Eight years ago, Weightman Digital was just starting to carve its place in the tech world when we introduced something that would reshape the motor industry: 360fortheforecourt. It was a pioneering service that allowed customers to virtually tour the interiors of cars online, something perhaps we take for granted today but was unheard of back then. Looking back, I still feel proud of what we accomplished and how ahead of its time it truly was.

During one of our projects with Luscombes of Leeds, a Suzuki dealer in West Yorkshire, we got the ball rolling on what would become a game-changer. The dealer principal, Robin, casually suggested in his broad Yorkshire accent: “Why don’t you use that 360-degree camera of yours and come up with something clever?”

We did just that. We developed a system where dealers could capture 360-degree photos of car interiors, upload them to a portal, and quickly generate interactive images that could be embedded on their website. This allowed customers to take virtual tours of the cars from anywhere.

What made it even better was that Luscombes of Leeds became the first dealership in the UK to offer such an experience. It wasn’t long before other dealers were taking notice. Luscombes had become the envy of the motor industry, and we were at the heart of that transformation.

the Original 360 for the Forecourt promotional training video

younger looking David Lewis and Neil Weightman kilted out for Awards night.

Winning a High Commendation Award at the Motor Trade Awards for 360fortheforecourt was a huge moment for us. As a small tech supply business, it felt like recognition for all the hard work and innovation we put into the project.

At the time, interactive photography for car sales was brand new, and we were one of the first to bring it to life. Today, it’s commonplace in the industry, but back then? We were setting the standard.

Now never being one to stand on the shoulders of giants, David Lewis, my ex-business partner, wrote the code and. handled the technical side of things.  The pair of us would also occasionally ask ourselves ‘What if we’d gone to an Angel Investor and scaled this up?”   The opportunities were clear, and I believe we could have taken it much further, but without the sacrifice of many of the other services we’d go on to offer. 

In the end, I have no regrets. The success of 360fortheforecourt helped shape Weightman Digital into what it is today, and I’m proud of the journey we’ve taken.

While many have since copied the concept, 360fortheforecourt was the first. It changed the way cars were marketed and sold online, making the experience more immersive and enjoyable for both buyers and dealers.

It’s still being used today, makes us extremely proud…. want to see it in action?   Take a look below….