Luxury on Wheels

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A new model of superluxe McLaren racecars will roll out in Beverly Hills this week.

The unveiling of the MP4-12C, with a design based on McLaren Formula 1 racers, will take place Thursday at the future site of a McLaren dealership at 9022 Wilshire Blvd., which is waiting for state regulatory approvals before its official opening.

The dealership will be owned and operated by Auto Gallery, a Woodland Hills company that also owns a Porsche dealership in Woodland Hills, Audi and Lamborghini shops in Canoga Park, and Ferrari and Maserati outlets in Calabasas.

Despite an economic slump that prompted two nearby Lamborghini dealerships to close in 2008, Auto Gallery Co-President Tony Schwartz believes now is the time to ramp up a McLaren store.

“This is a specialized market and there are enough buyers who are not affected by the economy to sustain the dealership,” he said. “We think in the next 24 to 36 months business will be back to where it once was.”

Schwartz estimated he will sell about 120 McLarens per year with price tags in the $225,000-$250,000 range. In addition, he plans to sell about 120 preowned exotic cars annually.

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