Kia Cars UK has teamed up with the Perry Group to launch a 'virtual showroom' network as a way of breaking into major conurbations and there are plans to offer direct internet sales.

Perrys, the £500m turnover group which stood at number 20 in the revised AM100 last autumn, is investing £200,000 in the venture.

Perrys, which holds the Kia franchise in Preston, Lancs, has been allocated the territory for North-west London where it has three aftersales centres.

Potential customers will contact KiaDirect via a website (www.kiadirect.co.uk) or by phoning a call centre to order a car or to book a test drive.