8 » OpenRoad Driver
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
»
We’ve achieved significant growth here at
OpenRoad over the years, and I’m incredibly
proud of the outstanding relationships that our
entire team has fostered with our guests and
business partners alike.
We’ve achieved better customer engagement, opened key new
dealerships, surpassed $1.4 billion in revenue, and continue to lead
with our commitment to greater business practices and higher
standards. This is an exciting time for the automobile industry. There
are many disruptive technologies and opportunities on the horizon,
while at the same time, these developments challenge our staff
associates to come together more cohesively than ever before. This
raises a number of questions, a main one being: Who are we and
what do we stand for as a corporate brand and automotive group?
To answer this question, we completed a company-wide exploration
and alignment process to establish a unanimous vision. One
that leads our culture forward. I’m excited to share the DNA
of OpenRoad with you through the simplicity of our defining
statement: Unlimited Possibilities Ahead. It’s rooted in our past, but it
lives in the present and will guide us towards the future with you.
Look for our ongoing launch of Unlimited Possibilities Ahead this
year. Right now, it’s the inspiration for this edition of OpenRoad
Driver, where we’ve chosen one of the three key words as our theme:
Ahead.
Cliff Avril is our cover model, a recent defensive end and Super
Bowl winner with the Seattle Seahawks football team. Cliff has a
sweet spot for our McLaren brand in the US Pacific Northwest, as
he reveals his McLaren 720S N-Largo that he calls his very own
Batmobile. Cliff is a broadcaster, celebrity and community leader. I
encourage everyone to support the Cliff Avril Family Foundation
and Cliff ’s amazing work that supports Type 2 diabetes and building
schools in Haiti.
We travel to three continents in this issue. First, we take you to the
historic German state of Saxony. Tour the Meissen porcelain factory
with us and trace the footsteps of Augustus II the Strong. He was
an early imperial vicar who founded the area’s renowned porcelain
industry. Legend has it that Augustus II also fathered over 300
children. If true, there was more than fine porcelain on his mind
over the years.
From Europe to Asia, Kitakyushu may not be the first destination
you think of in Japan, but think again. A walking tour of this
northern city on the southern island of Kyushu takes you to the
only castle in Fukuoka prefecture. We conjure the legendary Kensei
sword-saint of Japan, Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Kokura
Castle in the 1630s. Today, Kitakyushu invites you to fall in love
with its blend of ancient traditions and modern architecture.
Closer to home, our road trip takes you to the Kirkland-Redmond-
Bellevue corridor where there is much more than the Microsoft
campus and the visitor centre’s Forza simulator. Among all
the eateries, shops and natural sites, we find a hidden gem of a
coffeehouse that serves up Indian turmeric lattes alongside Ethiopia
Guji and Guatemala Aragon blends.
Still in metro Seattle’s eastside, elevate yourself at nearby Bellevue’s
breathtaking 22,000-sq.ft. Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi. I interview
owners Elaina Herber and Jeffrey Frederick, the self-described
EQ and IQ of their partnership. They share intimate details of the
hospitality business, their daily lives, future predictions, and their