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    World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    (11-05) 21:14 PST Santa Ana, CA (AP) -- The world's largest dealer of Lamborghini has shut down. Lamborghini Orange County was renown for catering to the glamorous fans of the 12-cylinder $600,000 sports cars. Its doors were padlocked Wednesday. It sold about 10 percent of the 2,400 Lamborghinis made in the world annually. NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Dennis Rodman were among its customers. The dealership flew in actors Eric Roberts and Luke Perry by helicopter from Los Angeles to attend a company event earlier this year. Other promotional parties have featured stars such as Elton John and Sharon Stone. The owner of the Santa Ana-based dealership would not comment on the closure. Lamborghini's separate sales company in the United States says the dealer closed because of its own mistakes, not the economy.
    --

    Mike

    2005 Carrera GT - Signal Yellow

    2004 996TT Cab X50 PCCB - Lapis

    1972 BMW 3.0 CSi - Nachtblau


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Interesting. That area of Cali would have a ton of customers for Lambo. Maybe the dealer and the factory had a falling out?

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    They sold 10% of all Lambos made per year! Whoa! That's a signifcant number. That sort of number will get you leverage at the corporate level - enough to leverage to have changes made to products in development.

    And then you had their service and aftermarket sales, so you know they were making a good 30-40pts in margin on that easily. Even I knew about/heard about their exhaust systems.

    Sounds to me as if this company made a bunch of financial gaffs and then you

     Perhaps spending too much. Perhaps putiing on too much of a show while courting high net worth and celebrity clients? The real story will shake out soon enough though.


    --
    ...the only thing stopping you, is you!

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Lamboorghini sales were down 5% in the U.S. compared to last year. Winkelmann says he wants to reduce dependence on U.S. sales...

    http://horisly.blogspot.com/2008/10/sept2008-auto-sales-lamborghini-sales.html

     


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    RSA333:

    Lamboorghini sales were down 5% in the U.S. compared to last year. Winkelmann says he wants to reduce dependence on U.S. sales...

    http://horisly.blogspot.com/2008/10/sept2008-auto-sales-lamborghini-sales.html

     


    Every car maker took a hit in the US last year given the financial and mortgage related collapses.

    They would all like to reduce their dependance on the US sales and bump more into Eastern Asia and Middle East.

    Ain't gonna happen ...

    America will always be the biggest market. Unlike Europe or Asia, we're a very "car centric" country. It's part of our heritage.

    Not to mention, our national transportation infrastructure is based on passenger vehicle transportation as opposed to rail, bus, motorbikes, etc. as it is in other countries.


    --
    ...the only thing stopping you, is you!

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Not every auto manufacturer suffered this year....for example, Volkswagen Global Sales Up 3.9%, Profits Jump 15% For First 9 Months Of 2008...see http://www.autospies.com/news/Volkswagen-Global-Sales-Up-3-9-Profits-Jump-15-For-First-9-Months-Of-2008-36836/

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    RSA333:
    Not every auto manufacturer suffered this year....for example, Volkswagen Global Sales Up 3.9%, Profits Jump 15% For First 9 Months Of 2008...see http://www.autospies.com/news/Volkswagen-Global-Sales-Up-3-9-Profits-Jump-15-For-First-9-Months-Of-2008-36836/


    This reflects global sales - I was only taling about American (more specifically USA) sales.

    Everyone took a hit here. GM took it the worst since they were laden with high consumption vehicles like Hummer and SUV, Full Sized pick-ups.


    --
    ...the only thing stopping you, is you!

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    RSA333:

    Lamboorghini sales were down 5% in the U.S. compared to last year. Winkelmann says he wants to reduce dependence on U.S. sales...

    http://horisly.blogspot.com/2008/10/sept2008-auto-sales-lamborghini-sales.html

    When I toured the Lambo factory in Sept., they said 40% of all Lambo's are sold in the US. What kind of idiot wouldn't want to foster that relationship? Is his idea of reducing this dependency simply not selling cars into their largest market? (At the board of directors meeting) "Thanks to my initiatives, we have greatly reduced the amount of cars we sell in the US thereby reducing our dependency on the American market".Smiley

    The 5% figure amounts to 48 cars given that they sold 960 in the US last year. I think that puts them in pretty good shape given what other car makers are going through.


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    You're right. VW sale sales in the U.S. market were only up 0.2% for the year as of 9/08, but probably took a hit as everything else did in 10/08.

