A POPULAR car maker is set to open its first ever gallery-style dealership – giving potential customers the chance to look around at what’s available without having to worry about high-pressure sales tactics.
Designed to offer a welcoming and stress-free environment, this concept is set to debut in a major US city – to showcase their innovative new vision for car buying.
Car giant Mitsubishi are planning to open a car dealership gallery to provide a pressure-free environment for customers[/caption]
Coming to Antioch, Tennessee, the concept looks to ditch traditional dealerships to give customers the chance to explore their vehicles without feeling pressured[/caption]
Coming to Antioch, southeast of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Mitsubishi will be hoping to expand its brand with an intriguing gallery dealership setup.
Their main focus is to ditch traditional car dealerships to give customers the chance to explore their vehicles without feeling pressured to make a purchase.
Their strategy, part of their so-called Momentum 2030 business plan, is to strategically place the outlets in busy, multi-use areas such as shopping malls, retail hubs or mixed-use developments.
This first one, for example, will be located in Century Farms – which already houses dozens of retail and restaurant sites.
And unlike traditional dealerships, these gallery locations will not hold large inventories of vehicles.
Instead, cars will be sourced from the dealer partner’s main sales facility when a customer is ready to purchase.
Mitsubishi say the design of the gallery reflects a modern retail aesthetic and combines elements of education, exploration and convenience.
Staff at the gallery are brand experts, there to offer in-depth knowledge about Mitsubishi’s vehicles, technology and features.
Their role is to guide customers through the research and buying process.
And if a customer decides to make a purchase, the process is simplified, with the vehicle and necessary paperwork managed through the operating dealer partner.
Mitsubishi’s new approach has been made in an effort to increase their visibility in the US – particularly in areas where they feel they are underrepresented.
They hope this first proof-of-concept model will serve as a blueprint for other Mitsubishi dealer partners across the US.
The first Mitsubishi gallery dealership is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026, with renovations for the facility to begin this month.
This comes as, earlier this year, the Japanese marque revealed they were distancing themselves from their owners Nissan by abandoning one of their designs.
The new Mitsubishi Outlander, scheduled for release in 2027, will now be built on an in-house platform instead of using Nissan‘s tried and tested design.
In recent times, the iconic Outlander has struggled to sell in the US which has prompted the brand to consider a redesign.
The current model shares plenty of tech and design with the Nissan Rogue, which in turn rides on a Renault-Nissan platform known as the Common Module Family.
But now it looks like this will last for just one generation, as Auto News recently revealed Mitsubishi is looking to use a modified in-house platform for the next Outlander.
Nissan already sold part of its stake back to Mitsubishi in November in a bid to improve its balance sheet.
This came just weeks after they abruptly ended discussions with Honda over a potential merger – marking one of several challenging moments for the car giant.
Dealership Tips
Here are some expert tips when purchasing a car from a dealership lot:
- 1. Set your price: Ensure you’ve calculated your monthly budget before going to the lot. You should include the car’s loan payment, insurance costs, fuel, and regular maintenance.
- 2. Research: Make sure you know which cars you’re interested in test driving before you reach the dealership.
- 3. Pre-approval: Secure financing before you go to the dealership. Dealerships may give you a better interest rate if they are competing with an outside bank.
- 4. Test away: Get behind the wheel before making any payments. A car purchase will be worth thousands of dollars – drivers should ensure they like the drivetrain, steering feel, and comfort of the car before taking it off the lot
- 5. Haggle: Drivers should always try to negotiate the price. There are so many good cars on the American market – buyers have a strong hand when negotiating price.
Source: Kelley Blue Book
