How it all began...
Lance Dixon has always been a car enthusiast, over and above a car dealer. Lance's father was a keen sports car buff and is responsible for igniting the flame that still burns today! Lance used to take every opportunity to accompany his Dad on deliveries everywhere around Victoria and they'd talk for hours on end about cars - trying to spot what was driving towards them in the distance, debating engines and alloys and dreaming of the ultimate sports car. At the age of 14 Lance bought his first car, a very average MG J type, and gradually fixed it up. He sold it with a profit of 35 quid, a lot of money for a 15 year old, and decided that his hobby could also be profitable.
By the age of 16 Lance had bought and sold a dozen or so cars, eventually raising enough money to buy an Alvis Super-Charged, which became his pride and joy for the next eight year. He married in 1961 at the age of 18, and got a job with Garry Smith (now Garry & Warren Smith) learning the back end of the car trade (clerical and accounting) before being promoted to sales cadet. After selling more cars in one day than the team of sales staff sold in one week he decided to put his skills to use in his own yard, and opened a small business in St Kilda.
In 1965, at the age of 22, Lance decided that Doncaster was where he wanted to be, and after registering the business name 'Chequered Flag Motors' he opened a yard on what was barely a strip of bitumen on top of Doncaster Hill. Over the ensuing years Lance housed many franchises including: Datsun/Nissan, Cadillac, Honda, Mazda, Jaguar, Triumph, Mini, Rover, MG, Holden, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Citroen, Fiat, Land Rover, Hummer and Saab.
Lance has been a member of 22 automotive clubs over that time and is still an active member of the Vintage Sports Car Club and the Bentley Drivers Club. Lance has driven in some of the world's most famous rallies including the Targa Tasmania, AGP rally and the Millie Miglia - winning over 50 trophies in the process.
What started as a passion, turned into a hobby and then a profitable, multi-faceted business - and he hasn't looked back since!
Driven by Customer Satisfaction
Since Lance opened his Doncaster dealership in 1965 he has won countless awards for sales & service excellence, most recently he has been Australia's Number 1 Land Rover Dealer, The Number 1 Bentley Dealer in the Asian Pacific Region, Alfa Romeo Dealer of the Year and has been awarded Saab Dealer of the Year three times. His motto has always been Driven by Customer Satisfaction - a motto that is also assumed by every member of his 100+ team of staff.
The future
2008 heralds some great opportunities for expansion and growth for the Lance Dixon Group. Stay tuned for further updates...