Final Four Event 2019

Bellevue Final Four Event 2019

Bentley, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce Seattle, part of OpenRoad Northwest in Bellevue, have teamed up with J.P. Morgan to provide customers with a unique driving experience for the Final Four Drive Event in March. All four supercar brands were available for participants to experience their respective motorsports pedigrees and unparalleled road handling in a VIP street drive setting.

Bellevue_FinalFourEvent_2019

Participants were able to privately test drive the latest supercars with a designated product expert to demonstrate each vehicle, and they enjoyed post-drive refreshments. The vehicles present at the event included the Bentley Continental GT V8, Lamborghini Urus, McLaren 600LT, and 720S Spyder, and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. 

B.C. dealership looks south to pump up supercar sales

Written by Albert Van Santvoort  (April 4, 2017)
 

B.C.’s largest automotive dealership group has taken over the only supercar dealership in Washington state.

The term “supercar” defies easy explanation but is usually applied to powerful elite sports cars or grand tourers, often from high-end makers such as Ferrari (Nasdaq:RACE) or McLaren, which appeal to vehicle enthusiasts and collectors with very deep pockets. 

While Craig Stowe, founder of the Luxury and Supercar Weekend, dubbed Vancouver North America’s supercar capital in 2016 for having the highest number of supercars per capita, sales growth may have peaked.

Scotiabank’s (TSX:BNS) Global Auto Report released last month said luxury car sales in B.C. have grown 25% this year. But it warned that growth would moderate as B.C. provincial activity softens.

“I think certainly the growth trajectory has slowed,” said Dimitri Kotsalis, area general manager for OpenRoad Auto Group. “We’re not going to see the kind of increases we’ve seen in that last eight or 10 years. I think we’ll continue to see steady, slower growth but there’s still room to push the needle a little bit further in Vancouver.”

Expected slower growth in B.C.’s luxury and supercar market is causing OpenRoad Auto Group to look south. The group recently bought a Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce (LON:RR) dealership in Bellevue, Washington.

Washington provides a newer market for the supercar industry, which has only recently started to develop significantly in that state.

OpenRoad saw Washington’s aging population with growing disposable incomes as a market it couldn’t pass up.

Despite the threat of increased trade barriers from the new U.S. president, Kotsalis is optimistic about the stability of the market based on the early days of the new administration.

“So far, what we’ve seen in early days is that the market continues to perform and seems like quite a stable market,” said Kotsalis. “Whether there will be any effect in the future remains to be seen, but for now we’re surely comfortable.”

Supercar sales in B.C. grew at five times the pace of all new car sales in 2016. That has not eaten into new car sales from lower-end brands, Kotsalis said, because supercars are usually bought in addition to, rather than instead of, other vehicles.

Blair Qualey, president and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC, said low import taxes in Canada have contributed to Vancouver’s success in the supercar industry.

Countries like Malyasia and Indonesia have high import taxes to promote sales of domestic car brands. China and Hong Kong have luxury sales taxes that apply to supercars. Canada has neither.

“The supercar retail industry has been swinging way above [its] weight for some time now in the Lower Mainland.” 

 

To view the original article, visit:

https://www.biv.com/article/2017/4/bc-dealership-looks-south-pump-supercar-sales/

OpenRoad revs up expansion with first U.S. dealership by acquiring Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce in Bellevue, Washington

February 3, 2017 (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) – OpenRoad is pleased to announce that it is expanding once again – this time south of the border with the acquisition of an established luxury dealership in Bellevue, Washington that represents a trio of the most iconic automotive brands in the world – Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“This is an incredible opportunity to grow our luxury line up and expand our dealership group by entering into a new, world-class market that’s only about a three-hour drive from Vancouver – or less if you’re driving a Lamborghini!” said Christian Chia, President & CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group. “We look forward to working with General Manager, Mark Maakestad and getting into the spirit of the Seattle Seahawks with the rest of his team!”

The acquisition of Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bellevue was completed on January 19 and will be OpenRoad’s first foray into the U.S. market. The addition of the Bellevue dealership follows OpenRoad’s corporate strategy to expand existing relationships in key markets.  OpenRoad already owns and operates a Rolls-Royce dealership in Vancouver, while Bentley and Lamborghini are part of the VW Group of Companies along with Audi and Porsche – three brands OpenRoad has proven to be successful with in Burnaby and Langley, British Columbia.

As demand for luxury and ultra-luxury brands continues to grow, so will production of exclusive new Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce models. In 2018, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is slated to launch their flagship, Phantom Sedan and soon after an SUV code-named Cullinan. Lamborghini, the iconic Sant’Agata-based exotic car brand known for their V12 power plants and the iconic Miura sports coupe will continue to produce some of the best super cars in the world. Bentley Motors will mark its centennial anniversary in 2019 along with the company’s celebrated history as the ultimate British luxury automobile icon.

OpenRoad’s newest dealership is located in an urban center just 16 kilometers outside of Seattle in a region that’s home to many of the world’s leading companies, including Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Paccar, Costco and Amazon.  Bellevue has many of the same characteristics that make the Greater Vancouver area so desirable like its prime location in the Pacific Northwest, its cultural diversity, robust economy, beautiful geography and mild climate.

ABOUT OPENROAD AUTO GROUP

OpenRoad Auto Group is B.C.’s largest automotive dealership group with over 900 associates representing 15 quality automotive brands at 19 full-service car dealerships. Established In 2000, OpenRoad Auto Group offers car buyers and owners an experiential automotive retail service. With sales and service in multiple languages, OpenRoad Auto Group encourages a car buying experience based on openness, participation and expertise. OpenRoad is proud to be one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, a CADA Laureate, and the recipient of multiple Canadian Best Employer Awards. www.openroadautogroup.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tanis Sullivan
Tanis Sullivan Communications
(604) 230-8008
tanis@tanissullivan.com