First New Hampshire MINI Dealership Opens August 26

BEDFORD, N.H. (08/24/2011)(readMedia)-- New Hampshire MINI enthusiasts will soon have a MINI dealer of their own, as the iconic brand opens its first Granite State MINI dealership on Friday, August 26. With the help of the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, which has already built a strong relationship with New England MINI owners at its Massachusetts MINI dealership, MINI of Peabody, MINI will now have a state-of-the-art showroom and MINI service center in the heart of southern New Hampshire.

Located at 209 South River Road (Route 3) in Bedford, the first dedicated New Hampshire MINI dealer will offer the selection, customer service and community-building events that have distinguished MINI of Peabody, a 2009 winner of the MINI Motoring Cup, presented annually to the U.S. MINI dealer that has the highest level of customer satisfaction. For New Hampshire MINI owners, the new location means a shorter trip for MINI service, parts or new models like the MINI Cooper Countryman.

"We're excited to bring the tradition of excellence that we've established in Massachusetts to MINI owners in New Hampshire," said Warren Waugh, co-founder of the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group. "We've been working toward this day for more than four years, and we embarked on this journey because we had so many requests for a closer location from our New Hampshire customers."

Waugh explained that he first approached MINI in 2006 with the idea of a New Hampshire location after noticing how much business MINI of Peabody received from southern New Hampshire. The Lyon-Waugh Auto Group wound up in a competition with other dealerships for the rights to the franchise, winning with a proposal that favored moving away from the congestion of Manchester's auto mile to the simpler, quieter surroundings of Bedford, a location that Waugh feels is more in touch with MINI's spirit and identity.

The sales department will open on August 26 with an inventory of 71 2011 and 2012 MINI models, including the Cooper Hardtop, Cooper S and Cooper Clubman. New Hampshire drivers who want to enjoy the spirited performance of a MINI through all four seasons will want to see the MINI Cooper S Countryman All4, which offers spacious seating for four and full-time all-wheel drive for road-gripping performance on winter roads in the White Mountains. There will also be a selection of used MINIs and Certified Pre-Owned MINIs, known as MINI NEXT vehicles, available at MINI of Bedford.

The service and parts departments, two of the biggest reasons for the move north, will open on Monday, August 29.

Marshal Cabot, general manager of the new dealership, has been encouraged by the strong response he's seen so far from New Hampshire MINI enthusiasts. "We're already past 300 likes on Facebook before we've even opened the doors, and there's a definite buzz of excitement about our arrival," Cabot said. "Operating MINI of Peabody and being a part of a passionate community of driving enthusiasts has been tremendous fun for us, and we're looking forward to building the New Hampshire MINI community here in Bedford."

For the latest news on MINI of Bedford, interested customers can find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/miniofbedford.

About Lyon-Waugh Auto Group:

Founded in 1993 by Bud Lyon and Warren Waugh, the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group began with an ambition to create the most unique BMW dealership in Massachusetts. Since then, it has grown to include Audi, Land Rover, Porsche, Acura and MINI dealerships in Peabody, Massachusetts and Nashua, New Hampshire that are recognized as leaders in the automotive sales industry. Combining state-of-the-art showrooms, experienced and courteous sales professionals and expert service technicians, the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group elevates the automotive experience for its customers. To learn more about the Lyon-Waugh family of dealerships, visit them online at www.lyonwaugh.com or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lyonwaugh.