Mitsubishi is to sell more than 2,500 nearly-new cars direct to the public in an attempt to clear central stocks and support residual values.

The weekend sales 'events' will take place at auction sites across the country, starting in Mansfield on March 24, run by local dealers who will be paid commission and handle part exchanges. The events will not be auctions and cars will carry a negotiable sticker price.

Denis Murphy, Mitsubishi Motors UK chief executive, said the sales would result in lower prices for customers and “acting with our retail network, reduce the distribution tiers between the manufacturer and the customer”. He said the move would save customers “thousands of pounds” on cars with manufacturer warranties.