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Wow!  I had no idea this dealership ((I'm assuming this is the one off the 55 Freeway) was the largest in the world.
    --
    2005 997S Blk/Blk

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Yeah I agree with Joe, to change focus from the world's biggest car market seems nuts.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you Lambo


    --
    2006 Corvette Z06 ylw/blk

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Manufacturers blame dealers and dealers blame manufacturers. From my "experience" with Porsche, both are to blame for customer disatisfaction and dropping sales.

    Manufacturers AND dealerships should go back to the basis...satisfying the customer. Over the past few years, prices were rising high but dealership quality and product quality didn't change much. I agree that the quality of Porsche cars has increased but otherwise, there is a standstill. Dealers didn't improve their customer service, very likely because they suffered a lot of pressure from Porsche(the CI rules are the dumbest thing I ever saw, nobody asked ME as a customer and I don't like it that all dealerships look the same, this reminds me of my experience with US malls...all of them have almost the same shops...I hate this).

    How can things improve? Porsche needs to give dealerships more "space" for individual stuff, incl. service and presentation of Porsche cars. They also need to introduce a 3 year warranty for their products. Minimum. In Germany, Porsche offers a 2 year warranty which actually is a 2 year DEALER warranty to make sure that customers are dealing with the dealership and not Porsche directly. This has some huge disadvantages, for the customer AND the dealership.

    Dealerships need to take more care of customers, put more energy into customer satisfaction and personal contact, testdrives, Porsche loaners, etc.

    My Cayenne was several times in the workshop for minor problems and one major thing.

    Each time I received a first gen Cayenne S or a 997 Carrera S first gen as a loaner.

    I didn't mind too much but how the heck do you want to put customers in the mood of a new car if you don't let them drive them? Very dumb in my opinion. Just an example.

    Dealers also seem a  little bit arrogant, a family friend went to my dealership to buy a Porsche Cayenne Turbo for almost 100000 EUR. He asked the sales person about the price tag, which was 98000 EUR. The sales person added immediately, without my friend even asking in the first place, that they don't give any rebate on the advertised price.

    My friend said thank you and walked away, he bought a similar car at a different non-Porsche dealership.

    I'm a hard working person, I don't earn my money easily. IF I spend much money on a car, I don't want an almost perfect buying experience, I want a PERFECT one.

    A Porsche is not a Volkswagen but dealerships apparently didn't realize it yet.

    Right now, as much as I love Porsche, my mind is all over buying a BMW or Audi.

    Why? Because I have the feeling that they're offering more for the money and judging from my BMW/Mini buying experience(wife's BMW M3 Cab, family Mini Cooper S), I prefer my local BMW dealer. Don't get me wrong: I like my Porsche dealership, we always have a nice chat, people there are friendly and everything. I just never have the feeling that they really want to sell me a car, very strange. Apparently they expect customers to "beg" them or I don't get it but it is pretty strange. My BMW dealer practically put himself completely to my service, never saw such a enthusiastic sales person and friendly face like I did there, incredible.

    To make it short: personal contact, enthusiasm and letting the customer drive the cars is the key to success. Of course friendliness, good service and a nice chat are important too.

    I suppose the Lamborghini dealer in Ca. put too much energy into advertising but not enough into actually taking care of customers and service. Just a guess but if somebody needs Sharon Stone or Elton John for selling cars, he's in the wrong business I'm afraid.

    A last word regarding manufacturers: sometimes I get the feeling that some people at the Porsche CEO level can't see the forrest anymore from so many trees. Customers should have the main priority in their strategy, not markets. Markets come and go, loyal customers stay. Unless they're forced to move on.


    --
    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor 997 Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Jerks for sales guys who can't even afford the cars they sell should be reported to their seniors. If a sales guys isn't satisfying you as a customer what you should do is ask to speak to the manger and deal with him and demand a 10% discount while your at it. The chances of you getting a discount is very high as premium dealerships will do what ever to retain their customers, especially in the current economic climate where brand loyalty is of high value.

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    RC:

    I suppose the Lamborghini dealer in Ca. put too much energy into advertising but not enough into actually taking care of customers and service.

    Also, the location of the dealership, in my opinion, was very poor.  It was located off the 55 freeway in Tustin/Santa Ana, far removed from any other dealership , especially the high end ones in Newport Beach where Porsche and Ferrari are located on Pacific Coast Highway.

            


    --

    "The higher the taxes, the closer we are to slavery ..."


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    SoCal Alan:
    RC:

    I suppose the Lamborghini dealer in Ca. put too much energy into advertising but not enough into actually taking care of customers and service.

    Also, the location of the dealership, in my opinion, was very poor.  It was located off the 55 freeway in Tustin/Santa Ana, far removed from any other dealership , especially the high end ones in Newport Beach where Porsche and Ferrari are located on Pacific Coast Highway.


