Daihatsu is offering to pay showroom set-up costs to tempt new dealers to join its expanding network. So far this year it has appointed 23 retailers, almost one a week, taking the network to 117.

The company wants more, highlighting open points in Carlisle, London (North-west and South-west), Edinburgh and Aberdeen, but concedes that while it would like to continue expanding at its current rate, momentum is likely to slow down. Multi-franchised sites are being considered.

Sales of Daihatsu cars have risen 16.25% over the first seven months compared with the same period last year. Including commercial vehicles, dealers had sold 2,889 units up to the middle of August, putting the company slightly behind its full-year aspirations of 6,000. Daihatsu says the new Charade and the Copen roadster will help to drive forward sales.

Paul Hegarty, operations director at Daihatsu, says: “We are delighted with our network development to date and are determined to add even more dealerships and bring the benefits of Daihatsu to even more towns and cities across the UK.”

Six dealers have been added in recent weeks, filling open points in Liverpool. Lowestoft, Chatham (Kent), Maidstone, Newbury, and Ruddington in Notts.