Showing posts with label dealership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dealership. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Lotus of DC advertising down the Pike in Rockville


Lotus of DC
is advertising its presence further down MD 355 at the Ourisman Mazda/Volkswagen dealership at 801-A Rockville Pike. A Lotus with the dealership's website URL is parked out front in a Mazda-reserved space. The real dealership is further north at 15301 N. Frederick Avenue, where the old Ourisman Chevrolet showroom has been being remodeled for Lotus sales. It opened last year, and operates from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday - Friday.





Sunday, March 12, 2023

Car stolen from dealership in Rockville


Rockville City police are investigating the theft of a vehicle from an automobile dealership on Rockville Pike yesterday afternoon, March 11, 2023. The vehicle was taken from a dealership in the 800 block of Rockville Pike. There are two dealerships on that block: Ourisman Mazda and Ourisman Chevrolet. As thefts from dealerships have persisted recently, a security vehicle has been seen patrolling the Chevy dealership lot at night.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Car stolen from dealership in Rockville


Rockville City police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at an auto dealership yesterday afternoon, December 21, 2022. The vehicle was reported stolen at a dealership in the 1300 block of Rockville Pike at 2:15 PM on Wednesday. There is a new Tesla dealership on that block.

Monday, November 28, 2022

King Buick GMC closes in Rockville (Photos)


It's the end of an era at King Buick GMC at 16200 Frederick Road in Rockville. The dealership has closed permanently, although some vehicle inventory remains on the property. King Motor Company was born in 1928, but it was in the 1950s that King family scion Conrad V. Aschenbach opened his first dealership in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. His son, Bill Aschenbach, said the family was forced to sell the dealership because it could not find another location in the area. The dealership's property will become an EYA townhome development, and be annexed into the City of Rockville.


Bill Aschenbach says that he will join a new dealership group founded by his son, Conrad. That group expects to have nine dealerships by December 31 of this year. The existing King franchise is being acquired by Criswell Automotive at its Gaithersburg Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership. But many of the King employees from this location will be moving to the Ideal Hyundai Buick GMC dealership in Frederick, Maryland, Aschenbach said.  


This is the second venerable car dealership to be lost along this stretch of MD 355 in the last decade. Reed Brothers Dodge at 15955 Frederick Road was the first Dodge dealer in Montgomery County. Today, the Bainbridge Shady Grove apartments stand on its former site.








Saturday, November 12, 2022

Tesla opens new gallery in Rockville (Photos)


Tesla
has opened a new gallery location in Rockville. What's particularly interesting is the location: 1300 Rockville Pike. This is where upstart Tesla competitor Rivian was operating out of earlier this year. Unlike Rivian, which never posted signage or other visible signs of its presence, the new Tesla facility has signage. Behind the large glass windows is a welcoming showroom, with Tesla vehicles on display inside and out in front of the building.


This location is so new, it doesn't even appear on the Tesla website yet. Tesla has an existing Rockville area gallery and service facility at 52 Derwood Circle. Rivian has closed its operations here on the Pike, and will be relocating its Montgomery County operations to another site. Unlike Rivian, it appears Tesla will be able to fully capitalize on this high-profile location on one of Maryland's busiest highways.





Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Rockville auto dealership broken into


Rockville City police responded to a burglar alarm at an auto dealership early yesterday morning, October 18, 2022.  The burglary took place at a dealership in the 1400 block of Rockville Pike at 3:41 AM. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry.

Monday, September 5, 2022

Rockville Dodge dealer sells out of Hemi V8 Chargers, Challengers as models enter their final year


Three weeks ago, Dodge announced it would be phasing out its gasoline-powered Charger and Challenger muscle cars after the 2023 model year. Hemi fans are apparently taking action now, to ensure they get one of the last cars that will be produced. DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Rockville at 755 Rockville Pike is now temporarily sold out of Hemi V8 versions of both vehicles, as of yesterday. Some V6 models are still in-stock, as you can see above, until the next V8s are delivered. After special versions of both cars are produced for 2023, the Charger and Challenger will be replaced with an electric sports car for the 2024 model year.

Friday, August 12, 2022

Lotus of Washington DC auto dealership opens in Rockville


Lotus of Washington DC
, a new dealership selling the British luxury performance vehicles, has taken over the former Rockmont Chevrolet property under the giant American flag at 15301 N. Frederick Road in Rockville. The brand hasn't had a stand-alone dealership of its own in Montgomery County since a Bethesda location closed in 2016. Lotus of Washington DC is carrying the Evora, Emira, Evija and Eletre models. The showroom is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Monday, April 18, 2022

Polestar electric vehicles arrive at new Rockville dealership (Photos)


The Polestar showroom is still under construction at 15401 Frederick Road in Rockville, but the first significant inventory of Polestar 2 electric vehicles has arrived on-site. Previously, individual owners could take delivery of their vehicles at this location; this is the first time that vehicles have been parked outside the dealership. 


