Welcome to the All-New Hudson Toyota. In celebrating this long anticipated moment of ‘moving forward’… It is only fitting to pause for ‘looking back’, because it is the foundations of Hudson Toyota that insured the growth and success of nearly 40 years.
WELCOME TO 1970, THE YEAR IN REVIEW!
•President Nixon leads the country into a new decade…
•Willis Reed courageously led the Knicks to their first N.B.A. Championship…
•Yankee catcher Thurmon Munson wins rookie of the year…
•George C. Scott wins the Oscar for General Patton…
•“Bridge Over Troubled Water” is the song of the year
•A stamp cost six cents…
•A gallon of gas thirty six cents…
And on the corner of Communipaw & Mallory in Jersey City in what originally had been a service station, Hudson Toyota opened the doors. Under the visionary leadership of Sam Difeo, Sr., what a team! One manager, three salespeople, a handful of mechanics and office personnel, all dedicated to customer service from day one.
In less than four years, Hudson Toyota grew to 18 people in Sales and F&I, with a dozen more in service and the office…and the race for number one was on! Hudson Toyota began setting records in 1974 and continues to deliver award-winning sales and service to this day!
The very first Hudson Toyotas sold included the Corona, 1970’s “Import Car of the Year”. The Corolla was introduced in 1970, and became the best selling car in the world 5 years later. The Celica was introduced in 1971. Toyota’s truck was the Hi-Lux, and the staple of early Toyota, Land Cruiser.
From the very beginning, Hudson Toyota put a premium on customer service and innovation. Internal training included the first vehicle ‘walkarounds’. Customer service programs were put in place. The desire to build repeat customers, and to reach family and friends came with great results- New Toyota sales hit 400 a month by the mid ‘70s.
If you remember playing “Pong” one of the first computer games developed by Atari, you are showing your age. But in the mid 70s, using a G.E. Television and an Atari Computer, Hudson Toyota developed an innovative computerized inventory control program. With storage space in short supply, Hudson Toyota could track vehicles that were held on lots rented around the location.
As Toyota built name recognition with memorable ads like “Oh what a Feeling!” Hudson Toyota aggressively advertised in the New York Times and the New York Daily News, on popular radio shows, and in a move way ahead of the times, Hudson Toyota began telemarketing in 1974.
Hudson Toyota was honored in 1981 with a personal visit from Dr. Toyoda. What made the day unique was that it was the marathon sale at the store…and the entire staff was wearing jogging suits and running shoes. Dr. Toyoda would tell the story to his board back in Japan.
Being actively involved was one of the cornerstones of Hudson Toyota’s growth in the 70s and 80s. The biggest event was the Hudson marathon, which brought in world-class competitors to Jersey City.
In 1986 Toyota was the first import automaker to sell 1,000,000 vehicles in America in single year. Hudson Toyota continued to grow with Toyota, and as the one million milestone was being surpassed by the factory, the time had come to move Hudson Toyota from the Communipaw location to a large location.
After years of planning, a facility was built to better serve both the dealership and their customers. Hudson Toyota opened the new store in July 1988. With a much larger service area, as well as vehicle storage areas on site, the One continued right on track with Toyota, which opened the Camry plant in Kentucky the same year.
Camry had been launched in 1983 and was a Consumer Report’s Best Buy by ’86. The 4Runner came on the scene to secure a share of the growing SUV market. The first Toyota vans were introduced in 1984.
The stage was set for the next two decades. Looking back, the success of Hudson Toyota has been people working hard for customers who want to enjoy a great product. This standard of performance is one of the reasons that in 1999, Hudson Toyota became store one of the Penske Automotive Group.
August, 2007…moving forward
It was with the vision and support of the Penske Automotive Group that Hudson Toyota once again was moving forward. In August of 2007, construction began on the all-new state-of-the-art facility Hudson Toyota so proudly celebrates today.
The #1 Volume Toyota dealer in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the All-New Hudson Toyota, 39 years of moving forward, and on February 26, 2009, the best ever!
•54,000 SQ. Feet.
•37 Service Bays
•20 Prep, Accessory & Detail Bays
•Refreshment Area
•Quiet Reading Area
•Satellite T.V.
•Wi-Fi
•Shuttle Service
•Night Drop
•Climate Controlled Service Reception
On behalf of over 160 employees, Hudson Toyota promises to continue with sales and service experiences to exceed all expectations! Looking back, and moving forward… we thank everyone for your continued support. You have made Hudson Toyota the One!
#1 volume dealer based on December 2008 CY sales totals from TMS.
