Porsche Conshohocken unveils Gen-4 Porsche
CONSHOHOCKEN >> Like the brand’s iconic sports car, the 911, the Porsche Conshohocken renovation took no shortcuts on its way to building a new image that is elegant, modern and welcoming.
The multi-million dollar conversion of the 25-year-old PorscheAudi Ridge Pike outpost once known as Don Rosen Imports into a sprawling complex dedicated to the Porsche mindset perfectly bolsters the German-based corporate identity.
Bruce Hendrixson, General Manager of Porsche Conshohocken, noted: “We are thrilled to unveil this new state of the art Porsche dealership right here in Conshohocken. Our fourth generation facility is one of the first and most advanced in North America. When you represent a phenomenal vehicle such as Porsche, the showroom should reflect that and I can proudly say it truly does.”
The dealership befitting a corporation with a $100 million U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, took nearly two years of construction to complete, noted sales manager Sean Johnson.
“Porsche is very strict on the materials required and what things are supposed to look like,” he explained, sitting in his understated office that seamlessly segues into the new design layout.
“You can’t just go to Home Depot and pick something up. There are connections that we have to go through to make sure it stays true to the quality and stays consistent with other Porsche stores. You have to be refreshed. Things change so fast now in this industry, you’re always updated on the latest and greatest. As a person that sells for a living you have to adapt and you need something that makes you stand out.”
Owner MMCO Auto, which
operates several high-end dealerships in southeastern Pennsylvania, moved the Audi segment from Ridge Pike to West Chester to allow for the Porsche expansion, Johnson noted.
“Audi operates at a much higher volume, so this made sense to split the brands, and it makes us exclusive here in Conshohocken,” he said. “Especially with the boutique type of selling that has come into play today.”
Visitors now walk into a
“Gen-4” design, one of the first to be unveiled in the country, featuring a new vehicle reception area with valet, and a dual showroom, complete with high-speed WiFi and a floor to ceiling picture window that looks into the service area.
“It’s a Porsche concept and there will be a Gen-5 in the future,” Johnson said. “Once you do a massive renovation like this it’s almost like a ground-up type of thing. In our lounge area, we have things of interest like snacks, the latte machine, a service center with a big screen TV that’s very business oriented, where people can hook up
their laptops and their devices. They can see their car being worked on through the glass window and can be here for several hours and not feel like they’re missing out. They can still do their work and be here all day.”
The showroom is divided between new and pre-owned vehicles, Johnson pointed out.
“The pre-owned is a huge business now that cars have gotten more expensive. We’re larger than Jaguar, Maserati, Ferrari, but we’re not close to what the disparity is between BMW and Mercedes, so repeat business is important to us, and reaching out
to people who are independent sellers, to see if they have any interest in selling cars through the dealership. And obviously trade-ins are a big thing for us, and online,” he added.
“When somebody sees a car and says ‘that’s the car I want,’ they could be in California, upstate New York, wherever. We could have two specific options in the right color combination that somebody wants. We can transport it to them or they can come pick it up. It’s that simple. The business is all about accommodations and convenience now. Ninety percent of people coming in know
what they want or have a clue through their internet research.”
Perhaps surprisingly, the dealership’s top-selling model is the Porsche Macan SUV, a compact luxury crossover that comes standard with all-wheel drive, Johnson said.
“It fills the void for those who like to sit high, for that command of the road. People like the fact that it is an SUV but it has a car-like quality. Porsche does not deviate from its heritage, which is sport first, performance and engineering,” he added. “It’s what they do better than anyone. Someone sees this and says ‘If I can get a car that’s more exclusive, and I always wanted a Porsche, this is my opportunity to own one in my price point of low 50s to $60,000.’”
Johnson said he “didn’t get it” until he drove a Porsche himself years ago.
“I love our brand and I am biased toward Porsche. It’s a car you want, not a car you need. Nobody needs a $100,000 car,” he added, smiling.