March 29, 2024
Charleston’s only Alfa Romeo dealership switches drivers – Charleston Post Courier

Charleston’s only Alfa Romeo dealership switches drivers – Charleston Post Courier

Baker Motor Co. has added a famed Italian luxury nameplate to its West Ashley car lineup, giving it 14 brands of high-end automobiles.

The acquisitive 30-year-old dealership announced Friday it purchased Rick Hendrick Alfa Romeo of North Charleston. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The acquired franchise now operates as Alfa Romeo of Charleston and has been moved from the Hendrick site at 8355 Rivers Ave. to 1501 Savannah Highway. It’s co-located with Baker’s Maserati of Charleston.

All Hendrick employees were offered jobs, according to a written statement. 

“I was thrilled to get a call from Alfa Romeo and have the opportunity to bring this incomparable brand to our luxury automotive campus in West Ashley,” Baker Motor owner Tommy Baker said. “Alfa Romeo is an impressive Italian brand owned by the same company as Maserati, so it’s a natural fit to join Maserati here at Baker Motor Co.”

Alfa Romeo, which is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, exited the U.S. market in 1995 and returned in 2014. Charlotte-based Hendrick began selling the brand about a year later in North Charleston. 

Starting prices for the automaker’s four 2018 models range from $38,000 for the Giulia sedan to about $66,000 for the 4-C Spider sports car, according to Alfa Romeo USA’s website. 

Baker Motor is the largest privately owned automobile dealer group based in South Carolina. Three years ago it expanded into coastal North Carolina by purchasing BMW of Wilmington.

The dealership group now represents 14 manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Infiniti, Porsche, Land Rover, Jaguar and Cadillac.

Contact John McDermott at 843-937-5572 or follow him on Twitter at @byjohnmcdermott

Source: https://www.postandcourier.com/automotive/charleston-s-only-alfa-romeo-dealership-switches-drivers/article_1fef160e-70db-11e8-be0e-5b50bd76ba72.html