The Herb Chambers Companies is proud to announce that Jaguar is its newest addition to their growing family of popular automotive and specialty vehicle brands.

Jaguar Sudbury is located at 83 Boston Post Road, Route 20, Sudbury MA. (888) 842-5337

Our commitment to excellence will continue to provide all of our customers with the ultimate buying, leasing and service experience.

We invite you to visit our Jaguar Sudbury location soon.

Herb Chambers: “It’s Different Here!”

Jaguar XF Sedan: 70 awards in four years is a humbling experience. Well, for everyone else, at least. When a sports sedan is this striking, awards were sure to follow. With its aggressive coupe-like exterior, refined power and luxuriously spacious cabin, the XF range has won 70 awards across the globe since 2008. The Jaguar XF. Award-winning design, first class performance. Jaguar Sudbury (888) 842-5337

JAGUAR 2012 MODEL LINE

XF Sedan
• New contemporary exterior echoes flagship XJ

• Upgraded interior
• Upgraded entertainment and navigation technology
• XFR receives styling upgrades that further differentiates it from other XF models

XK Coupe and Convertible
• Revised sporting GT with dramatic design enhancements
• New option packages emphasize luxury and sporting personality
• US debut of the 550HP, 186mph XKR-S
• XKR receives styling upgrades that further differentiates it from other XK models

XJ Sedan
• All-aluminum flagship offers exceptional performance and luxury
• Lightweight construction delivers superior agility and improved efficiency
• New Rear Seat Comfort package on the XJL Supersport flagship

Jaguar History

Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar, is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England.

It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors.

Jaguar cars have a long history of elegant styling and sporting performance. The brand was born in the United Kingdom, and for years its vehicles were synonymous with the old-world luxury of the British upper classes. More recently, Jaguar has been under the ownership of other automakers, but Jaguar cars will always bear the unmistakable gleam of traditional English refinement.

The company traces its roots to the Swallow Sidecar Company, founded in 1922 by Bill Lyons and William Walmsley. Based in Blackpool, England, the company produced a popular line of aluminum motorcycle sidecars. Swallow eventually switched its focus to automobile production, changing its name to SS Cars Ltd. in 1933. The first vehicle to carry the Jaguar name was the SS Jaguar 100, released in 1935.

After World War II, SS Cars switched its moniker to Jaguar so as not to be associated with the Nazi paramilitary organization that bore the same initials. Its first postwar offering was 1948′s Mark V. The luxury sedan was joined that year by the XK 120, a sports car that was the fastest production automobile of its day its name was derived from its top speed. The XK 120 proved quite popular, and helped Jaguar establish a strong presence in the sports car market.

By the 1950s, Jaguar had begun exporting luxury vehicles to the United States. Created just for the American market, the Mark VII Saloon was introduced in 1951; Jaguar quickly realized it had a hit on its hands. In 1956, the car took the prize at the Monte Carlo Rally. Later in the decade, Jaguar added the Mark VIII and Mark IX to its lineup.

The 1960s saw the launch of one of Jaguar’s most well-known models. The E-type coupe, or XK-E as it was known in the U.S., blended performance and refinement, wrapped in a sexy package. The success of groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and icons like Twiggy, the fashion model, made British culture a hot commodity during the ’60s a fact that had positive implications for Jaguar’s popularity in the U.S.

A decade later, Jaguar introduced the XJ6C and XJ12C coupes, as well as the XJ-S. A new V12 was put in the XJ12, making it the fastest production sedan of its day. The 1980s saw Jaguar continuing to raise the bar in performance with the launch of the XJ-S HE and a true world supercar, the XJ220. By this time, however, Jaguar also faced increased competition from German automakers and adverse exchange rates. The company’s managers decided to recognize the potential value of a partnership with another company. This decision ultimately led to a full buyout of Jaguar by Ford in 1990.

Ford’s influence (and financial support) was evident with the 1997 launch of Jaguar’s XK8 and supercharged XKR sports cars. Powering both was Jaguar’s new AJ-V8, a compact yet powerful engine that was also used in certain Land Rover vehicles.

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Jaguar Sudbury

A Herb Chambers Company

83 Boston Post Road, Route 20

Sudbury, MA 01776

Sales: (888) 842-5337

Service: (508) 650-8822

Parts: (508) 650-8822

TOP PLACES TO WORK | Herb Chambers

A personal note from Herb Chambers

Dear Valued customer,

Last, year at this time, I wrote to you about an important workplace distinction of which, I was very proud.

