Mazda UK managing director Jeremy Thomson has told AM that the brand plans to “capture back” 50% of March sales lost to COVID-19 ‘Lockdown 3’ showroom closures in April, May and June.

Thomson, who had previously told AM that he hoped to see a “long tail of recovery” after England’s car dealerships re-open their doors to customers on April 12 said that the Japanese brand and its retailers have reasons to be upbeat.

He said that pent-up demand, the new UK/Japan trade deal and the launch of an important new model in the form of Mazda’s first electric vehicle (EV) – the MX-30 – this month, should all help boost its fortunes.

Year to date to the end of February, Mazda’s sales were 58.2% down at 1,244 (2020: 2973), according to data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), in a market down 38.1%.

Speaking at this week’s launch of the MX-30, Thomson said: “We want to capture back 50% of the lost March opportunity in April, May and June.