17 May 2021

Steven Eagell Toyota in Solihull has redeveloped part of its site to incorporate a Lexus retailer within the existing premises. It officially opened last Monday as part of a new initiative explained by an Auto Retail Agenda source to ‘trial Lexus within a Toyota showroom concept where the area won’t support a full Lexus site’.

The new concept marks a return to Toyota showrooms for the premium brand. Lexus was launched in the UK in 1990 from Toyota showrooms but was then separated into stand-alone showrooms at the turn of the Millennium in order to affirm Lexus’ premium brand position.

Auto Retail Agenda visited the new site last Thursday – when directors including Mr Eagell were reportedly also making a site visit. The facility is accessible from the Toyota site, rather than closed off, and houses two cars, a posh coffee machine and two seating areas. The high-end area is furnished with premium materials and has a different flooring to the adjacent Toyota area. At the time of visiting, brochures and promotional materials were still to arrive.

Auto Retail Agenda contacted Toyota GB and a spokesman explained the site is “part of a pan-European pilot project which allows small, bespoke Lexus retail sites to use space available on very large Toyota sites”. Our contact understood this site is the first one in the UK.

“We (as in Lexus and Toyota across Europe) will look at how these work, what customers feedback is, and whether there are any issues with both brands sharing a site.”

Steven Eagell Group acquired the Solihull Toyota site on the A34 – an auto retail hot-spot with many showrooms in the area – in 2020 as part of the acquisition of six retailers from Vantage Motor Group.

Tags: Leuxs, Steven Eagell, Toyota