The Herb Chambers Companies were recognized as being amongst The Boston Globe’s Top 100 Places to Work for 2009. I am so proud to tell you, we have just been notified by the Boston Globe, that we have earned this distinction again for 2010.

This year we are ranked eighth in the Large Employer category. We were selected from more than 1,000 employers who participated in the survey. In fact, we are the only automotive dealer ever to have received this award and now we’ve earned it twice.

What I love so much about this is that it was the enthusiastic recognition of our employees’ that made this possible when they nominated our company as a Top 100 workplace.

There is no higher privilege in business than to have your employees emphatically state, “What a great place to work”! … And then, want to tell the whole world…amazing!

Thank you.

Herb Chambers

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The soul of a leader

Three top executives who all inspire loyalty among employees reveal their personal goals, leadership methods — and deepest fears

November 7, 2010

To be one of the Globe’s Top Places to Work, an organization’s employees must believe the people at the top know what they’re doing and care about providing a rewarding work experience. Anthony Consigli of Consigli Construction Co., Kathleen “Kit’’ Tunney of Associates for Human Services, and Herb Chambers of Herb Chambers Cos. all run organizations that ranked high in our survey for employee faith that the organization is in good hands. Top Places editor Michael Warshaw asked them what good leaders do.

• Globe: Anthony, what does it mean to you that your name is on the company?

Consigli: It might make the accountability that much greater. But I don’t think that it is the end all, be all. The reason the name is important is because I have three generations preceding me. If I screw up, I feel like I let somebody down.

• Globe: Herb, what about your name on your company?

Chambers: Well, I think it is different for me because I was the guy that started the company. I think that the pressure on you, Anthony, is five times greater than it is on me.

The company I have today is not what I envisioned 20, 25 years ago. At the time I sold my first company, I was 38 years old. I said, ‘What am I going to do now?’ and I went down to buy a car, and instead of buying the car, I bought the dealership.

Tunney: That is a great story.

Chambers: I realized how bad that particular dealership was. It just looked like the guy wanted to get out of it. I bought it right on the spot.

In the automobile business, you don’t necessarily have to be great. You have to be good. If you are good, you are great. Because most people say they hate car dealers.

We don’t build cars. They roll in, and we have to find a home for them. Our people are so important because the product is unimportant. If you like Honda, you’re going to buy a Honda whether you buy it from me or somebody else. The question becomes: Can we fulfill the need of delivering that car to the customer better than somebody else can?

I hold a training meeting once a month, and we have 300 or 400 people there for breakfast, our whole sales organization. Salespeople have got to be kind of cheered up all the time, because they have a tendency to fall down. Technicians are a kind of a different breed. They have a different level of motivation than salespeople do.

• Globe: Do you speak to each group differently?

Chambers: I do. When I am in the dealerships, I talk to the guys and ask, ‘How is everything with the shop? Anything we can do for you?’

All of our shops are now air conditioned. That came out of one of the comments I got from one of the guys.

• Globe: Kit, you came up differently, from being a staffer.

Tunney: I fell in love with the work that we do — with the staff that I was working with. And over time, wanted to make some changes there, took some courses to get a little bit of credentials in management. And happened to be at the right place at the right time.

• Globe: How did the experience of being a staff member affect your leadership?

Tunney: Having been there and done that makes me more approachable. I try to involve them in problem solving and decision making, because that was important to me when I felt like I didn’t have that voice.

I go out to a group home and say to the staff, ‘How’s it going?’ and I stop to listen to the answer. But I also provide formal opportunities for them to participate in focus groups and surveys to tell me how good of a job we are doing.

• Globe: Tell us something that surprised you that came out of that.

Tunney: Lack of natural light. We had staff in cubbies with no windows. When I decided to build our building, and we interviewed staff to ask them what they wanted, what I heard was: light. Now our building has windows right across the top. It is all one level. And there are suites set off at angles, so it doesn’t look like a motel.

• Globe: Anthony, what are you looking for when you tour your construction sites?

Consigli: I am looking for them to talk to me like I am a normal person, vs. a company president. I think there are some incredibly smart people out there that are building these buildings. They are equally important to this deal as I am. I don’t think they understand that sometimes.

• Globe: Kit, how important is the staff dedication to your mission?

Tunney: It is essential. You train, train, train. I don’t have a breakfast every month for 400 people, but it is the same thing. You’ve got to find out what their needs are, and you have to meet those needs. If I have a staff that didn’t do a good job because I didn’t provide the opportunity to gain the skills that they need, then I am the one at fault.

For instance, if you have an individual that lives in a group home, in a wheelchair, and then is maybe visually impaired, you need to provide training for that particular staff. How do you present a meal to someone that is visually impaired? How do you get them to a table if they are in a wheelchair? So you really have to be very thorough putting together orientation for staff. And follow up, follow up, follow up.

