License to the Supercar Club

Looking for a ride that’ll turn heads and attract paparazzi-types? The Galpin Aston Martin dealership may have the answer: the One-77 supercar, a sleek, two-door coupe capable of reaching a speed of 220 miles per hour. For $1.8 million this car entitles its owner to bragging rights that very few in the world can claim. “When you have any car with only 77 being made in the world you are guaranteed never to trip over another one,” said Stuart McIntosh, general sales manager at Galpin Aston Martin. The One-77 and the Aston Martin dealership represent the other side of Galpin Motors, the long-time San Fernando Valley auto seller known for its best-selling Ford dealership. Whereas Ford has decades of tradition of affordability and every day use, Aston Martin, in general, and the One-77, in particular, have the sheen of exclusivity. As the name implies, its production will be limited and only the most affluent can afford the price tag. The Galpin dealership is one of only three for Aston Martin in Southern California and has become the British carmaker’s representative every fall at the L.A. Auto Show. The Galpin display at this year’s show, held late last month, included a pre-production version of the One-77, the car’s first public showing on the West Coast. The dealership’s ability to display the One-77 at the auto show speaks to the high regard given to the Valley operation. Its sales through the end of October made Galpin the third largest dealership for Aston Martin, and volume was running about 25 percent to 30 percent higher this year than in 2010, McIntosh said. Still, its overall contribution to Galpin Motors is not a large one. The Aston Martin dealership can sell between 50 and 55 new cars and 30 pre-owned vehicles a year. That is an average of about one new car a week. The Galpin Ford dealership, on the other hand, can sell anywhere from 550 vehicles to 800 vehicles a month, McIntosh said. The Aston Martin dealership is part of Galpin’s Premier Collection of high end vehicles. Other brands in the collection are Jaguar, Volvo, Lincoln and Lotus all of which are in a multi-story building. Economies of scale for the smaller dealership allows for better deals to be made for the customers, said Brian Allan, the general manager of the Premier Collection. “Because everything is under one roof instead of having multiple managers we have more efficiencies that enable us to be more aggressive in pricing,” Allan said. Aston Martin: Selling prestige Galpin opened its Aston Martin dealership in 2003. At that time Ford owned the brand and would later sell much of its share to private investors in 2007. In 2005, Galpin opened Club Aston, a private area with access to the showroom, a bar, and other amenities. What Aston Martin does with its cars is sell not just a mode of transportation but a lifestyle and the prestige of ownership, said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends with TrueCar.com, an online publisher of new car transaction data. A supercar earns the industry moniker based on scarcity, price and performance. The One-77 has a chassis made of carbon fiber, aluminum panels, and a 7.3 liter V12 engine that can reach 750 horsepower. The car will appeal to someone who wants a supercar with a more traditional look than a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, said Leslie Kendall, curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. “It’s very muscular looking and aggressive,” Kendall said. “Yet it’s civilized on the inside.” A car like the One-77 with its hefty engine and hefty price gets people talking and that is what Aston Martin wants, Toprak said. “It enhances brand credibility,” he said. Set up on the concourse level at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the One-77 drew appreciative stares and comments from representatives of other luxury car brands such as Bentley and Rolls Royce, McIntosh said. “We were getting well-qualified people coming in to see us outside of the dealership,” McIntosh said. In mid-November, nine potential buyers had come forward to the Galpin dealership interested in purchasing the One-77, McIntosh said. (In case you’re interested, the car isn’t parked at Galpin’s Van Nuys showroom, and unless you’re willing to go to England, don’t expect a test drive.) By Toprak’s estimate Americans will purchase about one-third to one-half of the 77 cars with the balance going to Eastern Europeans and Middle Easterners. An order goes directly to the Aston Martin factory where each car is hand built in a dedicated facility. The time from order to delivery can take up to 18 months, McIntosh said. With so few of these cars made and only the most wealthy able to buy them, actually seeing one will be a rare moment. “That is what makes L.A. different,” Kendall said. “You have a better chance of catching a glimpse of one of these cars here than in many other parts of the world.”