Jaguar and Aston Martin Premier Concepts for Flagship Dealership
13 January 1998
Jaguar and Aston Martin Premier Concepts for Flagship Dealership
MAHWAH, N.J., Jan. 13 -- On January 20, 1998, Jaguar Cars and
Aston Martin of North America will premier the design concepts being developed
for their showcase facility, South Coast Motorcars. The prototype dealership,
slated to begin operation in the autumn of 1998, pioneers a new approach to
automotive retailing and will serve as the benchmark for Jaguar and Aston
Martin dealerships.
Innovative technologies to be revealed by Jaguar and Aston Martin
executives at the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach include a versatile
"video wall" showroom environment and the dealership's "house call" capability
for sales and service transactions. Architectural models of the elegantly
styled structure and grounds will also be displayed, along with a gallery of
South Coast Motorcars' advertising and demonstrations of the dealership's
Internet site.
The opening of South Coast Motorcars will mark the return of an authorized
Jaguar and Aston Martin dealership to the influential market of Newport Beach
and southern Orange County.
South Coast Motorcars to be a Role Model
"When South Coast Motorcars opens its doors for business, it'll be
anything but business as usual," says Michael H. Dale, president of Jaguar
Cars North America. "This dealership will be the testing ground for a host of
new and innovative operating concepts that stand to benefit Jaguar and Aston
Martin dealerships around the world."
Designed to serve as a role model for Jaguar and Aston Martin dealerships
worldwide, the development of South Coast Motorcars has involved extensive
research with Orange County owners of Jaguar, Aston Martin and competitive
vehicles. The group developing the showcase dealership has spoken
individually with customers and also benchmarked non-automotive luxury
retailers.
"From the client's point of view, every detail will have been considered,"
says Lawrence E. Williams, Jaguar's National Franchise Development Manager and
Project Manager for South Coast Motorcars. "We have spent a significant
amount of time with people in Newport Beach and southern Orange County to
understand what they view as the ultimate Jaguar and Aston Martin experience.
Our challenge is to shape and deliver that."
Development of the dealership is a joint corporate effort of Jaguar and
Aston Martin in North America, encompassing every detail from construction of
the facility to the recruitment of the personnel. While South Coast Motorcars
is a corporate-developed dealership, it will become a privately owned
enterprise at the time it opens for business.
Creating a Most Exquisite Motorcar Gallery
According to Williams, "In order for South Coast Motorcars to reclaim the
prominence of Jaguar and Aston Martin among luxury-car buyers in Newport Beach
and southern Orange County, it is essential that the dealership deliver a
special and memorable experience all day, every day."
The facility for South Coast Motorcars is designed to be as unique as the
motorcars. A distinctive circular plaza entrance and a car wash to be known
as "The Spa at South Coast Motorcars" are just two of the innovative elements
that set this dealership apart.
It's like driving up to a fine hotel," Williams says. "The entrance
design carries through to an elegant reception lobby and then into the
motorcar gallery. Every element has been designed to create a welcoming
environment that will put our clients at ease."
Bob Dover, Chairman and Chief Executive of Aston Martin, refers to South
Coast Motorcars as an "automotive art gallery." Says Dover: "That's how
we've designed it, because enthusiasts regard these cars as works of art."
Outdoors, vehicles will be displayed in garden-like landscapes. Indoors,
"fitting rooms," including a multimedia showroom theater, enable customers to
preview vehicles, an experience similar to being fitted at a fine clothier.
"Our emphasis is on showing off the products, rather than the traditional
selling process," Williams says. "The design encourages browsing, so people
never feel they have to be ready to buy something in order to go to South
Coast Motorcars."
South Coast Motorcars will recreate the age-old practice of "house calls"
for the convenience of clients. Representatives of the dealership, using a
laptop computer management system, will be able to complete the entire
purchase transaction within the client's home or office. The same system will
provide on-line remote technical advice and service write-up applications.
While design and processes are key, the most important element will be the
people. "We can design it and develop it, but at the end of the day, it's the
people who pull it all together," Williams notes. "Our challenge is
attracting, hiring, and retaining employees who will be inspired and
passionate about delivering the thoughtful and attentive service that Jaguar
and Aston Martin customers require."
Inquires regarding Jaguar at South Coast Motorcars may be directed to
888-222-9004; inquires about Aston Martin may be directed to 888-222-8990.
Information is also available through the South Coast Motorcars website, which
can be reached at http://www.southcoastmotorcars.com.
NOTE: Jaguar customers in Orange County are currently served by Bauer
Jaguar in Anaheim, California. Bauer will relocate to the Santa Ana Auto Mall
in summer, 1998, to serve the communities of northern and inland Orange
County. Aston Martin customers in Orange and San Diego County are currently
served by Aston Martin of Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California.
SOURCE Jaguar