Dr Hodds is in the pink with her Sorento

Sandicliffe Motor Group, the East Midlands family-owned car retailer, has made one customer’s lifelong dream come true and created a real life ‘Penelope Pitstop’ after spray painting Dr Elizabeth Hodds new Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE in her favourite colour, pink. The car is thought to be unique in being the only bright pink Sorento in the UK.

Dr Hobbs from Rugby has been a GP in the area for 10 years and is known for cheering her patients up with her pink consultation room but she has always wanted a motor to match. After upgrading her Kia with the family-owned dealership and making her request, her dream has become a reality after picking up her newly sprayed motor. The body shop worked with her to find the exact shade of pink she wanted, Bright Barbie Pink, she even wears the sample colour tag given to her round her neck on a chain as a memento.

Her pink obsession also includes a pink stethoscope, pink mobile phone, pink camera and pink Crock shoes. She is also planning on a new pair of pink sunglasses for driving and some accessories to match her new car.

Dr Hodds said; ‘I have always wanted a pink car and cannot believe that I finally own one thanks to Sandicliffe Kia. As a child I always did everything I could to not conform and was never a girlie girl but as I became older my obsession with the colour pink began! I loved my Kia Sorento but it was time to upgrade and I knew they would give me a good deal. It turned out that the cost of the car plus the re-spray totalled the same amount being charged by other dealers for the car alone! I am finally driving the car of my dreams!

‘The sales team were so helpful, as were the body shop who worked with me to find the exact shade of pink that I wanted and I am absolutely delighted’, she added.

On this unusual request, Sandicliffe Leicester Kia Branch Manager Adey Allen, commented; ‘We have been asked for many things in our time but this definitely tops the list and is the first time a customer has ever asked for a car to be spray painted in such a vibrant colour.’

Sandicliffe Motor Group recently picked up three awards, Excellence in Customer Service, the inaugural award for Best Environmental Policy and Best Marketing at the AM awards in 2008 and was nominated for Best Retail Group and Best Training Programme.