JERICHO, NY – Evan Christodoulou is building the world’s largest Porsche dealership, on Long Island.

The new building for the Porsche Roslyn dealership is being constructed at 125 South Service Rd in Jericho. Jericho, NY.

Christodoulou spoke about the proposed building with pride to TNH. It will not only be the largest Porsche dealership, but the most contemporary.

Until the end of the last decade, the largest dealership ever built was located in South Africa. Another was built later in Florida, which at 67,000 square feet was considered to be the biggest in the world.

The Porsche Roslyn dealership, at 125,000 square feet, will double the Florida one in size.

Because there isn’t a great deal of land available in Jericho, Christodoulou explained, it is necessary to build vertically, as if often the case in Manhattan. The building will be five stories tall.

Christodoulou expects it to open in January.

“The new dealership will be of the highest standards,” Christodoulou told TNH, noting that there will be big-screen TVs, waiting areas for adults and children, and “any other amenities necessary to make waiting as pleasant as possible.”

THE FUTURE IS NOW

The showroom, fourth-generation Porsche, will be the most technologically advanced to date, he said. There will be even more technicians on hand, which means expanded hours of service, including Sundays.

Porsche Roslyn was founded 11 years ago and has been on the rise ever since. We expect to sell 760 new cars and 400 used cars this year. 70% of new car sales are through leasing because it is popular in New York,” Christodoulou said. A lot has changed over the past decade, and to put things in perspective, about 20,000 Porsches in total were sold ten years ago, he explained, compared to the 60,000 expected to be sold in 2016.

To understand all of the “huge” technological changes, Christodoulou describes how the technicians go to Atlanta, GA to be trained on the new models – 17 of them – which are fuel efficient and equipped with higher horsepower.

“The technology applied to the new cars is quite impressive. Needless to say, whatever is available on an Apple phone can be available through the car’s navigation system. We use Google Maps, which provide concise information about traffic and offer the choice to be navigated via other routes with less or no traffic.”

Regarding fuel consumption, Christodoulou noted that “at the moment, the price of gas is low, but it will not remain this low forever. The new Porsche 911 model may have 35% more horsepower, but it is 30% more fuel efficient at the same time. Advancements have contributed to the increase of engine performance and to the reduction of size.”

HYBRIDS AND PRICES

Christodoulou told TNH that Porsche has followed on the heels of the automotive industry as to hybrid and electric cars. “Porsche’s hybrids, such as the Cayenne E-Hybrid and the Panamera E-Hybrid, are already on the market, and are likely to see an increase. Porsche’s technological advancement is unique, and will manufacture a new model, the Porsche Mission E, by the end of 2017, which will be autonomous for 500 miles and will be able to recharge the battery to 80% within 20 minutes.

“Although hybrid cars are not as popular in New York as they are in California, due to higher prices, our customers choose hybrids out of respect for the environment, and not on financial criteria.”

In reference to prices, he said they are “on the rise throughout the entire auto industry.” As far as the cost of maintenance is concerned, he claimed that “it is not a priority, because someone who buys a Porsche does not take the cost of maintenance into consideration. Besides, we have a special ‘pre-pay maintenance’ program which many of our customers prefer.”

BRAND LOYALTY

Christodoulou pointed out that “Porsche customers are very committed to the company, but not to the models.” They often switch cars within months and very will keep the same car for more than three years, “because in three years a new generation of Porsche cars will be in circulation. We have customers who change cars more often, because they always want something different.”

Christodoulou also noted that the used car market for Porsche has more than doubled.
“Formerly, used cars were 20% of our sales, while today that percentage is close to 50%. Hence, the sale of two new cars corresponds to the sale of one used car.”

PORSCHE V. MERCEDES/BMW

Do Mercedes or BMW owners switch to Porsche? What are they seeking when doing that? “Porsche cars have nothing in common with those brands, so they cannot be compared,” Christodoulou said. Porsche cars are more prestigious. Porsche manufactures genuine sports cars which participate in auto races. In addition, Porsche is the only car that can be driven on a daily basis and then race on Sunday.”

Then, there is the SUV. “A new SUV, the Porsche Macan, was introduced to the market last year with great success. This year, for the first time, we have two cars available, while last year there was a waiting list of one to two months. The SUV is very popular, especially in New York.

“We have several Cayenne models, which vary according to fuel consumption and horsepower. What we must clarify is that Porsche cars have always been more cost-efficient in relation to what they offer the driver.”

Finally, Christodoulou emphasizes his daily involvement in the dealership. “My colleagues don’t work every day, but I work six days a week because I like what I do and I want to be in daily contact with the customer.”