Crevier BMW’s $33 million expansion is under way at the Santa Ana Auto Mall.
The big hole for the three-story showroom has been dug. The showroom will include a main floor, a new auto display and an underground showroom for its Minis.
In April, the two-story used car facility and the six-level parking ramp should be finished, said Rob McGee, director of marketing for Crevier.
The last phase of the project will expand the service and parts departments. The entire project is expected to be finished by spring 2008.
The dealership is set to grow from 50,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet when all the work is done.
Crevier will compete for luxury auto buyers with Dave Wilson’s swanky Lexus dealership, which is under construction in Newport Beach near Fletcher Jones Motorcars’ Mercedes dealership. It’s a friendly rivalry, McGee said.
“Don (Crevier) has been friends with Dave (Wilson) for a long, long time,” he said. “We’ll swap problems.”
Crevier is finishing up what’s expected to be its best selling month of the year. Last December it sold 400 autos.
“This year we’re trying to beat that,” he said.
Crevier typically sells about 325 to 350 autos a month.
Next year, the dealership is hoping to get an early release of the 2007 X7 sports utility vehicle, which is a bigger version of its X5 and includes a third row of seats. The X5 goes for about $42,000.
Crevier also is hopeful for the sporty M6. The M5 is out now, selling for $90,000. It goes 210 mph.
Crevier might have an alternative fuel auto to sell soon. BMW is forsaking the Toyota gas/electric hybrid technology in favor of hydrogen, which has gained favor in Europe.
Keeping Pace
Lamborghini of Orange County is remodeling its showroom in keeping with the automaker’s black and white theme.
The 5,000-square-foot showroom in Santa Ana is getting black Italian ceramic tile floors and white walls. Cars will be displayed on platforms instead of the floor, where they are now.
The remodel is just a temporary move. In late 2007 or early 2008, the dealership plans to join luxury auto row in Newport Beach on Pacific Coast Highway.
The Newport Beach showroom is expected to be 14,000 square feet and have 20 service bays, more than double what it has now. The Keuylian family owns the dealership.
This past week, Lamborghini of Orange County held a track day at the California Speedway. It invited Lamborghini owners and guests to come out and race around the track with professional drivers.
Customers drove their own cars. National media, including VH1, were there to film the event.
A chief attraction: Lamborghini’s chief test driver Valentino Balboni, who was set to fly in from Italy. Balboni also was scheduled to make an appearance at the Crystal Cove Promenade car show in Newport Beach.
The early morning Saturday show at Crystal Cove is an informal gathering of high-end autos such as Vintage Bentleys, Ferraris and Shelby Cobras.
Nothing’s Shocking
Controversial rocker Marilyn Manson, known to some as “the anti-Christ,” proved that he really is a bit like most others,he got married.
You might have expected Manson, who wears bright red lipstick, shocking eye colors, a white face and weird hairdos, to have mocked the tradition of marriage. Nope. Man-son, born Brian Warner, recently married Dita von Teese, a burlesque stripper whose real name is Heather Sweet, in Ireland.
Manson also partook of another tradition,ring shopping, which brings us to the OC connection. Manson bought an antique, 7-carat, European round-cut diamond engagement ring and wedding ring at William Harold Jewelers in Newport Beach. Actually, the jeweler visited Manson’s home.
“We’re very excited,” said Toni Pickford, the store manager.
A friend of the jeweler knew Manson’s wife’s sister.
“We kept it confidential,” Pickford said.
But now that there have been news reports about the ring, the jeweler is hoping to attract attention and boost sales.
It’s not likely that William Harold’s clients are Manson fans, Pickford said. But once the wedding news, now primarily on the Internet, is featured in mainstream magazines such as Vogue and People, it might pique interest, especially if there are photos, she said.
The jeweler is looking forward to being part of Vogue magazine’s spread on the wedding. The magazine has the photo rights, she said.
William Harold’s niche is antique jewelry.
“We handle a lot of estates,” she said.
The family-owned jeweler has been in business for 36 years. Namesake William Harold is deceased. His son Tim Harold runs the company. Brother William Harold is a master goldsmith.
Pickford has been with the company for 20 years.
The store plans to double its size to about 1,000 square feet next year.
A Softer Lab
The Lab in Costa Mesa has opened 411, an “anti-concierge” desk.
The information desk is set to mimic those at other malls. Customers can ask questions such as where to eat and which stores are having sales.
The desk is next to Standard Issue newsstand.
