UK to offer customers so many ways to choose how they can order and take delivery of a new vehicle.
Enjoying a prominent position in the high-footfall shopping and leisure destination, the store has been designed by leading retail design agency, Dalziel & Pow. Fixtures and fittings have been chosen to reflect the bold, adventurous nature of the SUV-focused brand with the 1,281 sq ft of space split into experience zones. The store also represents a further evolution in Mitsubishi Motors’ relationship with automotive retail specialists Rockar, with whom they have collaborated closely throughout the project.
In addition to a number of Mitsubishi Motors models, the store will feature interactive digital displays and inviting analogue content that encourages customers to discover more about the manufacturer and the advanced features of its vehicles.
The store is the latest development in an exciting year for Mitsubishi Motors. The recently-launched Eclipse Cross SUV helped Mitsubishi Motors in the UK buck the trends of a declining market, with sales increasing by 17.5 per cent to 5,997 vehicles in the first quarter of 2018. A second all-new model, the Mitsubishi Shogun Sport, is due to be launched in the second quarter, further enhancing the brand’s SUV line-up for 2018.
Rob Lindley, Managing Director, Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: “With the opening of our first Mitsubishi store in such a prominent and well-established retail location, we are putting the customer at the very centre of what we do by offering them more choice than ever before in how and where to purchase their new Mitsubishi.
“The store’s design perfectly conveys the bold, adventurous nature of the Mitsubishi brand and we’re delighted to partner with intu and Dalziel & Pow to create a platform that enhances our retail operation and will attract a whole new audience to our brand.”
Rebecca Ryman, Regional Managing Director for intu, said: “As a major retail and leisure destination in the south east of England, intu Lakeside welcomes a high number of shoppers drawn from the most affluent ABC1 socio-economic group. As a result, we’re seeing more and more premium car brands like Mitsubishi open a store to reach their target market.”
Elise Holmes, Associate Design Director at Dalziel & Pow, said: “We wanted the space to reflect the outgoing, forward-thinking spirit of Mitsubishi. By using innovative materials together with eye-catching displays and features, we have created an alternative car buying environment that perfectly conveys the rich heritage of Mitsubishi and the technological advancements that its vehicles are renowned for.”