    --

    "The higher the taxes, the closer we are to slavery ..."

    Yeah that strip of road is packed with dealers, all the big guys are there as well as small dealers stocking Rollers and Maserati cars.


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    SoCal Alan:
    Also, the location of the dealership, in my opinion, was very poor.  It was located off the 55 freeway in Tustin/Santa Ana, far removed from any other dealership , especially the high end ones in Newport Beach where Porsche and Ferrari are located on Pacific Coast Highway.



    So, you are saying that Lamborghini drivers are a bunch of dilettantes who would not be able to find a dealer if he were a little bit off  the beaten track?  Smiley Smiley


    --
    fritz

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Exactly.  And, what's the point of showing off, buying a ridiculously expensive vehicle, if the right people can't see you do it. Smiley

    --

    "The higher the taxes, the closer we are to slavery ..."


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    RC you are 100% spot on with your assessment of Porsche and their dealerships. Couldn't agree with you more. They all think we should be begging them to buy their cars. They are so accustomed to all ths self congratulation over all their profits that they have totally lost sight of what got them there in the first place. Customers like you and me! Time for a stark wake up call in the current economic climate.
    --

    Click for bigger picture!


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Emperor:
    Jerks for sales guys who can't even afford the cars they sell should be reported to their seniors. If a sales guys isn't satisfying you as a customer what you should do is ask to speak to the manger and deal with him and demand a 10% discount while your at it. The chances of you getting a discount is very high as premium dealerships will do what ever to retain their customers, especially in the current economic climate where brand loyalty is of high value.

    I get the feeling that with the financial crisis, premium dealers are even less willing to make a deal, especially if a huge rebate is involved.

    I can understand why they have trouble giving rebates in the current situation, especially since the manufacturer doesn't seem to do much to support their dealers but on the other hand, this is actually the only way how they can "move" more cars right now.

            


    --
    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor 997 Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Here in Switzerland - some of the dealers still show resistance to considerable rebates but if you go to the internet - from privat - there are already some fantastic deals - specially in the "cash is king" category. However, their used cars stay like rocks but they have offered for some period a 1.8% leasing to older models such as Cayenne S  etc which is for here rather cheap. Give it another 3 month and I am sure they need to get the inventory costs down and you can get some great deals. Smiley


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    The balance sheets of most dealers here in Germany are not blessed with loads of equity and/or cash reserves. With banks being unwilling to provide further loans it's only a matter of time until some dealers will offer cars at huge discounts.
    --
    public roads: Porsche 987 S Seal/Cocoa, toll road Smiley : Porsche 997 GT3 Arctic/Black

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Apparently the dealership has been sued by VW for theft :

    http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090114.003/vw-suing-california-lambo-dealership-for-theft-of-12-mil


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Keyser Soze:

    Apparently the dealership has been sued by VW for theft :

    http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090114.003/vw-suing-california-lambo-dealership-for-theft-of-12-mil


    Sounds like the owner(s) lost completely control over the company.

    Sad.  


    --
    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor 997 Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Wow!  These people should be arrested and thrown in jail, not just sued.


    --

    2005 997S Blk/Blk


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    I will let you know soon enough how much Ferrari dealers are willing to deal. Brand new OTO 612 are sitting on lots, let's see what kind of deal I can get.

    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    Most porsche dealerships are small, sterile, and dull. Tiny little showrooms with no life. The local one here has a very nice staff though.

    Porsche could do so much to make it an experience with their history. They should have full wall video and surround sound showing off their motor racing heritage and great cars of the past. I think all retailers could take a lesson from Bass Pro Shops.

    Porsche's no.1 task should be a quick re-design of the panamessa followed by an all electric coupe with industry leading performance. ............................ never happen.


    Re: World's largest Lamborghini dealer closes

    racerx:

    Most porsche dealerships are small, sterile, and dull. Tiny little showrooms with no life. The local one here has a very nice staff though.

     

    Porsche could do so much to make it an experience with their history. They should have full wall video and surround sound showing off their motor racing heritage and great cars of the past. I think all retailers could take a lesson from Bass Pro Shops.

    Porsche's no.1 task should be a quick re-design of the panamessa followed by an all electric coupe with industry leading performance. ............................ never happen.


    What you are suggesting is actually a certain Corporate Identity. This is why many dealers over here in Germany are in financial troubles, the CI implementation seems to cost a fortune. I don't say that dull dealerships are nice but I really hate it if all dealerships look completely the same. I run a small business myself and the only thing which makes me and my business different is actually the individual look & feel.       


    --
    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor 997 Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

     
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