DAIHATSU is making its distinctive Materia model available to disabled drivers and their dependents with no deposit via the Motability scheme.
This means that anyone who receives the higher rate mobility component of the disability living allowance can use it to fund the vehicle through Motability.
The recipients then use their weekly allowance to cover the lease of a new car every three years, which also includes insurance, servicing and maintenance, breakdown assistance and tyre and windscreen replacement.
Daihatsu has doubled its Motability business so far this year and is now on target to notch up 500 sales by the end of the year. The company joined the Motability scheme only last year but already has five per cent of all sales.
Motability operates the largest contract hire fleet in Europe with 47,000 vehicles, amounting to seven per cent of all new car sales in the UK.
The 1.5-litre Materia five-door offers 620 litres of load space with the rear seat folded and either 295 or 180 litres with the rear seat upright depending on whether the seat is slid forwards or backwards.
Equipment includes driver, passenger and side airbags, air-conditioning, four electric windows, CD tuner with six speakers, remote control central door locking, driver's seat height adjustment, sliding and reclining rear seat, alloy wheels and front fog lamps.
Anyone opting for the automatic model is required to pay a deposit of £750 under the scheme.