Hyundai’s vice president of sales, Dave Zuchowski, revealed that 231 of the brand’s 570 stand-alone dealerships in the States will invest a combined US$358 million in order to get an all-new look, consistent with the company’s global standards, by the end of the year.
“We have not had a big push on consistency of our image and branding of our buildings in the past”, said Zuchowski. “Now that our brand has gained strength, it is a very viable investment for the dealer.”
On the outside, the walls of the buildings will be covered with trim that looks like brushed aluminum with a blue overhang wrapping the dealership. Inside, among other upgrades, showrooms will get new lighting and Hyundai-branded displays.
Dealers will be able to choose from a list of exterior and interior options to renovate their showrooms according to their budget.
Zuchowski said that about 150 more dealerships need renovations, urging them to make the decision now that the interest rates and construction costs are still low.
Will they actually be forced by Hyundai to make those changes? Zuchowski says that so far, dealers are responding in a positive way: “We’re not really getting a lot of resistance. We’re basically saying ‘We’ve invested billions in our product line to provide you with what we think is a world-class product. Take a step back and make sure that we’re as competitive with our buildings, our people and our processes as our products are.”
Story References: Automotive News
