Galpin new LA area Lotus dealership

[tsunami racer]

Galpin is still two hours by phone from LA proper. It's not a LA dealership per say, just the closest one to LA.

I still hope we get one in "LA". But who wants to assume a new car franchise in this business climate? Especially a low volume brand like Lotus.

Maybe Tesla wants to sell Lotus cars to supplement the few cars they will actually end up selling anyways. That location off the 405 at Santa Monica would be perfect for Lotus. Attract people into the showroom with the whole "electric car mombo jombo", then sell them on an efficient internal combustion car just like it that's faster, more practical and half the price!!

brilliant

[Abe]

Very soon now

[stubble88]

Oh...well you see, I told you it was going to happen.

[PatrickShim]

They better throw a nice opening party (hopefully one like the Calabasas did....)

[Flash G]

Originally Posted by PatrickShim

They better throw a nice opening party (hopefully one like the Calabasas did....)

+1

[Stormy320]

If Abe has anything to do with the grand opening, they better have a big parking lot. It will be a swarm of Lotus.

[wallabyguy]

Galpin is a great addition to the network. I think that we still need a dealer in the southern portion of LA like in Long Beach or perhaps back in South Bay.

[Abe]

Originally Posted by PatrickShim

They better throw a nice opening party (hopefully one like the Calabasas did....)

I'm sure they'll have a nice grand opening however; Calabasas party was mainly for their Lambo clients as they hardly sold ANY Lotus.

[LBC111]

Originally Posted by wallabyguy

Galpin is a great addition to the network. I think that we still need a dealer in the southern portion of LA like in Long Beach or perhaps back in South Bay.

Ohhhh... you have my vote for Long Beach! Hmmm... Wonder why.

Actually, it's a perfect location as it is very close to the South Bay, and right smack-dab between LA and OC. Also, leases would surely be cheaper than LA or OC.

[tsunami racer]

hey i'm moving my company to Torrance right off the 405. maybe i'll open a lotus franchise while i'm at it

[LARRY]

I don't know if you've been to GAS or Galpin.

I have, and those guys are not Lotus people.

They are Mustang people and they act like Mustang people.

Big, proud, loud. Like their cars.

Should be interesting!

[tsunami racer]

but don't they have a 'sophisticated' side with jaguar and aston martin? i'd have to believe they'd sell lotus out of that side of the street and not next to the Flex and Focus.

[Abe]

Originally Posted by tsunami racer

but don't they have a 'sophisticated' side with jaguar and aston martin? i'd have to believe they'd sell lotus out of that side of the street and not next to the Flex and Focus.

Yes and that's where the Lotus franchise would be. Spoke to their sales department and the majority of their staff are well aware of the Lotus brand and love the simplicity of it...I'm sure they will do well. Their GAS department is a block away and primarily work on modding Mustangs. The service department for Lotus will be grouped with the Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo center and not the same people as GAS.

[Flash G]

Originally Posted by Abe

Yes and that's where the Lotus franchise would be. Spoke to their sales department and the majority of their staff are well aware of the Lotus brand and love the simplicity of it...I'm sure they will do well. Their GAS department is a block away and primarily work on modding Mustangs. The service department for Lotus will be grouped with the Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo center and not the same people as GAS.

That's what I figured. If you look at Silver Star/Jaguar and Newport Beach, the Lotus brand seems to do fine when paired with other high-end marques. Plus, Galpin has a really nice showroom for Jag/Aston.


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[LARRY]

Originally Posted by tsunami racer

but don't they have a 'sophisticated' side with jaguar and aston martin? i'd have to believe they'd sell lotus out of that side of the street and not next to the Flex and Focus.

Across the street at G.A.S.:

They "customize" foreign cars. They don't always look so good. They filmed "Pimp My Ride" there during its last season on TV. I always get their car calendar at the L.A. Auto Show downstairs every yearand hang it in my office.

They have a very cool "showroom/museum" filled with about 70 older sports cars.

G.A.S. is their shop/store filled with modification dealers/parts/clothes.

Here's Beau, their head of customizing, their Ford Fusion customization, and their storefront...

About Beau:

Always looking for the new, different and unexpected, Beau, Chief Designer for Galpin Auto Sports, has come up with many innovative concepts and designs for Galpinized (customized) vehicles. Many of these vehicles have earned national attention, having appeared in Playboy, Architectural Digest’s Great Designs Issue, Stuff Magazine, FHM, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Robb Report, Truckin’, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, Lowrider, and BLVD Magazine to name a few and he has customized vehicles for numerous celebrities.

Beau’s accomplishments are numerous and his credits include such acknowledgements as recipient of the Petersen Automotive Museum’s first Visionary award. He currently serves on Ford Motor Company’s Product Committee where they work on all upcoming Ford products well into the next decade. In addition, he serves on the Incorporated Board of Directors for Saleen, he is a member of The Pasadena Art Center College of Design Advisory Network and has been the featured speaker at both S.E.M.A. and the Detroit Auto Show AutoWeek Design Forum.

Not only does Beau play an active roll in keeping Galpin Ford as the #1 volume Ford Dealer in the World and in the ongoing success of the other Galpin franchises, he is an integral part of Galpin Motors outreach to the community. He currently serves on the Advisory Council for Wheels for Humanity, and was honored by the Boys & Girls Club of the San Fernando Valley with their Golden Hands Community Award. He was also recently honored with The Dignity, Love and Compassion Award from New Horizons, whose goal is to open new doors and realize new opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Having been immersed in the car business all his life; Beau attributes his passion for innovation to his father, Bert Boeckmann, who pioneered customization in the mid-sixties and seventies with his concept of Galpinizing. The entire Conversion Van industry can trace its roots to Bert Boeckmann and Galpin Ford, as can the off-road 4X4 craze and numerous other firsts many of which went on to be standard equipment on Ford vehicles. Following in the footsteps of his father, Beau brings a fresh, new perspective to the automotive customizing world.

[Cali]

Is Galpin open yet? ETA?

[stubble88]

and are they going to offer the 220 to 240 reflash?

back to my hole.

[Flash G]

We must be getting close now.


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[mgreenbl]

Originally Posted by Flash G

We must be getting close now.


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I just called galpin's 800# to see about warranty service and 2 people that I talked to have no idea what a lotus is.

Mark

[MulhollandMotors]

Originally Posted by mgreenbl

I just called galpin's 800# to see about warranty service and 2 people that I talked to have no idea what a lotus is.

Mark