St. Louis - Bentley STL to Open Lamborghini Dealer! | FerrariChat

St. Louis - Bentley STL to Open Lamborghini Dealer!

Discussion in 'Midwest - USA (NE, KS, OK, MO, AR)' started by mkell, Jan 19, 2007.

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  1. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    I just heard on the news this morning that J.J. Mills and Graham Hill, the founders of Bentley and Maserati St. Louis, will be opening Lamborghini's 100th US dealer here in St. Louis. In addition, they are building a second $5 million building across the street from their current location. This was the first I heard about this so I thought I would pass on the exciting news!
     
  2. mchferrari

    mchferrari Formula Junior

    Jun 6, 2004
    773
    Lawrence, KS
    Full Name:
    Matthew Holderbach
    Best news I've heard all day! Knowing their Bentley establishment it will do great.
     
  3. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Agreed! Can't wait for the new building as well! I know there is one going up right now, but I wonder if this will be it or if it will be on a different lot.
     
  4. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
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    Thomas
    did they indicate when?
     
  5. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    i heard the story also! i can't wait! as if i didn't bother them enough to try to find them a car for me, i may have to go up there and bother them a little bit more.
     
  6. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    they are doing much better than they expected to when they first opened up, if i'm not mistaken, the last time i was up there they mentioned something about being #1 in arnage sales in the country
     
  7. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Yes, from what I heard they did much better then they originally expected. They did 40million in sales last year. The sement I watched did not indicate when it would be opened. I drove by their dealer today and the building that is being built right now nearby is NOT their new addition. I believe it will be in the lot in front of it and end up facing each other.
     
  8. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    i figured they would be getting a ferrari franchise before anything else, given that they just recently received the service authorization a while back. but hey, i'll take a lambo dealership here in st louis.
     
  9. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    I did too. The new building is supposed to cost 5 million compared to the 3 million the current place is worth. I wonder if they are keeping room for future expansion for Ferrari or others?
     
  10. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    who knows, but i can't imagine them getting too many new lambo's each year, and although the showroom floor is kind of cramped at the bentley dealership, they always seemd to have plenty of storage space for all their cars. i wonder if they intend to expand their inventory as well?
     
  11. mchferrari

    mchferrari Formula Junior

    Jun 6, 2004
    773
    Lawrence, KS
    Full Name:
    Matthew Holderbach
    Is the $5mil project the new Lambo facility or add-on to Bentley? If so they are expanding quite rapidly.
     
  12. stradleboy

    stradleboy Formula Junior

    May 14, 2006
    535
    Miami
    Full Name:
    Bennett
    are there really 99 lambo dealers in the us roght now? certified that is?
     
  13. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    they've been around since '02, and i'm no expert, but to win the lambo franchise and a ferrari service franchise within 4 full years has got to be pretty good. you have to remember that st. louis is a good centralized area, i would venture to guess that at least 90% of their business is done outside of missouri. i would imagine they're biggest competitors would be motorcars international and dealerships up in chicago, where i would presume a lot of their business comes from within chicago's area. i wish them nothing but the best
     
  14. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Yes, I would say they have done quite well in such a short time!

    I think they will hurt Motorcars Intl the most. I remember visiting there and one of the guys was telling me that they do a good majority of the Lambo service for the Midwest. I know Bentley will now be Lambo certified for sales, but will they have a certified service dept too? I am guessing so, but just wondering.

    I don't know if the new facility will be for Lambo only or an add-on. With it being more expensive than their current building, I would imagine it would also be larger. I don't think they would need such a large space for just Lamborghini's. I would bet it's an add-on. I may go in sometime this week and try to get some more info.
     
  15. Prancing 12

    Prancing 12 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    May 11, 2004
    2,649
    The long way home
    It might not just be size of the building that makes it more expensive. Lambo is dictating a branded-style for their new facilities (look at Lambo Chicago and Houston; white, huge windows, etc). That could greatly affect the cost of the building.

    I would doubt the building will house more than Lamborghini and certainly not be home to a future Ferrari dealership. I can't imagine either company agreeing to share space with the other.
     
