In the auto dealership of the future, a prospective buyer may be able to pound a Land Rover over an off-road track or slide a Jag or Lincoln into a test turn. It's the car lot of the new century. Where consumers can browse, shop and enjoy the ambience. This will be the first time all five luxury brands will be sold under one roof. Each brand will have a unique storefront but share service and other support, according to Victor Doolan, executive director of Premier Auto Group North America.
Consumers can come and relax when their car is being serviced.
They can wander through and see the other showrooms. In addition to a restaurant and off-road track, the dealership, owned by United Automotive Group of Detroit, may also provide service at the owner's home. This isn't the first time a manufacturer has grouped a brand, noted automotive analyst Jim Gillette. The key to making it work, Gillette said, is the differentiation among the brands. Premier Auto, he warns, must steer clear of doing what General Motors did in the '80s when it grouped Buick and Oldsmobile and ended up trying to sell similar cars.