A Half-Century of Exclusivity With Grand Touring Automobiles

If you’re a diehard car aficionado and find yourself in downtown Toronto, do yourself a favour and drop by Grand Touring Automobiles for a visit. This flagship location alongside the Don Valley Parkway with a fantastic view of downtown is candyland for car nuts.

Inside the five-storey mecca to mechanical excellence are dedicated lounge areas for each of the prestigious brands carried by the dealer. The Bugatti lounge, for example, is completely distinct from the Bentley lounge: different materials, different styles, different vibes. In these lounges, prospective customers can sit back and relax while learning more about that jaw-dropping supercar they’ve been lusting after.

The vision for this luxury-car-buying experience was the brainchild of Paul Cummings, who acquired GTA in 2009. Back then, the main GTA dealership on Dupont Street was bursting at the seams, so the move to a new and larger facility was critical. That, along with some other bold decisions, set the stage for the future success. A veteran of the automotive industry, Cummings was president and CEO of Auto World Import Network and held positions with Volvo in Canada and south of the border.

For someone who markets some of the most expensive cars in the world, Cummings is remarkably down-to-earth and welcoming, as is the way visitors are greeted at GTA reception. The vehicles parked in the lounges are beyond the reach of everyone but the most well-heeled, but the typical luxury retail experience and the average car dealership experience can still be intimidating. So it was an inspired decision for GTA to bring examples from its exclusive collection to the recent Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto. For the exotic car dealership, it was a fine way to celebrate half a century in business.

“This year marks 50 years of passion, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional driving experiences for Grand Touring Automobiles,” Cummings says. “We’re proud to share this milestone with our partner brands by showcasing some of the very best in super luxury and invite guests at the Canadian International AutoShow to join us for a taste of what we have to offer.”

There were 10 vehicles from GTA at the show, including models from Aston Martin, Automobili Pininfarina, Bugatti, Bentley, Himalaya, Lamborghini, Rimac, Rolls-Royce, The Little Car Company, and Zagato. The star was, arguably, the Rimac Nevera, the all-electric hypercar that boasts a top speed of 412 kilometres per hour.

When Cummings purchased the company, it offered five brands: Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Rolls-Royce. Since then, GTA has represented other luxury brands, including Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Lotus, and Polestar.

Its footprint has increased as well. In addition to the flagship location in downtown Toronto, the GTA network now includes a dedicated Polestar space in Yorkville, a showroom in Vaughan, and locations in Calgary, with a new GTA space expected to open in Oakville.