BMW Northwest to Unveil BMW i3 in New Future-Focused Showroom After $4-Million Expansion

The oldest family-owned BMW dealership in U.S. to be first in Puget Sound to reveal luxury brand's competitive new format this spring featuring Apple-style Product Genius and i3

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BMW Northwest

Oct 11, 2013, 12:00 ET

TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BMW Northwest – a family owned and operated dealership since 1968 – will be the first BMW dealer in the Puget Sound to unveil the brand's high-tech Future Retail concept when it opens its newly remodeled, 31,000 + square-foot space this spring.

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Northwest BMW (PRNewsFoto/BMW Northwest) (PRNewsFoto/BMW NORTHWEST)

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The remodel, the opening of which will coincide with the release of the automaker's electric "BMW i" series, will reflect the sophisticated new ways people shop for cars.

Wired, interactive customer kiosks and tech-savvy, concierge-style staff (think: Apple Genius-style product experts) will be on hand in the sales department to walk customers through the BMW line's performance features and wide range of digital and technical capabilities, and a new, streamlined ordering process will simplify custom orders.

Enhancements will also include dedicated display for the energy saving electric i-series, a 15-car showroom (nearly twice the previous size), a covered service area for customer service drop-off, genius desk for technology consults and the Isetta bar that offers coffee, beverages, snacks, Wi-Fi and comfortable seating in a lounge-like atmosphere.

The expansion of BMW Northwest, which is being executed by Tacoma's Helix Design Group and AP Construction (formerly Rushforth), broke ground September 4^th with the demolition of old showroom. Founder Werner Scharmach, now 82 years old, was present when the building came down.

Werner Scharmach recalls, "At the time we had that building built, it was quite modern. It was hard for me to see it come down, at the same time it is unbelievable to see how things have advanced in the last 20 years. The new building reflects that."

In addition to a more refined, customer-focused shopping experience, the redesigned BMW Northwest will display a more 21^st-century aesthetic. "The new look from BMW is a move away from gray and white," says Manfred Scharmach, BMW Northwest's president and owner. "It introduces more wood, and warm, comfortable colors," he says. "Think Starbucks meets Apple."

The dealership's new design and increased services and benefits will only enhance the luxury car buyer's shopping experience – and BMW Northwest already has the highest customer satisfaction index scores for any BMW dealer in Washington State. Additionally, BMW claimed the 2013 US luxury sales title as Top Selling Luxury Vehicle in America.

BMW Northwest is in full operation during the remodel, with sales and service remaining on site at 4011 20th St E Tacoma, and an all-weather showroom set up in its 30,000 square-foot warehouse one block south of the dealership.

BMW Northwest History
In 1968, BMW, which had launched in the U.S. just one year earlier, offered Washington's second franchise to Werner Scharmach, then owner of European Motors Service in Olympia. In 1970, along with his son, Manfred Scharmach, operations were expanded and eventually moved entirely to Lakewood. The Lakewood store operated until the early 1990s, when BMW Northwest moved to its current location along the I-5 corridor in Fife. Today, Manfred Scharmach owns and operates BMW Northwest, now one of the largest family owned new and pre-owned luxury car dealers in western Washington and the last family owned BMW dealership in the Puget Sound.

About BMW Northwest
BMW Northwest has been family owned and operated since 1968 and is the premier BMW dealer in Tacoma. BMW Northwest strives to provide for their customer's every automotive need and offers an extensive inventory of new and used cars. In addition to their friendly and knowledgeable sales staff, they also provide financing, service, and parts. They are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers may call Sales at 866.843.3706, Parts at 866.798.0243, and Service at 877.843.1378. www.bmwnorthwest.com.