A Polestar logo obelisk has also been erected near the street, and a logo has been placed on a fence at the side of the showroom. Previously, like the new Rivian facility down Rockville Pike, the dealership property has had no signage to indicate its existence alongside a Volvo showroom. The Polestar 2 vehicles on display are in Snow, Midnight and Thunder colors.










Friday, March 25, 2022

Rivian truck spotted at Rockville Rivian facility (Photos)


The parking lot at the new Rivian facility on Rockville Pike is usually empty, save for the flatbed trucks used to deliver the new electric pickup trucks to their owners. Trucks are picked up for delivery as quickly as they arrive here. But one of the fast-moving EV pickups was finally caught on-site yesterday. 


There was an intriguing sign on the dashboard, which instructs delivery drivers in capital letters to unbuckle the truck's seatbelt after loading. I can't find any explanation online for that, but it clearly must be important, and it would be interesting to know why. It's too early for Guardian Mode on this Rivian. 


The tonneau cover was closed over the pickup bed. I think this truck is in Launch Green. Has anyone seen a Limestone yet? I'm partial to Rivian Blue myself.





Saturday, March 12, 2022

Car stolen from Rockville auto dealership


Montgomery County police were called to a Rockville auto dealership after a vehicle was reported having been stolen from the property Thursday night, March 10, 2022. Crime data indicates the car was taken from a dealership in the White 'Flint area, in the 5500 block of Nicholson Lane, at 9:55 PM. Fitzgerald Buick-GMC is located on that block.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Rivian starts trucking at new Rockville facility (Photos)


Rivian
made big news by raising prices on its electric vehicles yesterday, even for those who had pre-ordered under the previous price points, before backtracking today amid order cancellations. There is Rivian news closer to home here in Rockville, though. A Rivian facility has just been established at 1300 Rockville Pike. This was previously the BMW of Rockville dealership.

Flatbed trucks used to deliver
Rivian vehicles to buyers

Don't plan to visit just yet. The facility is currently being used to fulfill delivery orders for vehicles to purchasers in our area, and signs warn that the property is to be entered by "Employees Only." Those flatbed trucks you see in the photos here are used to deliver the vehicles directly to owners' homes. Also on-site: a surveillance robot, whose blue light can be seen as you approach on the Pike.

Blue light special: the Rivian
facility is under surveillance by
this camera robot out front

Aside from delivery and service functions, there are no consumer-facing operations here yet. There are currently no Rivian vehicles visible on-site, no Rivian Experience Center showroom, and no Rivian signage. But if you live nearby and haven't canceled your R1T or R1S order, this is where your vehicle will arrive first before it is brought to you on one of these flatbed trucks. Three major EV brands now have a presence in Rockville: Tesla, Polestar and Rivian.



Friday, October 29, 2021

Tesla rival Polestar opens first Washington D.C.-area dealership in Rockville


The electric car age is fully upon us, and Montgomery County auto buyers are finding each year is bringing more options to the market. Polestar, a Swedish rival to Tesla, has just opened a location at 15401 Frederick Road in Rockville, just north of Gude Drive. This is on the site of the DARCARS Volvo dealership. That's not surprising, because Polestar is partly owned by Volvo.


Polestar is most strongly promoting its Polestar 2 sedan. It looks like a cross between a Volvo electric, a Tesla, and a hint of Lincoln at the rear. It goes 0-60 in 4.7 seconds. The company also offers something Tesla won't for another couple of years, a sports coupe called the Polestar 1. A Polestar 3 is anticipated to be built in America, and the company recently announced plans to go public.


Like Tesla, the company provides a different retail experience than traditional automakers. Its sites are called Spaces, not "dealerships," and are designed to look like exhibit-filled museums rather than sales floors. Polestar doesn't have the wide network of proprietary supercharger sites that Tesla owners enjoy. But unlike Tesla owners, you can charge up at standard charging stations wherever you find them. Kudos to Polestar for touting Rockville's "bustling restaurants and shops surrounding a traditional town square with its manicured lawn" in its promotional materials for the space.

Photos courtesy Polestar

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Hummer EV now available for pre-order at King GMC Buick in Rockville


The highly-anticipated Hummer EV electric truck is now available for pre-order at King GMC Buick, located at 16200 Frederick Road. It features a 300-350 mile range, depending on which model you choose. Advanced features include Ultravision navigation cameras, a power swing gate, and the ability for the truck to drive diagonally like a crab. The pickup model goes 0-60 in three seconds; the SUV version takes a half-second longer.