Lexus celebrates record sales with new dealership opening

Lexus New Zealand has officially opened a brand new dealership at 54 Tuam Street in the heart of Christchurch.

Designed by Warren & Mahoney, Lexus of Christchurch operates over two levels. The architecturally designed premises offers 572m2 of showroom space, and includes customer lounges, offices, and car parking. The showroom can display up to seven vehicles at a time, and will provide charging infrastructure for EV customers, with four new 22kW chargers available.

The appointment of Aaron Frazer as CEO of the dealership also coincides with the opening of the premises.

Lexus New Zealand Vice President Andrew Davis says this is exciting news for the brand. That’s because in Frazer’s 3.5 years as GM of Lexus of Christchurch sales have more than doubled.

Mr Davis says the new dealership symbolises distinctive design and craftsmanship, two core Lexus values. He added “Lexus had a record year in 2023, achieving more than 1300 new vehicle sales. Most of these were electrified. 

Mr Davis also said that Lexus of Christchurch growth has been strong with a 50 per cent lift in new vehicle sales volume over 2023. Again, around 90 per cent of these were electrified.

“We are committed to minimising our environmental impact, from production through to distribution, retail, and disposal.

“Lexus is actively working to reduce waste and promote recycling. This includes responsibly handling and recycling the batteries used in our electrified vehicles,” he said.

The director of the Miles Group that owns Lexus of Christchurch, Bruce Miles, says that customers are loyal to the brand.

“It is the driving experience that most defines Lexus. We are proud to have a retail premises that reflects the core values of the brand,” he said.

The construction of the building saw more than 70 per cent of construction waste from the site diverted from going to landfill. Preference was given to materials and finishes with environmental quality certifications.

Carpets are 100 per cent recycled and carbon neutral. Almost all the steel used was sourced from a responsible steel maker. Most timber used was either certified by a recognised forest certification scheme or from a recycled source.