That is what you will hear Bruce Qvale say when asked about the history of the Qvale family and their automotive legacy. Founded in 1947 by his father, Kjell, “Mr. Q” Qvale, the Qvale Auto Group has been a premier automotive retailer with 15 franchises spanning the United States from Florida to California. The Qvale name is seeded in history, when Kjell Qvale became one of the first to import European cars to the United States. By the year 2000, the Qvale Auto Group had manufactured and distributed some of the world’s most prestigious cars, including the famed Mangusta.
As automotive retailing has evolved, the Qvale Auto Group has been at the epicenter of the modern retailing process. With their numerous franchises, including Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Porsche, Honda, and Subaru, they have implemented a digital footprint and “We Meet You There” philosophy with their offline to online offering that provides customers a seamless and transparent experience.
After successfully manufacturing, distributing and retailing European automotive brands in the U.S., Kjell Qvale started to gain even more traction.
1949:
Qvale moved to San Francisco and started the British Motor Car Distributors, Ltd.
1950:
Qvale was named chairman of the first Concours D'Elegance at Del Monte Lodge, Pebble Beach.
1970:
Qvale bought Jensen Motors in West Bromwich, UK.
2000:
The Qvale Auto Group began production of the fabulous new Mangusta in Modena. QAG later sold the rights to the Mangusta to Britain's MG Rover Group.
2013:
After almost 70 years in the automotive industry, Kjell Qvale passed away, leaving his automotive legacy to his children.
Searching for a better way to buy or lease a vehicle? You’ve come to the right place. Not only do we stock the latest vehicles from your favorite brands, but we’re willing to meet you online, offline and anywhere in between. We’ve learned a thing or two about being in the auto business for so long, and we've created a unique dealership experience that we call The Qvale Way. When you shop with us you'll have access to the following benefits:
Create My Deal allows you to shop and buy your dream car from home. Simply browse our inventory online, select the vehicle you want, value your trade, choose from applicable incentives, add on optional protection and service plans and apply for financing — all remotely. We even deliver to your home! In less than an hour, you can secure the vehicle you want, the way you want it.
We use Velocity Intelligence Pricing Technology to ensure our customers are getting a fair and accurate price on their vehicle.
Servicing your vehicle has never been easier. We pride ourselves on offering our customers transparent service, which includes a personalized video of your vehicle's service as well as updates on your vehicle's progress. Scheduling a service appointment online or over the phone is quick and easy— trust us with your vehicle today!
While we certainly don’t carry every brand that our founder helped import to the United States, we do house many that our customers near Lakeland and Tampa have purchased and loved for years.
The Qvale Auto Group invites you to visit one of our locations to view our inventory in person, meet our staff or have your vehicle efficiently serviced. Our dealerships are located in Lakeland and Tampa, FL, and we welcome customers from Ft. Lauderdale, Brandon and the surrounding areas. Let us know how we can assist you with your automotive needs today — we're ready to meet you there, whether online or offline!
For an interesting read, check out this article on the life and death of Kjell Qvale by Autoweek.