England rugby legend Austin Healey lives up to his name by becoming ambassador for car company in Milton Keynes

Austin Healey has kicked off the ambassador programme for SOGO, which has chosen MK as the site for its first customer service centre.

SOGO managing director Karl Howkins said: “Austin embodies the drive and commitment to excellence that sits at the heart of our business. In his ambassador role, he will help develop our brand by fronting marketing campaigns and attending customer events.

"This association coupled with the launch of our customer service centre, all adds up to a very exciting start to the year for SOGO.”

Mr Healey had 51 caps for England and two Lions caps, along with a long-career with Leicester Tigers. Since retiring from the sport, he has built a successful media career.

SOGO is a new mobility provider that offers an innovative leasing model in the UK for SMEs, micro-businesses and corporates. It provides an ultra-flexible service with leases available from one month to four years and has built a fleet of around 5,000 vehicles.

The firm uses technology to give a digital-led service that allows customers to order a vehicle in a matter of minutes.

Mr Healey said: “I’ve found the team at SOGO have a real passion and vision for where they want to take their business, and it’s exciting to be part of the team. It feels like they’ve tapped into a desire by both companies and consumers to consider more flexible ownership models.”

He was named after the British sports cars made in the 1950s through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and the Donald Healey Motor Company.

He has previously been quoted in national media saying: "Yes, I was named after the car company. My grandad was a bit of a car collector and it was his idea."