The newest addition to the Lookers family opened its doors at the official launch of the brand new Wearside Audi showroom.
The grand opening welcomed customers in the North East for an exclusive visit to the new state-of-the-art facility which features a 13 new car showroom, a 55 used car display and a 15 ramp workshop.
What makes this showroom stand out is its roof-top car park with 99 spaces reserved for repair and servicing customers with further parking available on the ground level.
Loyal Audi customers and Lookers’ staff were invited to the prestigious event where they were treated to fine food provided by Michelin star awarded restaurant – House of Tides.
Making their way through the new showroom, guests were able to revisit Audi’s automotive legendary journey with a selection of classic Audis on display. These included a Le Mans Prototype Audi R18 e-tron quattro, the 1968 ‘Car of the Year’ NSU Ro 80 and the limited edition R8 GT Spyder.
The new £5.7 facility is part of Lookers’ wider investment programme, which includes a new £17m Audi dealership in Dublin and a new £10m Volkswagen dealership in Battersea, London.
Going further North, Lookers is also in the midst of developing its five-acre site in Glasgow, which will become home to brand new Jaguar and Volvo retail locations in Hillington Park.
There is currently a strong Audi fan base in the North East helping spread the Lookers name far and wide with Newcastle Audi on Scotswood Road and sites in North Tyneside and Teeside.
While the recognition of the Audi brand has been the main driver for motorists to visit the dealerships, Head of Business at Wearside Audi, Richard Hyde, believes Lookers’ world class customer service has also contributed to this success.
Richard said: “Everyone had a great time at the launch event and now we can’t wait to establish the new site in the area and build on what Lookers and Audi have already achieved here in the North East.
“It’s a customer first, people friendly approach that has informed the design of this fantastic site. This is not one of those brand new shiny facilities devoid of personality. We’ve got relaxed seating areas which are designed to feel comfortable rather than be overly formal and break out areas for our customers to use their computers, relax and interact with our lovely people. We want everyone to fully experience the ambiance that only Lookers and a brand like Audi can provide.”
Peter Brookes, Head of Sales Operations at Audi UK, who was also in attendance, said: “This really is a fantastic facility and sets a benchmark for the rest of the industry. 2017 is a huge year for Audi, with a number of exciting models launched into the market, so it’s the perfect time to open a facility like this.”
