In 1999 when Manhattan Auto Group President and CEO Gary Flom embarked upon an evaluation of his company's processes, he used a rather unusual barometer. Flom examined, not only the approach used by his competitors in the automotive industry, but also that of Manhattan's top-scale hoteliers, restaurants, and retailers. He wanted to see -- and adopt -- the peerlessexemplary service levels, distinctive ambience, and attention to detail that his clients might enjoy at The Plaza, Le Bernardin, Cartier, or Cellini.

After a detailed analysis of these and other Manhattan favorites, Flom emerged triumphant. He had mined the riches of Manhattan and would now use them to create a distinctive automotive environment. "I determined that providing a truly remarkable buying experience meant reinventing four key elements of our business - the building, the people, the processes, and the technology. We spent the next year working with many of the world's most brilliant designers, fashioning our vision of the customer's ultimate automotive showroom. We then set our plans in motion, renovating not only the building but also every aspect of the business we conduct."

The result of this multi-year, $15 million project is an automobile buyer's dream - a premier automotive retailer in the Automotive District. Already a fixture destination for Manhattan car buyers, Manhattan Auto has just completed a $15 million redesign engineered with the express goal of complimenting its customers' lifestyles to perfection. The Manhattan Automobile Company facility features eight specialized showrooms - Ford cars and Ford SUVs, Lincoln/Mercury, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Saleen - comfortably ensconced in a landmark, eight-story '20s-era warehouse building.

The significance of the redesign becomes apparent the moment you enter the soaring, 30-foot atrium and continues as each detail unfolds. Innovative, however- lies in its concept salons - one for each line - celebrate the lifestyles of the brand's customers and encourage them to immerse themselves in that experience. Cutting-edge technology keeps important information at the sales consultant's and the automobile buyer's fingertips. An extensive array of amenities - from a business center to onsite Café 11, where “We Proudly Brew Starbucks” Coffee, - afford an unprecedented level of convenience, and dedication to excellence throughout the enterprise brings new meaning to the concept of "automotive service."

Gratifying the World's Most Sophisticated Customer

"Designing a facility that would impress Manhattanites was no simple feat," says Gary B. Flom, President and CEO of Manhattan Auto Group. "Manhattan residents are the most discerning individuals in the world," he notes. "They have the best of everything - five-star hotels, haute cuisine, stellar shopping - available to them. I wanted the Manhattan Auto Group experience to be equally enjoyable."

According to Flom, that experience begins when a customer initiates his car search and continues throughout the life of the purchase. Whether customers seek the raw magnetism of a Jaguar convertible, the worldly sophistication of a Range Rover, the bold American luxury of a Lincoln, or the environmental friendliness of a Ford Escape Hybrid, Manhattan Automobile Company will help them make the perfect selection and then ensure they realize maximum enjoyment from it.