Domino’s Pizza has been responsible for a tonne of innovations in its time, with its latest venture being a car designed specifically for pizza delivery.
Called the DXP and developed in conjunction with Chevrolet, the unique vehicle was unveiled by Domino’s yesterday at the company’s headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Based on the Chevrolet Spark, the DXP features specialised racks for carrying up to 80 pizzas at a time, along with a warming oven that can heat the pizza up to 140 degrees.
Power comes courtesy of a 1.2-litre ECOTEC engine, while the DXP also features an integrated driver information centre, and the OnStar system which supports an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot.
Brand-reinforcing touches also feature throughout the modified Spark, which range from a puddle light which projects the company’s logo onto the ground to Domino’s-liveried wheel caps.
Russell Weiner, president of Domino’s USA, said: “With all the changes that have occurred with this brand, one of the things that hasn’t kept pace is our innovation within delivery vehicles.
“We wanted to make sure that no one thought this was just a gimmick: this isn’t us producing an Oscar Mayer Weinermobile or just a fleet of branded cars.”
The DXP, Weiner stresses, is more than just a marketing exercise, and will begin to join the ranks of Domino’s delivery vehicles throughout the US in the next three months.
While the company initially intended to order only 20 DXPs as a test, franchisees have already ponied up enough money for 100 of the specially-modified car for use within 25 different markets.
Domino’s has also arranged for Chevy dealers in the country to offer full servicing for the DXP vehicles, from its regular components to its unique accessories and even the ovens.
There’s no word yet on whether or not Domino’s will be rolling out a similar scheme to the UK, but given that several franchises currently operate Renault Twizy delivery vehicles, it’s not unthinkable.
