In recent years China’s booming luxury car market has tremendously increased the sales results of brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, but it is important not to forget another market where luxury cars are immensely popular: the Middle East.
Proof of this is that Abu Dhabi Motors, BMW’s importer in the Middle East, has just finished building a 376,736 square foot showroom, an edifice that has earned the distinction of being the world’s largest BMW dealership. It took three years to build, and cost 300 million dirham (approximately $81.8 million).
The dealership sells BMWs, MINIs, Rolls Royces, and both BMW and Husqvarna motorcycles. Just about every model of every brand is on display in numerous color combinations.
The showroom’s inauguration took place last week. It was a national event that was attended by BMW’s top brass and some high-placed members of the country’s government, including His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
With the completion of the showroom, the dealership is open for business, but the construction work is not quite done yet. Abu Dhabi Motors plans on adding a used car department and a repair shop that will be able to work on 120 vehicles simultaneously.
When all is said and done, the dealership will employ about 450 people, a huge increase over the 24 employees that the business had when it opened up shop in 1986.
“The Middle East is an important region for the BMW Group,” said Ian Robertson, a member of BMW’s Board of Management. “We sold more vehicles here in 2011 than ever before. There is tremendous future growth potential in many countries in this region and in the United Arab Emirates in particular.”
