ROARING FOR 75 YEARS

Jaguar of Great Neck is one of Jaguar’s top‑selling retailers in North America, and now after celebrating 75 years under the same family ownership, it’s recognized as the oldest U.S. Jaguar retailer. Here, Jack Weidinger, President, Jaguar of Great Neck on New York’s Long Island, explains the secrets of 75 years of success.

Glenn Drake, Vice President, Northern Region, Jaguar Land Rover North America (R) presents Jack Weidinger, Dealer Principal of Jaguar of Great Neck (L) with a plaque to commemorate the dealership's 75th Anniversary of service, making them the longest continuous Jaguar retail ownership in the U.S., on March 28, 2013 in Great Neck, NY. 

How did it all start?
Things were a lot less formal in 1938. My grandfather, Hugh Weidinger, owned an auto dealership in Hempstead, Long Island. We don’t have many records or pieces of paper but what I’m sure happened was that he bought some Jaguar vehicles and put them in the showroom. If you bought inventory back then, you were considered a dealer.

How did he grow the business?
Right up until the 1980s, Jaguar was very much a specialized business in North America. There was some growth in the 1950s with G.I.s coming back from Europe after World War II and wanting one of those cool Jaguar cars they had seen overseas. Even through the 1960s and 1970s with the E‑type, the market was small. Then came the 1980s where the XJ6 Series III was launched and Jaguar really took off.

How successful were the 1980s?
In the 1980s, my father Jake Weidinger took over the company and was driving the business. The XJ6 was an absolute hit as people loved the style, the luxury and the price. These were the high times and Long Island was the place to be to sell luxury cars. My dad has letters from Mike Dale, who was the President of Jaguar North America at that time, congratulating him on selling more new Jaguar cars than the whole of Germany!

How has the dealership changed in recent years?
Back in 1995 we moved to our current location in Great Neck, Long Island. Then, three years ago, my father decided to retire and I took the business over from him.

This January we opened our Jaguar exclusive service department next door, which was a big investment for the franchise, and last month I’m happy to report, we had our best month in five years selling over 60 new Jaguar vehicles.

Why the big increase?
For us, the Instinctive All‑Wheel Drive™ in the XJ and XF vehicles has been a big game changer as we’ve had a huge pent‑up demand for it. It’s not about the system’s ability to cope in foul weather; our customers are looking to buy peace of mind and our All‑Wheel Drive vehicles provide that. Of course we know the momentum with All‑Wheel Drive won’t last forever, but I think the current momentum is going to take us right into the F‑TYPE launch in May and the spring/summer sports car season. The timing couldn’t be better.

So what does Jaguar of Great Neck do differently?
You can’t underestimate our fantastic location. As far as I’m concerned, Long Island is the best luxury market in the country right now. It has the right cultural demographic, the right financial demographic and a close proximity to New York City. Over the past 75 years we’ve developed quite an amazing customer list which we’ve been cultivating and protecting for decades.

Why is this 75th anniversary important?
It’s important for me and my family because this Jaguar franchise is such a huge part of our family and something I take personal pride in. I also think it’s something that differentiates us from other dealers. It’s also a success story my sales team can tell to customers who, I think, appreciate our commitment and longevity. For customers making this kind of purchasing decision, these are important factors.