Car Dreams: Porsche St. Louis

If you thought auto showrooms were only about selling vehicles, think again. Todd Blue, chairman and chief executive officer of indiGO Auto Group, has built a state-of-the-art Porsche dealership designed to make car buying a multisensory experience.

Located on South Hanley Road, the brand-new space features the usual selling floor, service bays and waiting areas. But it also includes an Internet cafe serving coffee, cappuccino and snacks; a boutique with Porsche-branded merchandise; and a huge digital entertainment screen devoted to all things automotive. “It’s bigger than most movie screens,” Blue says. “We’re one of only three U.S. Porsche stores to have one. It features live feed of ‘everything Porsche’—products, services and auto performance.”

Blue says he even is making screen time available to people who want to watch racing and sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500 and college football. “We can set up seating for that,” he says. “This facility was built for our customers to enjoy the whole experience. It’s intended to be much more than just an auto dealership.”

The 45,000-square-foot facility features 17 service bays, three climate-controlled service reception lanes, and a customer fitting lounge where buyers can choose their options. It was built by Chesterfield-based Brinkmann Constructors and opened at the end of 2016. Its 3-acre site, purchased from Sunnen Corp., was attractive to Blue because of its prominent placement high above the roadway. “It’s got amazing curb appeal and street presence,” he says of the new building. He purchased the former Parktown Porsche and Plaza Porsche stores in 2015, combining them to form the new dealership.

He wants area car buyers to know his inventory doesn’t consist only of two-door sport coupes selling in the six figures. “Porsches start in the high $40,000s and low $50,000s,” he says. “And almost two-thirds of the vehicles sold are four-door, family SUVs. It’s not just about the 911 Turbo model; you can get that Porsche DNA in an everyday car you use to take your kids to soccer practice.”

Porsche Cars North America chose Blue’s new showroom as one of only eight in the U.S. to unveil its 2017 Panamera model in December, he says. His company also owns dealerships in Texas and California, and sells 12 other luxury brands such as Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin and Bugatti.

Blue is headquartered in Houston but plans to spend a good deal of time locally as he nurtures his new venture. “I grew up in Louisville, but spent my childhood summers and holidays in St. Louis because my mother is a native,” he says. “I love St. Louis. When the opportunity presented itself to open a dealership in the city, it was an easy decision.”

Porsche St. Louis is a member of the indiGO Auto Group. For more information, stop by the dealership at 2970 S. Hanley Road, call 314.315.4903 or visit porschestlouis.com. 

Cover design by Julie Streiler | Photos courtesy of indiGO Auto Group