Interview with the Sales Manager of the #1 McLaren Dealership in the World
Rolls-Royce recently showcased two of its “Inspired by” Wraiths in one of the showrooms in the Rolls-Royce Motorcars Dallas dealership. Before the event started, I stood on the edge of the fashionable crowd that was assembling and people-watched. I soon began chatting with a well-dressed man named Phillip Jones and learned he was the sales manager for the Park Place Premier Collection of vehicles, which includes those from Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Jaguar, and McLaren.
In fact, he told me his location was number one for McLaren sales in the world in 2014, topping the (individual, not combined) sales numbers of the London and Dubai dealerships by moving roughly 270 new cars. Jones has been associated with McLaren in various roles since late 2010, so he knows a thing or two about the company’s models. He was kind enough to share with me what he’s learned about them and the people who buy them.
Although the McLaren product portfolio is growing, the company is still a relatively boutique manufacturer relative to powerhouses such as Porsche, which currently offers 25 different versions of the 911 alone. However, buyers of cars from Porsche, as well as Ferrari and Lamborghini, do occasionally decide to see what McLaren’s vehicles are all about – and that one test drive is usually all it takes for them to notice the driveability and comfort that McLarens offer. Jones said, “Once they drive it, it’s hard to say, ‘No.'”
According to Jones, the majority of his McLaren clients choose to drive their cars – including the hyper-exotic 903-hp P1 hybrid – instead of crowning them garage queens. He told me 650S and MP4-12C owners put about 3,000-4,000 miles a year on their cars by driving them 4-5 days a week.
They’re not just going to high-end restaurants and designer clothing stores in them, either. Jones couldn’t give me specific numbers, but he said a very good percentage of his customers track their cars.
A growing number of them are turning to McLaren Special Operations for customizing their Macs. Jones estimated 25 percent of the cars ordered from his dealership roll out with some sort of MSO touches. There are plenty from which to choose. McLaren’s bespoke service offers numerous options, including carbon fiber accent pieces, such as rear diffusers, extended shift paddles, and air vents.
One of the McLarens at Park Place was a particularly eye-catching example of what MSO is capable of creating. The 650S Le Mans is a sleek and sexy throwback to the McLaren F1 GTR (No.59) which won the famous race in France 20 years ago. Like its champion ancestor, the 650S Le Mans features vents on the front fenders and a roof-mounted engine air scoop. The “Le Mans Edition” lightweight wheels also pay homage to the bygone McLaren race car.
The limited edition 675LT will feature 666 bhp and a great deal of carbon fiber, which will help it come in at 220 pounds lighter than its corporate cousin, the 641-hp 650S.
Worldwide, McLaren will only sell 500 675LTs. In fact, all of those are already spoken for. Jones will receive a total allocation of 15-17. Those should arrive at Park Place around the beginning of November.
The upcoming 570S, one of two models in McLaren’s Sports Series, is set to arrive at the dealership in 2016. Jones is hoping to get 40 of them. I have a feeling he’ll make an extra effort to put Porsche owners behind the wheel of a 570S because the 562-bhp Brit has the 911 squarely in its sights. With a starting price of $185,000, the 570S won’t be taking on just any 911, though; it’ll be in the same neighborhood as the 560-hp 911 Turbo S. McLaren might be a comparatively small company, but it has a huge amount of ambition.
It seems consumers in Asia do, too. They want to wow their neighbors and passersby with their own McLarens and it looks as if that’s just what the manufacturer is going to give them. The second model in the McLaren Sports Series is the 533-bhp 540C. According to Jones, it’ll only be sold in the Far East.
It seems that’s the only McLaren Park Place can’t sell, although I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s received phone calls and emails from people on the other side of the world inquiring about the 540C. I should’ve asked Jones if that was the case. He would’ve known.
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corporate photos [McLaren]
