Mazda zooms to record month

September was a scorcher for Mazda UK. With sales of 9,400 cars, and a passenger car market share of 2.3 per cent, it was the company’s best-ever September and second best single monthly sales. The record month was March this year when Mazda sold more than 10,000 vehicles.

The strong September sales result puts the company on track to meet its objective of exceeding 50,000 units this year - another all-time first for Mazda in the UK.

“This would be an incredible achievement by our dealers and would really signal the strength of the Mazda brand. Last year we sold 46,801 units, so it would be a very significant increase despite a depressed market,” said Mazda Motor UK Sales Director Jeremy Thomson.

Strong performances by revised Mazda6 and new Mazda MX-5 boosted the month. Sales of MX-5 were 1,624, a remarkable 688 per cent increase over September 2005.

“The Third Generation Mazda MX-5 has really struck a chord with car buyers looking for a more rewarding, Zoom Zoom driving experience,” said Thomson. “MX-5 is not only the world's favourite roadster, it is also the best-selling sports car in the UK.”

Mazda6, despite being the oldest car in the current Mazda line-up, saw sales of 2,645, a six per cent increase over the same month last year.

“The Mazda6 caught the imagination of family car buyers and fleet drivers when we launched it in 2002, and the recent face-lifted model with many improvements and specification enhancements has cemented its position as one of the best selling cars in the segment.

What’s it’s secret?

“It’s won many awards, has very strong residual values and continues to provide a driving experience that is more rewarding than many of the competitors - especially the new MPS version which delivers 260ps and stunning performance. We have also increased the mix of diesels to better meet the market demand for these - particularly in the fleet sector,” Thomson explained.

Another highlight has been the sales of Mazda5 which reached 1,039 for the month, 82 per cent higher than September last year.

“Mazda5, our mid-sized multi-activity vehicle - or people carrier - has been extremely successful as more and more families appreciate the ingenious twin sliding doors that give class-leading access to the rear seats,” said Thomson.

“Combined with flexible seating for up to seven people and the recently launched Furano, a sporty limited edition model, we have a wonderful range in this very competitive segment. I also firmly believe that Mazda5 is one of the best-looking MPVs in the market today and really appeals to those who want a great-looking car as well as a very functional one.”

The record sales come at a good time for Mazda UK - last week staff welcomed
Hisakazu Imaki, President and CEO of Mazda, to the UK for the first time.

“We thoroughly enjoyed Imaki-san's visit and held a full business review to share with him how far Mazda has progressed in the UK in the last five years,” said Thomson.

“We presented how the brand has grown, along with a dramatic increase in our sales, the number of dealers selling our cars and - of course - the ever-increasing number of happy Mazda customers.

“We have our best-ever range of cars for sale in the UK and look forward to a very successful future with the brand.”