The GAIN Group opens a Maserati dealership in Victoria on Friday — the first for Vancouver Island — as the company invests $25 million in new expanded facilities for its automobile brands.
Workers are painting 740 Roderick St. grey to reflect the colour of dealerships for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, which will be sharing the space, said Peter Trzewik, head of the GAIN Group of Vancouver Island.
It was always planned that GAIN would have Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Maserati dealerships here, he said Wednesday.
The Maserati dealership gives auto enthusiasts another choice and provides high-end servicing, Trzewik said.
He anticipates potential Maserati buyers will be “people who now have one of our other brands, like the Mercedes or Porsche or BMW models.”
GAIN’s dealership brands on Vancouver Island include Mini, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, Subaru, Volkswagen and Smart vehicles. It is affiliated with the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit and the Villa Eyrie Resort.
The organization has 600 employees on Vancouver Island, Trzewik said.
This will be the seventh Maserati dealership in Canada, he said. The luxury Italian vehicles are distinguished by a trident emblem.
Fiat and Alfa Romeo were together at Roderick Street, but Fiat was relocated to 2555 Government St. several months ago.
Maserati will join Alfa Romeo at Roderick Street for now.
GAIN has about a dozen Maserati vehicles in stock for the opening, Trzewik said. “A good start-up,” he said. “It’s a very exclusive product.”
Trzewik predicts initial sales of about 25 Maserati cars a year.
And while the 2,700 square-foot Roderick Street building is getting a facelift, it is just a temporary space for the combined dealership.
By the end of this year, Trzewik said that Alfa Romeo and Maserati will be moving into its new 15,000-square-foot space on Douglas Street and Summit Avenue. Barry Sadler continues as dealership general manager.
The other building going up on that property is a new 20,000-square-foot home for the Audi dealership, which has outgrown rented space at 1101 Yates St.
Behind the buildings, a 320-stall parking area will be built.
Total construction cost on the Douglas Street property is $25 million, Trzewik said. A grand opening for that site is expected in the spring.