  16. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
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    keep in mind also that land prices out in the valley have shot through the roof, it's kind of hard to believe that almost 15 years ago all of that was under water, and now it's some of the most prime real estate in st. louis.
    if you look at bentley's showroom, they have the bentleys and rollers on one side, the sports cars on the other. i'm wondering if they're planning on moving the maserati's and their used sports cars (ferrari's, porsches, etc.) into the lambo dealership.
     
  17. SDChris

    SDChris Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2006
    1,840
    Sioux Falls, SD
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    Chris
    There is 27 US Lamborghini dealer...But It is great to hear the news that Gram hill has got the "lou" covered!!!!

    I from west county (Balwin Manchester area) I can not wait to go back home, first Red Lion (Lions Choice) then Lamborghini STL!!!!
     
  18. Michael RPM

    Michael RPM Formula Junior

    Apr 10, 2002
    827
    Oak Brook, IL
    Full Name:
    Michael Wogronic
    There will likely be thirty US dealers by the end of 2007. I think the original poster meant STL is the 100th dealer worldwide.
     
  19. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
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    what, no imo's? no carl's? no fitz's?
    i just drove by the dealership, i never realized til now just how much space there really is right across from the current dealership, you can easily fit a large dealership there. just out of curiosity, has anyone ever spotted any lambo's here in st louis? i've only seen one on the street, and know of only 2 others in the city.
     
  20. mkell

    mkell Karting

    Jul 28, 2005
    78
    St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Yea, there really is a great amount of space across from it. I've never seen any lambos out and about though. The only ones I've seen are the cars Bentley has had in the past.
     
  21. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
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    Chris Parr
    When you do everything right, good things happen to good people!

    Graham and JJ could not be more opposite but they make perfect partners, I am VERY fortunate that I get to call both of them friends.

    They will do very well with Lambo, perhaps we will hear some interesting news regarding Ferrari sales later this year!

    Don't forget the new Maserati Q-porte auto and the other new Masers that should help with the "other" Italian marque!

    Bentley- Maserati St Louis has been the primary sponsor for Crescent Classic (www.crescentclassic.com) the last two years, we are hoping to have them back in 2007, perhaps with Lamborghini being the featured marque!

    Lets support these guys as they are rare in that they actually give back to the automobile community.

    Our new Ferrari, Maserati, Viper repair facility in KC works closely with Bentley St Louis, I can tell you from being a "customer" of Bentley St Louis, they are great to work with!

    Congratulations Graham and JJ!

    Chris Parr
    FCA Chapter President
    Partner Rosso Motorsports
     
  22. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
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    Steve M
    ROTFLMAO Ouch!!! I just fell off my chair. Luckily I did not hurt myself. I can't believe this coming from Chris after all those "hurtful" things he has said about Lambos in the past. :) :) I would love to see Lamborghini as the featured marque at this year's Classic!!! I guess all this horrible weather we are having in SW Missouri might be an idication that Hell has frozen over!!!!

    Congrats and best of luck to JJ and Graham and all the folks at Bently-Maserati St Louis.
     
  23. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    May 18, 2004
    31,133
    St. Louis has all the luxury car brands (dealers) in town, expect Ferrari?
     
  24. rollsorferrari?

    rollsorferrari? F1 Veteran

    Jun 5, 2006
    9,984
    St. Louis
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    Scott
    we have bentley, maserati, aston martin, lotus and now lamborghini. still missing ferrari and rolls royce, for the most known automotive brands. i for some reason doubt we'll be seeing a bugatti or other ultra exotic brand here in our little humble town. however, we do have dealerships around town that sell a number of these cars, for instance daniel and charles schmitt (2 seperate dealerships, father/son), hyman limited, i forget the name of it now, but the old car museum on woodson has been reopened, i went by there a couple days ago, a number of vettes and porsches, they do from time to time get in an f-car, but they did have a customer's bugatti, an older one, in storage.
     
  25. rcm360

    rcm360 Formula Junior

    Nov 16, 2003
    343
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Reese
    Who is the Aston dealer in St. Louis?
     

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