Earlier this year, BMW USA announced the Retail Next concept with the initial goal to revamp about 25 dealerships in the country. About a third of showrooms will be fully renewed within the next several years. In the meantime, Melbourne BMW and MINI Garage from Australia has inaugurated this week a new dealership that reflects the fresh BMW Group retail corporate identity.
Located on Kings Way, it’s one of the first dealers to adopt the new look and the first metropolitan dealership in Australia. It spans 10,000 square meters of space and has dedicated areas for BMW, BMW M, MINI, and BMW Motorrad marques. One of the main highlights is an enormous 217-inch screen complemented by many other interactive displays showing off the specifications of all models on display.
The Melbourne BMW and MINI Garage has no fewer than 40 service bays (double than before) and fourteen chargers (12 AC and two DC) to plug in your electric or plug-in hybrid car. In the middle of the building, there’s a fancy café “with premium lounge and seating area” where customers can relax and/or work while waiting for their vehicles to get serviced. Replacing the old open-air forecourt is a covered area where the dealer hosts new and used cars along with demonstrators.
Modern furniture and lighting fixtures were used, along with contemporary textures and fabrics. We’re being told all were carefully selected to provide a “luxurious ambiance and feeling of wellbeing.” Recycled materials were extensively used during construction while solar panels were also integrated into the building to cut costs and curb emissions.
The revamped showroom is part of a multimillion-dollar investment from Melbourne BMW and MINI Garage at the site located in the Melbourne central business district (CBD). Some of the cars currently up on display include the M3, M4, i4 M50, M5, ALPINA XB7, MINI JCW, and even an i8.
Source: BMW Australia
