HOW do you hand over 129 new SEAT Leons with panache? Well SEAT laid on retail theatre as their big reveal of the SEAT fleet has a virtual reality handover to the drivers.

Retail marketing agency Blue Square has taken delivery of 129 SEAT Leon 1.6 TDI SE Technology hatchbacks in a 24-month contract hire pckage, to be based across the country with its field sales team.

With a brief to deliver ‘retail theatre’, SEAT used Samsung technology to give drivers a unique virtual tutorial; using a VR Gear headset and the latest Samsung S7 smartphone drivers were taken through the features of the car virtually.

The unique delivery stemmed from strong ties with the technology firm. Blue Square currently looks after Samsung’s in-store retail marketing and SEAT and Samsung recently announced their own collaboration to develop leading-edge in-car technology.

The Leon’s class-leading roster of technology ensured that it brought essential equipment as well as extra space to the Blue Square fleet. In particular, the addition of Full Link will allow drivers to connect smart devices seamlessly, while the generously proportioned load area and spacious interior lend themselves well to duties of transporting clients and large equipment.

The Blue Square Leons are enhanced with the Appearance and Technology packages, the former adding 17-inch wheels and tinted rear windows and the latter bringing the SEAT Navigation System, DAB radio and full LED headlights.

The bespoke specification of Blue Square’s cars is further optimised with the inclusion of SEAT’s innovative Full Link connectivity solution for smartphones, including MirrorLink, Android Auto and Apple Car Play, as well as parking sensors.

SEAT announced its own partnership with Samsung at last year’s Mobile World Congress, where it showcased a Leon with connectivity technology incorporated to alter the car’s ambient lighting, climate control settings, favourite music and even a greeting message upon entering the car, as well as unlock and lock the car doors using a smartwatch.

The vehicles were supplied by the Business Centre at SEAT Watford, part of the Spire Automotive Group. Funding was provided by Volkswagen Financial Services, who created an optimal solution for the new Leons with a minimal cost base and overall cost-neutral change in the 24-month contract hire with maintenance.

Blue Square fleet manager Michele Owen said: “We needed to change our existing fleet and the Leon is spacious, well-equipped and has the style to reflect our brand image.

“Having driven the Leon myself, I can only echo the positive comments of our drivers who appreciate the Leon’s stylish looks, but also the fact it helps them work effectively. It is a very safe and practical car, with great driving dynamics and real ‘wow’ factor.

“Communication with SEAT has been excellent throughout and our contacts at Volkswagen Financial Services and Spire have been very proactive. Overall, the experience has been flawless.”

Peter McDonald, SEAT UK’s head of fleet & business sales, commented: “It is a significant achievement to be selected by a technology-focused brand to deliver a fleet solution, and colleagues across our fleet operation have worked hard to ensure that Blue Square’s drivers have cars that exceed their expectations and a truly exciting start to their SEAT journey with a unique collection experience.

“The Leon is a firmly established leader in its class and continues to impress with its unbeatable combination of style, dynamics technology and affordability and I am confident that it will enhance Blue Square’s operations.

“We are also delighted to be able to work alongside Blue Square and Samsung to help deliver creative solutions and will look to use the technology to its full potential in the future.”

Kate Wright of Volkswagen Financial Services added: “We worked closely with SEAT and Spire to fulfil the Blue Square’s brief of a ‘big reveal’ for the new Blue Square Marketing fleet in order to generate excitement with the drivers.

“This operation involved delivering all the vehicles in one go, as well as collecting all the returning fleet.

“The fleet of new cars was positioned away from the road so that it was a surprise for the arriving employees who came to collect their cars after a team meeting. The visual impact of more than 100 cars was not lost on the arriving drivers who gave a very positive response.

“The whole day required a great deal of co-ordination from SEAT, Spire Automotive and Volkswagen Financial Services.

“The account manager at Spire, Peter Kershaw, was involved in the organisation and delivery over two days, the purchasing department made sure the deliveries were logged on the system and the collections department made sure that all the returning vehicles were collected promptly on the day. All in all, it was a great team effort.”