ABD Leeuwarden expands with Mitsubishi: ‘Dealers have better customer communication than manufacturers’

Frisian dealer Renault ABD Leeuwarden will also carry the Mitsubishi brand. ABD already sells Renault, Dacia and Nissan in Leeuwarden.

To accommodate the expansion, the company is building a new showroom next to the existing branch in Leeuwarden. The new building is specially designed for the arrival of Mitsubishi. Nissan customers will also be served from the new showroom, Gerry Okkema, director of ABD, told AM.

“We have been in discussions with Mitsubishi for some time about representing the brand in the Leeuwarden area. From this year we will be a Mitsubishi dealer for the whole of Friesland. We will start in Leeuwarden in June and we will add another part of Friesland before the end of this year. This gives us the opportunity to be one of of the first dealers in Europe to represent all four brands of the Renault Alliance. The showroom expansion will soon make room for Mitsubishi and Nissan. This gives the Renault and Dacia brands more space in the existing showroom,” says Okkema.

Relatively simple

Why does Okkema choose to also carry the Mitsubishi sub-brand? “That has everything to do with the fact that it is part of the Renault Alliance. The technology is known, but the cars appeal to a different group of customers that you can easily add. According to Okkema, the typical Mitsubishi customer is generally the private car buyer “They are increasingly choosing private rental,” notes the director of ABD.

ABD was bought by Emil Frey in 2022. Other major changes, such as the establishment of an agency, are not planned. Much to OKkema’s relief. “All brands in the Renault alliance choose local dealers. I am very happy with that choice. A local dealer has better communication with the customer than the manufacturer. Now you see that the brands involved in agency work are delaying or postponing the publication.”