Proton winning over Daihatsu sites

Proton is poised to announce 12 new dealer signings in the UK with the brand saying the majority are coming from Daihatsu's network.

According to Simon Park, Proton's general manager for sales and marketing, the brand has received a growing amount of interest from dealers representing Daihatsu.

New signings
"About 80 per cent of our new signings are Daihatsu dealers.

"We're a smaller franchise in terms of requirements but we have a slightly broader range of cars and are placed at the right end of the value market," he said.

Sales fall
Daihatsu has seen its UK sales plummet by over half (52 per cent) this year to 2,187.

Proton's decline has been less severe with year to date sales down by 38 per cent to 846 units.

Park said the cost of entering the franchise is just £2,000 which has generated renewed interest in the brand, especially from non-franchised dealers.