Mercedes-Benz Canada breaks ground on new flagship retail facility in the Greater Toronto Area

newswire.ca
March 25, 2014

Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, was joined today by company executives, to officially break ground for the construction of the second generation Mercedes-Benz Thornhill retail facility located in the upper northwest quadrant of the Greater Toronto Area. Mercedes-Benz Canadawill erect a brand new corporately-owned flagship retail store, from the ground up, on the same property at 228 Steeles West in Thornhill.

Demolition of the two former buildings on the 3.2-acre property was completed in November 2013, making way for a new state-of-the-art structure that will be approximatively 130,000 square feet. Sales operations have been temporarily relocated to 5840 Yonge Street in Toronto and service operations are currently managed from 82 Green Lane inThornhill. The significant investment in this new facility will open up a new chapter for Mercedes-Benz Thornhill which has proudly been serving the automotive community since 1988. With more than two decades of compounded sales growth coupled with an ever-growing product portfolio and a finite amount of space, this new build became necessary for Mercedes-Benz Thornhill to keep pace with the needs and expectations of its clientele.

Scheduled to be fully operational in May 2015, the dealership will feature ample space over two floors, incorporating an extensive new and pre-owned vehicle showroom totaling 36,000 square feet. The new facility will also house a dedicated AMG Performance Centre and a smart Centre. An additional 43,000 square feet has been earmarked for the service area, and will include 32 state-of-the-art work bays, 6 detailing bays as well as a 6 vehicle drive-through, all of which will significantly improve the overall customer service experience. Furthermore, the new site configuration will add a considerable amount of parking compared to the previous facility.

Consistent with the design of other dealerships in Mercedes-Benz Canada's nationwide retail network, the layout of the new facility will follow the Mercedes-Benz proprietary Auto Haus design concept, which promotes the widespread use of glass to maintain transparency and create a bright, open concept feeling.

The dealership will also integrate the new Mercedes-Benz retail corporate identity where black coupled with accents of silver, reminiscent of the three-pointed star, will replace the blue colours traditionally seen in Mercedes-Benz stores.

Conscious of the importance of incorporating sustainable development practices into its operations, Mercedes-Benz Canada has ensured that the overall design of the building will incorporate measures to maximize energy efficiencies, help reduce the heat island effect and CFC's in its HVAC equipment.

"Over the course of the last 25 years, Mercedes-Benz Thornhill has generated some of the largest sales and service volumes in Canada year over year.  Despite several renovations and expansions, the facility was no longer optimal," said Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. "It's never a good time to embark on such a massive and disruptive undertaking. We are grateful for our customers' and employees' patience and understanding during this elaborate reconstruction phase. It goes without saying that this new facility will further augment Mercedes-Benz Canada's prominence in the Greater Toronto Area as well as provide an outstanding new platform for all of us to deliver the absolute best automotive experience possible for our valued customers."