Mazda UK are offering customers special editions of the Mazda 3, Mazda 5 and Mazda 6 with extra specification as standard, from styling enhancements and added accessories to touch screen satellite navigation and cash savings.

Badged as the Katano (Mazda 3 & 6) & Furano (Mazda 5), the special editions offer families even greater affordable family motoring this autumn, as well as price advantages over equivalent standard models.

There are no plans to offer these vehicles on Contract Hire, as production is strictly limited, but Mazda have introduced the Special Edition Sakata 3 & 6 models on to their Contract Hire plans.

Starting from only £159* per month for the Mazda 3 Sakata and £169* per month, these 'Special Editions' represent outstanding value for money.

Mazda UK has appointed Terry Swanton as national corporate sales manager and recruited an additional contract hire manager, fleet co-ordinator and fleet operations manager to cope with increased fleet demand.

Mr Swanton (pictured), who took up his post on 1 July, has been employed by Mazda for eight years and for the past two years has been regional business manager. Prior to joining Mazda he spent two years as after sales director at a Honda dealership and a decade with Honda UK. He will manage the current team of corporate sales managers as well as forge closer relationships with Mazda's Fleet Specialist Dealer network helping them to target companies in their local areas in pursuit of increased business.

Mr Swanton said: “We want to more closely integrate the head office fleet team with our specialist dealers to leverage more business. Additionally, a larger team of corporate regional sales managers will enable Mazda to further improve relationships with existing customers and develop new business opportunities.

“We are encouraging our dealers to ‘woo’ their local businesses to sample the Mazda experience. Once companies have done that we believe dealers will also handle vehicle service, maintenance and repair and ultimately replacement models. It is all about providing dealers with new business opportunities and additional revenue streams. We want to focus dealers on end-user business and encourage them to work as locally as possible.

“By defining the fleet opportunity offered by Mazda to more dealers we can help them increase showroom traffic. That will then, naturally, result in more workshop and aftersales opportunities.”

Newly appointed Mazda fleet co-ordinator is Richard Whittam, who is the administrative and information-providing interface between the regional corporate sales managers, Mazda dealers and contract hire companies.

Mazda UK has opened its own Corporate Support Centre (CSC) and expanded its corporate sales team under the leadership of fleet and remarketing director Adam Pumfrey to meet increasing demand from business users.

The Twickenham-based Mazda Corporate Sales Support Centre, which opened on July 1, replaces the Mazda Business Centre.

The Mazda Business Centre opened four years ago and has played a crucial role as the brand’s fleet sales have increased from around 3,000 units in 2002 to over 18,000 fleet units this year out of a total volume of around 50,000 registrations. Last year sold a total of 45,706 vehicles in the UK of which 15,998 vehicles went to fleets.

The new Corporate Support Centre will provide an enhanced one-stop service to fleet operators, contract hire and leasing companies as well as Mazda franchised dealers and the Mazda corporate sales team.

Mr Pumfrey explained: “The new Centre will give us everything we had before and more. The new sophisticated online services will allow company car drivers to interact closer than ever before with Mazda and advise us of their requirements.”

“Existing customers require ongoing service and support and that is what the CSC provides as it is staffed by a Mazda dedicated team of fleet professionals.”

Typically telephone and email inquiries will range from scheduling and booking Mazda demonstrators for both existing clients and prospects to supplying vehicle wholelife cost figures, product information and dispensing benefit-in-kind tax data to handling event invitations to fleet operators.

Mazda’s new Siebel database now enables the brand to offer services on a pan-European basis and, within the next 12 months, an online relationship tool will be launched that will enable interaction directly with drivers as well as fleet operators. Additionally, customers and prospects will be able to check demonstrator availability and book vehicles online.

Mr Pumfrey said: “The technological advancements take Mazda significantly forward such as wireless access 24/7 for the Regional Fleet Sales Managers allowing them to be in contact with customers anytime. Mazda has already been tremendously successful in fleet, but to further expand it is vital that fleet operators and company car drivers have all the information at their disposal to make informed decisions on the Mazda range.

“To be successful in fleet a manufacturer has to deliver excellent service. As business increases and Mazda’s corporate sales team expands the CSC has been developed to meet anticipated demand. It is a vital cog in our fleet business machine."