McLaren Automotive
opened the doors to its first dedicated McLaren retailer, McLaren London, with a
star-studded celebration at its One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge location on June
21. By the end of 2011, McLaren will have 35 bespoke retailers in 19 countries
worldwide. All have been carefully selected by McLaren to offer the best in
customer sales and service for a range of high-performance sports cars,
beginning with the ground-breaking McLaren MP4-12C.
The opening, hosted
by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, and
McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman, Ron Dennis, celebrated
'Defining Moments in Time'. Recognizing the launch of the global network of
McLaren car retailers, and the arrival of the first 'pure' McLaren sports car,
the event also presented past McLaren track successes with iconic trophies and
two of Lewis Hamilton's race-winning Formula 1 cars.
Ron Dennis said: "We
are fiercely proud of the McLaren brand and I am personally proud that we are
welcoming into the McLaren family some of the world's best car retailers, many
of whom are with us tonight. I look forward to delivering great cars to them, as
I know we share a common objective: we are driven to succeed and we try to be
the best at everything that we do.
"Jenson, Lewis, our hosts, and many of
our guests represent tonight a group of people who share a particular value:
that is that somewhere along our careers and lives we have experienced an
iconic, or defining moment. Tonight is that moment for McLaren Automotive,"
Dennis concluded.
McLaren has invested nearly 800m GBP ($1,277 million)
since 2005 to establish itself as the world's newest sports car company. That
investment has focused on the development of a range of innovative,
technologically ground-breaking, and bespoke high-performance sports cars, as
well as the construction of a brand new manufacturing facility (the McLaren
Production Center - MPC) at the company's headquarters.
This solid
foundation requires similar commitment to the McLaren brand from retailers in
order to turn McLaren's dream into reality; the launch of McLaren London, to be
operated by the Jardine Motors Group, marks that commitment as the first of 35 retailers
that will supply and service McLaren customers in all major global markets.
McLaren anticipates expanding its global retail network to around 70
locations by the middle of the decade when the full range of cars is under
production at the MPC in Woking, England: as the MP4-12C goes on sale, three
further models or derivatives are currently already under development.
The McLaren network will be small in number compared to other premium brands,
driving McLaren's partners to ensure a high-value is placed on McLaren
customers. McLaren's strategy is to support its retailers in servicing customers
to a high level by keeping volumes low and business profitable, rather than
stretching retailers through high volumes and too many locations.
The
initial 35 strong retail network was recently completed with the confirmation of
McLaren retailers in Frankfurt, Munich, Osaka, Singapore and Tokyo whilst
attention now moves on to securing up to six more retailers in 2012. Markets
that McLaren is considering include China, Russia and Scandinavia. The company's
first 'pure' McLaren sports car is experiencing high demand with over 18 months
of production currently accounted for.
McLaren's 2011 Global Retail
Network
Europe: UK (Birmingham, London, Manchester); Germany
(Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich); Benelux (Brussels); France (Monaco,
Paris); Italy (Milan); Spain (Madrid), Switzerland (Zürich).
North America:
Canada (Toronto); USA (Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Newport
Beach, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa).
Middle East / Africa: UAE (Abu
Dhabi, Dubai); Qatar; Saudi Arabia (Jeddah); Bahrain; South Africa
(Johannesburg).
Asia Pacific: Hong Kong; Singapore; Australia (Sydney); Japan
(Osaka, Tokyo).
McLaren Launches in Europe
The flagship
McLaren showroom is located at London's newest and most prestigious address -
One Hyde Park: The Residences at Mandarin Oriental. As with every retailer in
the new McLaren Automotive network, Jardine Motors Group has been selected for their
ability to demonstrate an outstanding track record in offering excellent
customer service and aftersales support.
McLaren Automotive is committed
to ensuring the experience customers have with their dealers in every market is
as revolutionary as the MP4-12C sports car itself. For example, unlike any other
automotive manufacturer, McLaren is stocking its retail network with a spare of
every serviceable part for the MP4-12C: what McLaren calls its 'pit-stop'
service concept that ensures fast and efficient repair.
Following the
London launch, two more McLaren retailers for the UK will open: Manchester (Sytner
Group) on June 30, and Birmingham (Rybrook Motor Holdings) on July 5. The
remaining 32 sites in the global network will be operational by the end of this
year, beginning in July and through the summer with the European network in
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
The first 12C is
due off the MPC production line in mid-July, with the first 12C's for delivery
to the European network over the coming weeks having been produced on the
existing production line at the MTC.