Your favourite showroom / car dealer?

[Resolutionary]

This isn't really about customer service, purchase stories and the best deals, as I'm sure there are many dedicated threads elsewhere.

This is about the feel of a place; a showroom that left an impression, or continues to wow you.. somewhere you will detour to drive past or stop at.
Imposing buildings, impressive collections, humble and hum-drum to gargantuan and gaudy.

This thread is sparked by earlier 'news' of a TVR deal in the works (ahem) - reminding me of early years in the back seat of my parents E39, when we'd pass the then prominent Mole Valley showroom in Malden Rushett. Long gone now, but on the couple of occasions we stopped by for a mooch, I was always spoken to kindly by the staff and allowed up close / inside Nobles, Tuscans, etc. Felt homely, and quintessentially British.

I've also always loved the look of the current Joe Macari place. Everything is laid out and lit up like an exhibition space, which, given the contents and clientele, is probably the right tone.

And who can forget the F1 that used to sit in the window at what I think is now Bob Forstner?

Lastly.. and please don't judge, but there's something weirdly alluring about that supposedly odd outfit operating out of a multi storey in the Yorkshire badlands. I wouldn't do a buy with them, but I'd absolutely pull in for a gander at their frankly immense stocklist.

I'm mostly asking so I can make a to-visit-list by the way

[Mr Tidy]

I remember drooling at the cars outside Mole Valley in Malden Rushett, although I never went in.

Romans on the A217 near Banstead always have a huge amount of desirable stuff. Autoficcina at the Ewell by-pass end of Ruxley Lane in Ewell have some great Italian cars too.

A bit further away Scuderia Prestige on the A30 in Camberley always looks interesting, and of course there is always Maranello on the A30 at Egham.

A showroom tour sounds like a good day out!

[Resolutionary]

Mr Tidy said:

I remember drooling at the cars outside Mole Valley in Malden Rushett, although I never went in.

Romans on the A217 near Banstead always have a huge amount of desirable stuff. Autoficcina at the Ewell by-pass end of Ruxley Lane in Ewell have some great Italian cars too.

A bit further away Scuderia Prestige on the A30 in Camberley always looks interesting, and of course there is always Maranello on the A30 at Egham.

A showroom tour sounds like a good day out!

As a spotty oik in my povvo Punto I used to pop by Romans with my budget DSLR and pretend I knew what I was doing, snapped all sorts of now mythical stuff and they were always very welcoming. Not been since their extension but it looks huge now!

I can remember when Autoficcina was solely a warehouse in the nearby trading estate, was always fun to cycle past and see a number of Diablos lining the otherwise commercial vehicle heavy area. And Maranello is where I saw my first F40, probably 2001 or so now

Not seen Scuderia Prestige before though, and would provide a reason to go by SuperVettura which is another new one to me.

[Resolutionary]

Reminded of another today while traversing Brentford - West London Audi!
I seem to recall the upper decks used to house some lovely stuff for display to the crawling masses on the M4. Looked more newish stock now, but a cool place nonetheless.

[swisstoni]

To follow on from the Op, I always used to enjoy TVR dealers. Fernhurst, The TVR Centre, Henley, Mole Valley, WLA and Chequered Flag in Chiswick (not a proper TVR dealer I think).
There was also a place near Brent Cross that sold Lotus. Mostly Elans that I used to nose around.

I wouldn't call any of them fabulous emporiums, but there'd always something interesting.

[Wacky Racer]

Oakmere Motor Group in Northwich, Cheshire.

[Rob 131 Sport]

Red Rose Motors was the BMW Dealer in Chester. I remember going there as a child (in the late 70’s and early 80’s l) with my Father and drooling over the lovely cars.

There was also a Fiat dealer nearby which now sells bicycles. Those Supermirafiori’s and 132’s were just superb.

[BunkMoreland]

Resolutionary said:

And who can forget the F1 that used to sit in the window at what I think is now Bob Forstner?

Not quite.

Car in the showroom was chassis 065. Sold in 2008 for a mere £2.5M GBP! Departed to the USA and afaik never seen again publicly!

McLaren Showroom turned into "Harrods Estates"

https://maps.app.goo.gl/321HQcE1D7RsmhSU6

But is currently empty.

Bob Forstner is closer to Marble Arch

https://maps.app.goo.gl/jKujqNLPJfnxpGL56



Its not open yet, but I imagine THJ's new site



will be worth a visit in due course.

I dont know where "Amari Cars" are, but they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff if you're inclined

Edited by BunkMoreland on Wednesday 26th November 20:57

[ninepoint2]

I remember a few years (2006 I think) ago visiting a VAG showroom in Berlin, all of the brands were represented over many floors. First time I saw a Veyron in the flesh, that was a pretty memorable moment for me, apologies for the quality, it was a long time ago

Edited by ninepoint2 on Wednesday 26th November 21:21

[BrabusMog]

Mr Tidy said:

I remember drooling at the cars outside Mole Valley in Malden Rushett, although I never went in.

Romans on the A217 near Banstead always have a huge amount of desirable stuff. Autoficcina at the Ewell by-pass end of Ruxley Lane in Ewell have some great Italian cars too.

A bit further away Scuderia Prestige on the A30 in Camberley always looks interesting, and of course there is always Maranello on the A30 at Egham.

A showroom tour sounds like a good day out!

Scuderia Prestige have some lovely stock, don’t mind being stuck in A30 traffic lights to look at their stock. A friend bought a G Wagon from them and apparently they’re really good to deal with.

[uktrailmonster]

Not really a showroom, but Autofarm was a great place to visit back in the 90s. There would always be some amazing Classic Porsches kicking around.

Far more recently, the Lotus dealership at Silverstone is pretty cool.

[LunarOne]

I used to drive past the Bristol Cars showroom in Kensington from time to time and it always evoked images of tufted chairs, grandfather clocks, pipes and smoking jackets, cricket bats and creaky floorboards. The cars themselves were pretty dowdy in my estimation. Sort of like a rich man's mobility car. My father owned an Arnolt Bristol in the 1950s which looked a little less like an orthopaedic sandal.

I don't think there's much demand for the cars from Generation Tiktok, and the dealership is now gone, replaced by Indian Motorcycle.

[toasty]

Romans is just round the corner for me. I feel like a diabetic looking at a sweet shop.

Not a showroom but I used to walk past the warehouse of DD Classics in Isleworth. Some very rare cars in there, my favourite being the Isdera Imperator 108i.

[Robertb]

Maranello Sales at Egham used to be great in the mid ‘90’s… some interesting specialist stock and Ferraris then were more affordable, the Art Deco Tower Garage was iconic in its own way.

They were always friendly and happy for folk to wander about.

Not been there for a while.