7 News Belize

A Luxury SUV That Costs More Than A House
posted (April 30, 2012)
New car dealers constantly complain that due to the slow economy, Belizeans just aren't buying new vehicles anymore. And the numbers support that claim - sales are down between 50 and 60% since the mid 2000's.

But, dealers can't just bury their heads in the sand and wait for the good old days to return - they have to try and push their product - and that's what we met Eddie Bulwer of BRAVO Motors doing last week.

But he wasn't pushing any regular old product; he's got an ultra-luxurious SUV that he's trying to move off the lot.

He called us - not because we can afford it - (we can't) - but because he wanted to offer us a joyride - which, of course, he hoped would be on TV.

It's a fair enough trade - as we got to see how the other half drives. Here's the story:

Jules Vasquez reporting
It's not every day - or any day really - that I get to drive a vehicle that sells for a quarter million Belize dollars.

But that is the new Nissan Patrol - an imperious, imposing re-design that makes no apology for its hefty price tag.

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"It's for those who want the very best and what we do is we offer an SUV to meet many different budgets from the lowest 70s all the way up to as high as you like to go. It's for people who want the very best. People who know what they want in life and people who are not followers. This is not a vehicle for followers; this is a vehicle for leaders."

A quarter million dollar status symbol, the color sparkling champagne, the interior, crème brulee. Sounds posh, And if you can afford it, it is one heck of a fun ride - the muscular, propulsive 5.6 liter 8 cylinder fuel engine is not for the faint of heart or light of pocket

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"This thing has fire breathing - 5.6 liter V8 petrol engine in it. With the price of gas and diesel the exact price all customers that are looking for ultra-luxurious vehicles are going towards gas. The gas is whisper quite; its incredible performance. You can smoke the tires down the road. It's chalk to cheese."

And the manumatic transmission on the stitched leather gear stick provides as well as the feel of a few tones of metal and leather barreling down the road and a tone of features including four cameras that make reversing a cinch.

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"It has an intelligent key system, so you never take the key out your pocket, even to start the car, shut the car down, open the car; it's all intelligent. Its 4-wheel steering, which means the 4 wheels move. It has an active anti-collision avoidance system where if you pull up behind a car very fast the vehicle will slow down."

That and more as well as smart looking and distinctive - and he hope enough to resuscitate a disappearing luxury vehicle market.

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"What we are doing is we are catering to the persons who are looking for this car. Certainly the market is not where we would like it to be or its not where it used to be. But that doesn't means that there are still not people here looking for luxurious vehicles."

Jules Vasquez
"Luxurious vehicles like this in the glory days - you wouldn't have to push hard to sell a few of these?"

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"No we wouldn't, the good old days were great. Now as I say each sale is a challenge but there is still an audience out there for the vehicles."

Jules Vasquez
"Is there anything about it that keeps you up at night knowing that you have to move a few of these vehicles as a part of your dealership but the economy you are in and the state it's in you might have to eat these."

Eddie Bulwer, BRAVO Motors
"I hope we don't have to eat these because vehicle stew is nor very appetizing."

Indeed, But I can tell you whipping around in a vehicle you can't afford to even by gas for is sumptuous.

At 250 thousand dollars the new Patrol is still not quite as dear as the Toyota Land Cruiser - which sells for 280 thousand dollars.

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