The winds of change are sweeping through Italian marque's retail operations in Queensland
Brisbane's Lamborghini dealer in Fortitude Valley is anticipating renewed interest from Queensland clients following a recent change in ownership.
New product, new procedures, improved customer service and better lines of communication with the factory will boost the brand in the northern state, says the new man at the top, Martin Roller, better known before now as the MD of Brisbane BMW.
In conversation with motoring.com.au this morning, Roller outlined the changes planned for the dealership and how they will improve consumer confidence in the brand — starting with the product.
"I think the Lamborghini brand — and the Lamborghini product — stands on its own; particularly of late... [with] the Audi influence, with Gallardo and certainly the new Aventador. The new Aventador is an unbelievable piece of machinery — in every aspect."
But the sales growth won't be just the product of an iconic new model, he says. There'll be more buyers in the market for Lamborghini now that the dealer management is located in the same state — and importation and statewide distribution can be handled from Queensland too.
"These types of buyers — the people who are going to buy an $800,000 Aventador — they want to know that the guy who's behind the brand is accessible and can sit with them face to face if something goes wrong."
So the actual administration of the new-car sale is one area where Roller suggests buyers want greater peace of mind, but it's not the only aspect of the dealer's operations to come in for reinvention. There are simple but far-reaching changes afoot, such as leasing an area across the road from the dealership to provide customer parking for up to 20 vehicles... or seconding a top-notch detailer from Brisbane BMW, instead of driving customers' cars down to the local car wash.
And there's plenty more scope to expand the business in ways other than just selling a handful of new cars. Used prestige cars have not been on the radar at the dealership, but Roller plans to change that.
"I think one of the areas where Lamborghini Brisbane has not played is in the used prestige business... it hasn't been a focus... to trade people out of their cars..."
A prospective buyer may have a Diablo he or she wants to trade in for an Aventador (pictured), but Roller is also happy to negotiate with owners of Ferraris, Maseratis... all sorts of prestige vehicles.
One of the stumbling blocks in developing used prestige business in the past appears to have been the lack of support from a financier. Roller has been able to arrange finance for new Lambo buyers through Alphera Finance and the financier is also underpinning the dealer floorplan.
"BMW Finance has a second-tier product — a non-branded product called Alphera Finance," he explained. "That is for prestige marques other than BMW. The average sale price out of the Lamborghini store is probably $450,000 to $500,000..."
"BMW Finance has a second-tier product — a non-branded product called Alphera Finance," he explained. "That is for prestige marques other than BMW. The average sale price out of the Lamborghini store is probably $450,000 to $500,000..."
There's the opportunity for Alphera and BMW: the Lamborghini sales staff directing solid business their way. However, there is an element of risk involved.
There's the opportunity for Alphera and BMW: the Lamborghini sales staff directing solid business their way. However, there is an element of risk involved.
"It all comes back to financial strength," Roller continued, "and a preparedness to buy someone's Lamborghini from them for a few hundred thousand dollars, outlaying that money, and then potentially sitting on that trade-in — that used-car stock — for a while."
According to Roller, his two BMW outlets have a "90-day stocking policy". If the trade-in can't be on-sold within 90 days, it's wholesaled instead, but with the Lamborghini dealership it's a different situation.
"You've gotta have some nerve," he explained.
The dealer must hang on to the low-volume prestige sports car until precisely the right buyer for the car comes along. Lamborghini is one of the few brands to make BMW seem mainstream and affordable...
Roller is pleased with the way the Lamborghini outlet is already shaping up under his purview. There is inevitably a problem with securing enough stock from the factory to meet demand, especially with a sales target of three cars a month. Just four cars have been sold in Queensland for the year to date, so the new target is ambitious.
"I'll be lucky to get four or six Aventadors for the year," said Roller. "There's an 18-month waiting list for that car. We've just taken over... and we sold an Aventador within 48 hours of taking over the business — to an existing client. Part of the deal was trading a Murcielago and I put the money on the trade that the client was looking for — and we've done a deal.
"For the client — and ourselves — it was relatively painless. That's the way it should be at that end of the market."
Many of the changes Roller has effected read like chapter one of Motor Car Trading Made Easy — and he agrees completely.
"It's the basics, but done really well."
Lamborghini Brisbane is located at 632 Wickham Street Fortitude Valley.
