New McLaren Dealer: McLaren Guildford

[anonymous-user]

https://www.bellandcolvill.co.uk/mclaren

[CharlesElliott]

Bought two Elises from there in times past!

Just service and parts though, I guess that is to hep relieve pressure on Ascot and others.

[RBT0]

It is not a dealer, but just service based on what written in the link above.

[Matty3]

Had loads of dealings with B&C with my Lotus ownerships over the years = always good - they used to have a Maserati franchise some years ago if I remember correctly?

[Caddyshack]

Years ago I bumped in to Dean Lanzante in bell and colvil buying a lotus Elise. I was at school with Dean too.

[heihei]

Interesting. Just up the road from me and always been super-helpful the few times I've test-driven cars with them. Shame they are not doing sales.

[anonymous-user]

heihei said:

Interesting. Just up the road from me and always been super-helpful the few times I've test-driven cars with them. Shame they are not doing sales.

Rumour has it that they will be selling used cars.

[davek_964]

MAC 720S said:

Rumour has it that they will be selling used cars.

They'll need stock then...... blimey, somebody who might actually be willing to buy a used McLaren

[anonymous-user]

I do hope that this is a change in after-sales / servicing strategy. The current limited UK servicing footprint and being tied to main dealers has been a major bone of contention for existing owners and potential owners. It may also help McLaren to shift more vehicles through the main dealers.

Thorney Motorsport have an excellent reputation amongst owners for servicing. Would be good to see them involved.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 8th October 13:47

[Matty3]

MAC 720S said:

I do hope that this is a change in after-sales / servicing strategy. The current limited UK servicing footprint and being tied to main dealers has been a major bone of contention for existing owners and potential owners. It may also help McLaren to shift more vehicles through the main dealers.

Thorney Motorsport have an excellent reputation amongst owners for servicing. Would be good to see them involved.

Edited by MAC 720S on Tuesday 8th October 13:47

Totally agree with the points you make - also B&C have always been very customer focused in my experiences with them over the past decade

[Ferruccio]

MAC 720S said:

I do hope that this is a change in after-sales / servicing strategy. The current limited UK servicing footprint and being tied to main dealers has been a major bone of contention for existing owners and potential owners. It may also help McLaren to shift more vehicles through the main dealers.

Edited by MAC 720S on Tuesday 8th October 13:47

I’d be interested to see the business case for opening a McLaren dealership at moment, even if you’ve got an existing under-utilised site.

Just as I’m surprised at HRO opening a new Lambo dealership in Hatfield.

And if Mr Corbyn is prime minister by Christmas..............

[anonymous-user]

Ferruccio said:

And if Mr Corbyn is prime minister by Christmas..............

I'll leave the country.

[ferdi p]

Ferruccio said:

I’d be interested to see the business case for opening a McLaren dealership at moment, even if you’ve got an existing under-utilised site.

Just as I’m surprised at HRO opening a new Lambo dealership in Hatfield.

And if Mr Corbyn is prime minister by Christmas..............

These would have been planned years ago, planning,finance, leases, etc...

[Matty3]

ferdi p said:

Ferruccio said:

I’d be interested to see the business case for opening a McLaren dealership at moment, even if you’ve got an existing under-utilised site.

Just as I’m surprised at HRO opening a new Lambo dealership in Hatfield.

And if Mr Corbyn is prime minister by Christmas..............

These would have been planned years ago, planning,finance, leases, etc...

New Lambo dealership opens in Leeds this month - next door to McLeeds (same group I think?),

[anonymous-user]

If they are to be predominantly a servicing organisation, already established with expert techs who can be cross-trained, I suspect the business case wouldn’t be too challenging. Just need to be tooled-up and trained, rather than having the financial burden of multi-million-pound marble floored showrooms etc…

[silver-bullet]

As an ex-Lotus owner who nearly bought from Bell & Colvill several times I'm sure this is bound to be a good thing. In fact they have always been pretty close to the McLaren ethos, they just happened to sell Lotuses instead.

[LotusJas]

McLaren is what Lotus should have become, but failed to

Same ethos, same steering feel, same focus on lightweight (which Lotus used to have, but lost).

[Bispal]

LotusJas said:

McLaren is what Lotus should have become, but failed to

Same ethos, same steering feel, same focus on lightweight (which Lotus used to have, but lost).

Its nice to think Lotus should have become McLaren but you can buy a new Lotus Elise for £44k and that cannot be said of a McLaren' Lotus has always been the sportscar that the man in the street can aspire to and I for one am grateful they have not succumbed to luxury / prestige price creep. McLaren and Lotus exist at opposite ends of the price scale and thats' a good thing.

The Elise S3 has a kerb weight of 866 kilos, I fail to understand just how they have lost their way with lightweight ethos? The S1 weighed 725 kilos at launch but the removal of the K series engine for emissions and replacement with the Toyota engine with its larger and heavier subframe added weight. As did additional crash structure, airbags etc. Its a miracle with all the legislation that Lotus still makes a car of 866 kilos. Only Caterham's are lighter for the road unless you want a non sports car like a smart or VW UP.

I agree they have a similar ethos but I am glad they operate at different price points. As for steering feel having owned 4 Lotus and 1 McLaren I can say the lighter Lotus's have the better of McLaren in that department. That's not to say the McLaren is bad its definitely in the top 5 cars I have driven for steering feel.

McLaren make awesome cars, in may ways grown up, faster, more refined Lotus. The 12C would have made a great Esprit replacement if it had been £80k.