More than two years after Jaguar Cars of North America announced it was building a prototype dealership in Mission Viejo, the U.K.-based car manufacturer has sold its concept to new owners that say the upscale South Coast Motorcars will be completed in the final quarter of 2000.
Pendragon plc, based in Derbyshire, England, is one of the U.K.’s largest dealer groups, with franchises selling Fiats, Jaguars, Volvos, Aston Martins and Mazdas. The company bought the OC dealership from Jaguar Cars in January for an undisclosed sum. Since then, it has moved a senior executive, Russell Smith, from his home in Nottingham, England, to Orange County to be project director and the dealership’s general manager.
“This is our first presence in the United States, (but we are already) big partners with Jaguar in the U.K. and we plan to expand in the U.S.,” said Smith, who had been franchise director of Pendragon’s Prestige Motor Cars division. “We will consider any viable opportunity.”
Jaguar’s plan to open a smaller satellite dealership in Newport Beach has been put on hold pending a hearing with the California New Motor Vehicle Board to determine whether the dealership poses a conflict with the existing family-owned Bauer Jaguar in Santa Ana. Meanwhile, Pendragon plans to focus its efforts on building the 2.9-acre Mission Viejo site.
South Coast Motorcars, which will sell Jaguars and Aston Martins, originally was scheduled to open in late 1998. Despite delays, Jaguar has continued to promote the dealership with advertising and event sponsorship. Pendragon has retained Madeline Zuckerman Advertising and Public Relations to do its advertising and PR and plans to launch a new campaign in March, reactivate its web site and continue to sponsor special events such as the Oaks Classic.
Larry Williams, whose company, Experience Management Group, was the project manager, is no longer under contract with Jaguar Cars. Williams is the former national franchise development manager of Jaguar Cars.
