Daihatsu Pulls Out Of The UK Market

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Thu, 20 Jan 2011

Daihatsu has announced that it will stop selling cars in Europe from the start of 2013.

It added that sales in the UK will end with immediate effect since "there is no stock of new cars and no further orders expected".

The Japanese carmaker said its decision to pull of the European market was due to the continuing strength of the yen against the pound and the euro, which has made it made it uneconomic to import the cars over from the Far East.

Daihatsu sold just 170 cars in the UK during the whole of last year, compared to 2306 in 2009 and 4,000-plus in 2006.

A statement on its website read: "It was announced on 13th January 2011 that sales of Daihatsu motor cars will cease across Europe on 31st January 2013. This is due to the ongoing strength of the Japanese Yen, which has increased prices beyond competitive levels."

"There is no stock of new Daihatsu cars in the UK, and we do not expect to import any new cars in this interim period.

"However, we wish to reassure Daihatsu owners that all after sales services will continue unaffected. Therefore, the supply of spare parts will continue, and warranty work and servicing will be carried out at our official UK dealer network, which remains in place and whose details can be found on this website.

"We thank Daihatsu customers for their past custom and loyalty, and share their disappointment at this news."

While the Daihatsu brand exits the UK, it is believed that Daihatsu Vehicle Distributors, part of the Birmingham-based International Motors (IM) group and UK importers of Daihatsu cars, are preparing to introduce Chinese-produced Great Wall cars into the UK market later this year.