Excitement builds around Hyundai’s new Kona

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This article was published 23/03/2018 (3115 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

About 150 guests were in attendance for Murray Hyundai’s official launch of Hyundai’s new-for-2018 Kona. The Waverley Automall dealership staged the event over two evenings — March 12 and 13 — and the events were punctuated by a sound and light show, refreshments and test drives.

Wade Clisby, Murray Hyundai’s marketing manager, reports every customer who booked a test drive was also given a package of Kona coffee.

“We booked at least 20 test drives,” Clisby says. “At the end of the evening, we didn’t have any coffee left.”

He reports the dealership already has pre-orders for four of the new Konas and deals are in the works for two or three of the models in stock.

Murray Hyundai general manager Richard Eccleston adds Hyundai dealers are looking forward to several more redesigned models over the course of this year. The redesigned Accent is expected in June and the all-new Veloster follows in July. The all-new Sante Fe will also be here in the fall. “It is an exciting time for us,” Eccleston says.

Eccleston and his staff are also excited about the dealership’s new Hyundai Image renovation and expansion — the second Hyundai store in the city after Winnipeg Hyundai to embark on such a project.

Eccleston reports the expansion will add 6,000 square feet to the back end and 1,800 square feet to the showroom. “When the work is finished in September, we will be able to showcase seven vehicles in our showroom and we will have totally new customer lounge and refreshment areas,” he says.

In the back area, there will be 10 new service bays, bringing the total number to 17. Eccleston adds the area occupied by three of the current service bays will be redeveloped as part of a larger parts department.

“After 10 years in operation, the demand for service and parts has really grown,” he says. “With the expansion in those areas, we should be able to decrease the amount of waiting time for appointments and service work.”

He notes the new look — the brown exterior and blue accents, the bronze signature entrance and new ceiling tiles and accent lighting inside — is intended to give the brand a more sophisticated and upscale look in keeping with the tremendous improvement in product quality in recent years.

Murray Chevrolet manager

has opera background

The auto industry attracts people from a wide variety of backgrounds — but Cam McPhail, newly appointed to the role of finance manager at Murray Chevrolet in Winnipeg, is undoubtedly unique in that he comes from the world of opera.

Originally from Brandon, his journey back to Manitoba was a long and winding road. He left Brandon to study economics and urban geography at the University of British Columbia. From there, he jumped across the continent to New York and Connecticut (Yale University) to pursue his passion for opera. After graduation in 2012, he and his wife, Catherine, who is also an opera singer, travelled the world giving concerts and performing onstage.

A couple of years ago, the singing couple chose to settle in Vancouver and start a family.

“We met a lot of amazing people singing opera,” he says. “But, when you have a family, you want to be able to come home for supper every night. You also need a stable income.”

For McPhail it was time for a career change. And, it so happens he is a close relative of the Murray family.

“We grew up together,” he says of his Murray cousins. “They had let me know that if ever I wanted to try auto sales, there would be a place for me in one of their stores.”

He first went to work in the Murray store in Abbotsford, B.C., but, as the family was living in North Vancouver, it was a long commute. When an opportunity came open at Murray Chevrolet in Winnipeg, Cam and Catherine were happy to return to his home province.

McPhail started work on the sales floor at Murray Chev early last year and has excelled.

“Dan (Murray) and the staff have been very encouraging and supportive,” he says. “I am looking forward to the next step in my career. I want to do whatever I can to contribute to the continued success of the Murray Auto Group.”

Kirk Cancilla named Jim Pattison Subaru GM

As of March 1, Kirk Cancilla, the general manager of Frontier Subaru, has added the responsibility of running the dealership’s sister store, Jim Pattison Subaru Winnipeg on Regent Avenue. Cancilla has been in auto sales for 26 years, most of it in management. He was appointed general manager at Frontier Subaru about a year ago, replacing longtime general manager Denise Thompson, who is retiring.

“I plan to continue our focus on customer service at both stores and try to increase used car sales at Jim Pattison Subaru,” he says.

He adds work is just getting underway on construction of Frontier Subaru’s new store at the Waverley Automall.

“We are expecting to start building as soon as the frost is gone in April,” he says.

The new building — at just under 50,000 square feet — will be one of the largest Subaru stores in Canada.

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