One of the UK’s most distinctive new cars – the Daihatsu Materia – has had a psychedelic makeover by an enterprising dealer.
For Lynx Daihatsu of Yeovil Somerset is celebrating the car’s eccentricity through head-turning ‘groovy’ graphics with a ‘Flower Power’ flavour.
“We all sat down and brainstormed how to promote this quirky car and I came up with the idea of a psychedelic theme,” said Aftersales Manager, Nick Morgan.
He added: “The inspiration was a pop video on YouTube called ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ by Deee-Lite and I briefed the graphics company, Motor Mode UK of Kent to come up with something similar.
“The result is really head-turning but it was a nightmare to apply all the stickers and it took our workshop two days. It was only after we completed the work that we decided to restrict it to one demonstrator.”
So far the car has been displayed in various supermarkets and town centres in the area and Lynx Daihatsu has also produced special ‘Get In The Groove’ hand-out cards.
Dealer Principal, Derek Bunning, says it is difficult to quantify Materia sales as a result of the campaign but at least one Sirion was sold to someone who visited the showroom after seeing the funky Materia promotional car. Launched in mid-2007, the 1.5 litre Materia five-door belongs to a style of car already attracting a cult following in both Japan and the United States.
Its boxy yet wide and squat design liberates outstanding interior space within dimensions similar to the Vauxhall Meriva and Renault Modus.
The Materia offers 619 litres of load space with the rear seat folded and either 294 or 181 litres with the rear seat upright (VDA) depending on whether the seat is slid forwards or backwards.
Equipment levels are also high and include: driver, passenger and side airbags, air-conditioning, four electric windows, CD tuner with six speakers, remote control central door locking, driver’s seat height adjustment, sliding and reclining rear seat, alloy wheels and front fog lamps.
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