The long stretches of highway...and the occasional need to pass a semi on Interstate 25...make a car with a lot of horsepower and a quiet luxury ride desirable on the lengthy trips across New Mexico. At Sandia BMW and MINI, they sell two auto brands that have a storied history of performance and luxury.
According to Cameron Berenger-Russell, Marketing Director at Sandia BMW, “BMW owners are fanatics. They love the handling and the performance. It’s the definition of luxury.”
Cameron says, “The most universal thing we hear from customers is that when they come here, they don’t feel any sales pressure at all. The cars sell themselves. What we sell is the service experience.”
When customers enter the BMW showroom, they are immersed in a glowing white atmosphere of modernist design. There is a stylish coffee bar where customers can lounge while their cars are being serviced. There’s also a BMW parts shop that sells accessories and logo clothing. It’s an interesting place to wait on your car.
Cameron told us, “We hold ourselves to a higher standard of service. We aspire to make it an experience. We also have BMW Genius. Some of these cars have facial recognition, they have hand gesture controls, and all of the new technology can be intimidating, so we teach the customer all about the car before they leave the lot. There’s also a 24/7 hotline for expert advice.”
Cameron is really enthusiastic about the BMW line, and auto racing in general. He comes by it honestly. His father, from Oxford, England, was an Indy Car Pit Manager before retiring in the early 2000s. Cameron says his father instilled in him a passion for performance cars.
Next door to the BMW showroom is the MINI dealership. Many consumers in the U.S. think that the MINI is just an economy car and are not aware of its reputation in Europe where it is an icon of the rally circuit.
Frankie Irwin, Sales Manager at Sandia MINI, told us, “It’s true that MINI started as an answer to an economical question, but it was legendary British race car driver John Cooper that saw the rally potential in the little car. With a perfectly low center of gravity and a wheelbase to match, the MINI is the epitome of fun on a track.”
MINIs have also always had a celebrity following; George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Enzo Ferrari, and Steve McQueen all owned MINIs, and it was voted European Car of the Century by 130 of the world’s leading automotive journalists.
There’s a lot about “MINI motoring” in their signage and marketing message because MINI owners tend to drive just for the fun of zipping around in a fast little car with incredible handling. Some models have All Wheel Drive which makes them particularly ideal for New Mexico’s many dirt and gravel roads.
Frankie also said, “You get community when it comes to MINI. The rules of the road ask that we always park next to another MINI, always wave to other MINIs, and never stop customizing. There are so few brands that people get so emotionally attached to.“
Sandia BMW and MINI has been around for more than 35 years. They also sell the legendary line of BMW motorcycles, known for their winning history in motorsports.
Sandia’s sales hours are 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Friday and Saturday. Their phone number is 855.980.7332 for MINI and 855.422.1128 for BMW, and they are located at 6001 Pan American Fwy NE in Albuquerque.
