Showrooms

The greatest show(rooms) on earth

Champs-Elysees, Paris

This prestigious address is home to Citroen's C42 showroom, a site that not only sells cars, but is also home to dramatic Citroens new and old.

Tokyo, Japan

Is it a showroom? Is it a theme park? Is it a test track? Or a laboratory? As you would expect from the enterprising Japanese, Toyota’s Megaweb complex is all these and more.

In typically pioneering fashion, the Megaweb site – which opened in 1999 – paved the way for other car makers to launch their own ‘experience’ centres.

In the middle of the park is a traditional motor show-style display, featuring every car in the Toyota and Lexus ranges – 86 models at the last count.

Here, prospective buyers can talk to sales advisors about prices and specifications. If you still can’t decide which one to buy, there’s the chance to try them out on Megaweb’s own track. Or you could take a trip down memory lane, check out some classics and see how Toyota came to be the world’s number one car manufacturer. And you can watch complete restorations taking place, too.

Best of all, while mum and dad choose which people carrier to plump for, the kids are kept busy with virtual reality rides, 3D theatres, design workshops and the chance to drive a Hybrid-assisted pedal kart. There’s even a theme park, too. Who needs Disneyland?

Turin, Italy

At more than one million square metres, you may need to pack your walking boots for a visit to the sprawling Mirafiori factory. But fear not, as you can get around in any Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia or Abarth model of your choice. The Fiat Group’s flagship brand centre is not only Italy’s largest manufacturing facility. It’s also a complete ride, drive and buy showroom that boasts a test track, cinema, banks and fashionable boutiques.

But more impressive is the building itself. Set inside a former factory, the industrial warehouse is contrasted with designer furniture, modern art on the walls and a gourmet restaurant and bar, which gathers crowds until midnight, seven days a week!

Ledbury, Herefordshire

If indoor showrooms leave you cold, then Land Rover’s adventurous ‘Experience’ centres should get you going.

Rather than brogues and sharp suits, you’ll find wellies and country casuals doing the rounds at any of the firm’s 12 outdoor UK sites. Here, you
can push its 4x4s to the limit, and learn to appreciate just how accomplished the machinery and technology behind today’s Land Rovers is.

Of all these sites, Eastnor Castle in the Malvern Hills is the most impressive. The ancient building, which includes a drawbridge, is about as far removed from a showroom as you can get.

And with 3,000 acres of land on which to try out Defenders, Freelanders and Discoverys, visitors are guaranteed a test drive with a difference. Thankfully, the terrain is very varied, so there’s something for both the novice and expert off-roader to enjoy.

The idea is that once you’ve experienced the mud-plugging abilities of a Land Rover for yourself from the driving seat, you’ll want to sign on the dotted line...

Ingolstadt, Germany

Here, prospective customers and devotees of the German make can immerse themselves in all things Vorsprung Durch Technik.

Visitors can see the craftsmanship and machined precision on a factory tour, enjoy cultural experiences in the form of cinema and music events, and even have a romantic candlelit dinner for two.

But at the end of the day, despite the impressive showroom, heritage and bespoke customising programmes – such as Audi’s Exclusive and S line ranges – it’s the test drive that will blow your mind. The company’s Driver’s Day course allows you to tailor a package to suit your requirements: from a
trip round the block in an A3 2.0 TDI to a long weekend in an S5 coupé on your favourite German race track.

San Fernando valley, California, US

Pay a visit to the world’s number one Ford showroom, and you can soak up some old-fashioned Americana.

While flicking through the brochures or waiting for your car to be serviced, you can eat at The Horseless Carriage burger bar, sup coffee from the in-house Starbucks or watch the custom department modify a vehicle before your eyes.

Galpin Ford is so large it has a showroom dedicated to Mustangs. No one sells more of these than Galpin – the North Hills dealer shifts more Fords than any outlet in the world.

Galpin opened in 1946, and blue oval boss Bill Ford is full of praise for it. “At Ford we want to build great products, a strong business and a better world,” he said. “In many ways, what we set out to do at Ford is exactly what Galpin does every day.

Crewe, Cheshire

Who says that customers need to go to a showroom to buy a car? Not Bentley.

The company provides more than 10,000 ‘Experiences’ at its Crewe factory every year. That’s because it knows this is the best way to sell its exclusive hand-finished grand tourers.

What most visitors find surprising is how quiet the plant is. The cars progress down the line so slowly that you can’t even tell they’re moving. And rather than the scent of grease and oil, all you are likely to smell are the pleasant aromas of leather and freshly cut hardwood.
 
In addition, the Mulliner wing allows customers to personalise their car. Here, buyers can sit down with the company’s designers and talk them through their vision for a bespoke Bentley – and then see it designed in front of them.

Munich, Germany

The recently opened BMW Welt (BMW World) is an inspiring piece of architecture, and a temple of worship to the ultimate driving machine.

As with arch rivals Audi and Mercedes, the Bavarian firm is looking to achieve two main goals with its landmark Munich location: it’s a
showcase for the company’s historic collection, plus an elaborate handover location for customers collecting their brand new model.

Located under the watchful eye of the company’s ‘Four-Cylinder’ headquarters, BMW Welt anticipates handing over 170 vehicles a year, some fresh off the adjacent production lines. The rich automotive heritage and chance to experience a tour of the factory is only topped by then emerging to find your car on a pedestal, slowly rotating under the spotlight as
the star attraction.

Atlantic City, US

This New Jersey site is officially recognised by General Motors as the world’s largest Corvette dealer. Looking at its forecourt, you can see why. Hundreds of the two-seater coupés and convertibles crowd the vast frontage – and inside, there are nearly another 100 examples of the all-American sports car.

With vintage models on display and a welcoming atmosphere, this is the place to visit for any muscle car fan. Inside you’ll find EX122. It sounds like a microwave, but is a little more emotive than white goods – it’s the codename of the oldest surviving Corvette: the experimental concept first displayed by Chevrolet back in 1953. Also on show is every other Corvette model, along with an unrivalled muscle car collection from
a variety of GM marques.

Brooklands, Surrey

If size matters to you, then this could be the ultimate in buying a new car. As well as selling Mercedes, the site is part museum, part classroom and part racetrack. It even has facilities for holding pop concerts and has a licence for conducting weddings!

As you drive in, you pass the test track, where sporty AMG models are being driven at speed. Meanwhile, other customers can sample the firm’s 4x4s on a treacherous off-road course, and learner drivers hone their skills at the wheel of an A-Class. Test drives range from £75 for 30 minutes’ track time to £300 for a half day.

For a further £25, Mercedes-Benz World provides you with evidence of your outing. A personal data tag activates cameras in every car you drive, and everything is captured, edited and then handed over to you on a special DVD.

Modena, Italy

When Maserati decided it needed a glamorous new flagship showroom at its
historic Viale Ciro Menotti HQ in Modena, the company thought outside of the boxy, glass and aluminium structures that typify the genre.

Instead, it turned to top architect and furniture designer, Israeli-born Ron Arad – and the end result will send your head spinning.

Curves and contours, mood swings and colour changes – the contemporary interior is more akin to a modern art gallery than an industrial estate dealership.

The crowning glory is an 80-metre-long, 10-tonne spiralling loop made from fibreglass and fabric, upon which Maserati’s latest models are displayed. Beneath that, significant vehicles from the brand’s illustrious past are proudly displayed.