Mazda model availability helps fleets beat waiting list nightmare
Mazda is looking to secure significant new corporate business as fleet managers and company car drivers benefit from across the range model availability in preference to waiting for up to five months or even longer for a new vehicle from a rival marque.
Vehicle waiting lists at some manufacturers are typically an average 10-14 weeks with some model order times stretching to five months and even longer meaning that delivery of a new car ordered today may not be until Christmas 2011 or even into 2012.
For fleets the lack of availability of a new company car can prove costly, while for drivers such delays are frustrating. The options facing businesses are typically to defleet on schedule and then hire a vehicle for the interim period or extend the replacement cycles which, for outright purchase fleets means a lower second hand value on the current vehicle or, for leased fleets, paying to extend the contract.
However, Mazda can point to a number of reasons for being able to meet fleet customer orders without significant delays. These include:
A flexible UK dealer allocation process due to the establishment of a ‘fleet vehicle sold order pot’ programme, which key dealers use to meet corporate demand within 10-14 days of orders being placed. Mazda and their dealers forecast the model mix they expect to be most popular with fleets based on market knowledge and order specification history. The vehicles are then manufactured and held centrally on the dockside at Zeebrugge in Belgium. When fleet orders are taken, dealers ‘pull’ cars from the ‘pot’ and deliver to customers within two weeks.
The recent addition to the Mazda range of the fleet-specific Mazda6 ‘Business Line’ model for which order books are now open with the first delivers due to coincide with the September registration plate change.
Mazda Fleet and Remarketing Director Steve Jelliss said: “We have good availability on all mainstream models. However, our diesel models are particularly popular with fleets and company car drivers for a number of reasons but notably a combination of strong whole life costs, high specification, competitive list price and low CO2 emissions figure which deliver financial benefits to managers and wallet-friendly benefit-in-kind tax bills to drivers, whilst also delivering a fun-to-drive experience.”
Among the most popular Mazda models in the corporate sector are the Mazda3 1.6D 5dr TS2 with CO2 emissions of 117g/km and the Mazda6 2.2D 5dr TS 129ps with CO2 emissions of 138g/km.
Further interest in the Mazda range has been boosted with the addition of the Mazda6 ‘Business Line’ model, which made its debut at the recent Company Car in Action event.
Jelliss highlighted: “The model attracted significant interest from fleet decision-makers attending the event and our corporate sales team is busy following up leads which we fully expect to materialise into orders.”
The ‘Business Line’ model is a single, fleet focused Mazda6 hatchback available with a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 129ps, priced at £18,300 on-the-road. Emitting 138g/km of CO2, the car sits in the 20 per cent benefit-in-kind tax bracket for 2011/12.
The model is available in the three most popular colours chosen by company car drivers - Black Mica, Sunlight Silver Metallic and Stormy Blue Mica. Equipment on the Mazda6 'Business Line' includes: Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist as well as front, side and full-length airbags, cruise control and dual-zone climate control air conditioning, plus a Sanyo TomTom® satellite navigation system with Bluetooth® technology and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Mazda anticipates that it will sell approximately 500 ‘Business Line’ models in the remainder of 2011. Annual sales are expected to total around 1,000 units.
Jelliss said: “With immediate availability and an anticipated monthly contract hire rate lower than significant rival models, the Mazda6 ‘Business Line’ will be well positioned versus its competition, including the premium badge cars. Given its tax rating, specification levels and the fact that there are long waiting lists for many alternatives from other manufacturers we are anticipating strong demand for the car.”
He concluded: “All of these factors put Mazda in a strong position to meet fleet and company car driver expectations and sustain and grow corporate sales across the UK.”
