International Motors expects Daihatsu’s UK sales to reach 6,000 units this year on the back of the five-door Sirion, which goes on sale this month.

The importer, which also handles Subaru and Isuzu, took on the UK distribution for Daihatsu in January 2000, since when annual sales have remained at about 4,500 units.

However Paul Tunnicliffe, the recently appointed managing director, is confident of increasing units to 10,000 by 2008 following the arrival of a new Terios range next year.

“We see our future growth driven by new models,” says Tunnicliffe. “We expect to sell about 3,000 of the new Sirion models this year which equates to 50% of our total sales.

“This, coupled to the run-out programme we have for the current Terios four-wheel drive models, which we recently reduced by £2,000, should see us reach our target for this year.”

Tunnicliffe says the dealer network, increased by 40 to 125 in 2004, still requires growth to about 140 sites. “Although the profit margins are slim, we and our dealers are not in the business to lose money,” he says.