Go to any wealthy pocket of Toronto and you’ll see cars from Grand Touring Automobiles: Bugattis in the Bridle Path, Rolls-Royces in Rosedale, Lamborghinis on campus at the University of Toronto.
The success of this unique exotic-car dealership, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is the perfect barometer with which to track the city’s transformation and changing tastes. When Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada from 2003-2011, came to the post from Germany, he noticed Canadians were predominantly buying smaller Mercedes C-Classes, whereas in the United States, drivers were buying the mid-sized E-Class, Cummings recounted. In the early 2000s, luxury cars had roughly 5 per cent of Canada’s new-car market, while in most other countries it was 10 per cent, he said.
It’s not just Grand Touring that’s seen such success with exotic cars in Toronto, either. Among McLaren’s 12 highest-performing retailers worldwide, McLaren Toronto, part of Pfaff Automotive Partners dealership group, was recently named 2023 Global Retailer of the Year by the British supercar manufacturer.Galit Rodan/The Globe and Mail