You find the best things in the most surprising places.
Saturday we finally got a chance to stop at the Land Rover dealership in downtown Minneapolis and the experience stuck with me as being one of the neatest dealer facilities I’ve ever seen. The entire place sits on a city block, and consists of a medium-sized one-story showroom attached to a 4-story parking ramp.
Look up in the parking lot and take note of the LR3 on the roof. Walk past the de facto Land Rover test course to enter the showroom and absorb the sight, feel, and smell of some of the finest cars Britain has to offer (Do you like luxury?). In the middle of the showroom is a spiral staircase leading down to another showroom, which could’ve been where they kept the sold stock.
Follow the basement hallway towards the parking ramp and it starts to get even more interesting. This is the indoor used car area. You’ll notice a couple older M-B cabriolets in addition to a Jag and one of 4 Lotus Elises scattered about. Walk between the rows of cars, past the Jags and a couple of bargain Range Rovers and there is easily one of the most picturesque sights in Minneapolis.
THE. ELISE. IS. AMAZING.
Sadly, Land Rover and friends won’t be living downtown much longer. The last of the downtown dealerships will be moving up and out to a new location very soon. If you’re in town, check it out while it’s still open.
jb said:
that place is money. one time when we lived over there, me and navy boi bought some lottery tickets and then went to that place and searched for the car we were gonna buy when we one the lottery that night. i think we actually settled on a lotus. not the elise though.
22:54 on 09 Nov 2005
matches said:
I bet you’re talking about the Esprit then. The Elise is still rather new and won’t set you back as much.
Personally I’d probably lean toward a Range Rover, but who am I kidding - my first stop after cashing is and always will be the Porsche dealer.
20:40 on 10 Nov 2005
jbucki said:
yeah it was definately that esprit. it was a gray one. anyway, we didn’t win the lotto that night. hence the reason im not driving that esprit today… i hear you on the porsches. ever since i saw my first 911 turbo, i knew that it was my car. do they still make the turbo?
21:54 on 10 Nov 2005
matches said:
I thought they did, but it looks like the turbos are taking a little time off right now, as the old (996) bodystyle must have finished its production run. The new 997 turbos should be out in 2006.
22:29 on 10 Nov 2005