Mangoletsi motoring with new Alfa range

SALES of an economical and highly-rated new car are helping Knutsford-based dealership Mangoletsi steer a steady course through the recession. 

The Alfa Romeo dealership has sold 500 MiTos since the range was launched in the UK last January – more than the combined sales of its other ranges.

Managing director Fraser Hudson expects the MiTo’s success to continue in 2010 as a new generation of lower emission and lower fuel consumption engines will be fitted from next month.

These ‘multiair’ engines are also designed to ensure that motorists experience higher performance.

Mr Hudson said: “We usually sell between 300 and 400 new vehicles in total every year so to sell more MiTos than the rest of our models combined goes to show how popular it has been.

“The results are even better when you consider that the car industry is supposed to be in crisis. It has kept us strong at a time when many other dealers have been struggling.

“We are seeing a trend of people switching to cars with smaller engines, largely due to fuel costs.

“That should work in the MiTo’s favour. It’s a compact sports car so has fantastic appeal, but it’s also affordable to run and reasonably priced.

“It seems to be ticking all the boxes at the moment and steering new customers towards the Alfa Romeo brand.”

Mangoletsi, which has been trading for 40 years, is also Alfa Romeo’s longest established British car dealership.