Chambers: In the automobile business, I am embarrassed to say how simple it is. The manufacturer provides you with information on all of the technicians, all the salespeople, the individual dealerships, how they all perform. We know where the problems are.

• Globe: Herb, you bought that dealership, it seems, almost on impulse.

Tunney: That is confidence, and I admire that.

Chambers: I don’t think I am smarter than anybody else. On the same token, I don’t think I am a lot dumber than anybody else. Believe me, I live on fear. I am always worried about everything all the time.

• Globe: Fear of what?

Chambers: Fear of failing in anything. I don’t want to fail.

• Globe: Kit, do you have fear?

Tunney: We’re federally and state funded. I am always wondering whether or not our contracts are going to get cut. And they do. Then I need to figure out, ‘How am I going to do more with less?’ I am always afraid it’s going to get cut so much that I am going to have to look at laying off staff.

• Globe: Anthony, is fear a motivator?

Consigli: Fear and regret. I stay up all night thinking about the things that could go wrong. Construction is a dangerous business. People die, and I am fearful of that. Quality problems, reputation — all those things.

I would say regret is equal. I hate thinking that I am going to regret decisions I made or didn’t make 10 years out, 30 years out.

• Globe: How do you avoid it?

Consigli: Thinking a lot about it. The greatest regret would be tanking a company that has been around for 105 years. I think that fear and hard work hold off that danger of making a decision that you’ll regret.

Do you screw up? Yeah. Everybody screws up. But you man up, you admit it, and you move on. If there are three things that I aspire to, they are humility, empathy, and accountability — just doing what you said you were going to do. I think that if I can do that more often than not, generally speaking, things will go well.

Tunney: If people have a healthy work ethic, they want to come to work and they want to be respected for what they do. And they want to do their best and they want to be rewarded for that. They want to have decent pay checks. And that is what we try to do.

Consigli: If we are the people behind our organizations who are responsible for that, we need to be doing the proper planning and working hard to make sure we’re putting things in place for that to happen for people.

Chambers: Everybody likes to believe they have good integrity. They all like to believe that they work hard. Who is going to set the pace of the organization? The pace of the organization is the speed of the leader, right? They look at you and say, ‘He really puts his heart and soul into everything that he does, or she does.’ So what are you doing to do? You’re going to put your heart and soul into it.

Consigli: The day that I stop doing that is the day I have to get out and let someone else take over. I have seen so many organizations where that doesn’t happen. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, I want the organization to keep going just like nothing happened. That’s success.

© Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

Herb Chambers Cars & Coffee is New England’s newest car event

Showcasing antique, classic, exotic, hotrods, motorcycles and motorsports collections from the New England area and around the world!

Herb Chambers Cars and Coffee is for motoring enthusiasts looking for a place to take their ride, share stories and admire each other’s pride and joy.

Great video opportunity with so many collectable classics on hand – this doesn’t happen too often! 

When

Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 7:00am to 11am

Where

Herb Chambers Lexus
25 Providence Highway
Sharon, MA
view map

Who

All enthusiasts including antique, classic, exotic, hotrods, motorcycles and motorsports are invited to attend and there will be plenty of free parking for your vehicle.

Free Coffee Mugs for the first 300 attendees!

Herb Chambers’ Dealership Growth Continues in 2010

All New Herb Chambers KIA of Burlington Officially Opens Doors Just in Time for Busy Presidents Day Weekend

BURLINGTON, MA— New England’s largest automotive dealer, Herb Chambers, opened the doors to the all new Herb Chambers KIA of Burlington dealership today. The official opening comes only days before Presidents Day Weekend, traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year for the automotive industry.

The newly renovated building, conveniently located at 93 Cambridge Street (Route 3A) in Burlington off of Route 128, will service the North Shore community and beyond.

“As a company we experienced significant growth in 2009, and this opening marks our first new dealership in 2010,” said Herb Chambers. “We look forward to continuing to grow our company and service our expanding customer base, and adding the KIA brand to our family of dealerships is something we are very excited about.”

The new dealership features a beautiful six car showroom, ten service bays, and a customer waiting lounge. The dealership is now officially open for sales, service and parts and has created 25 new full-time jobs.

Herb Chambers KIA is located at the former site of Audi Burlington and Herb Chambers Porsche of Burlington which were recently moved to new facilities down the road at 62 Cambridge Street in Burlington.

The new location is Chambers’ fourth in Burlington, joining Audi Burlington, Herb Chambers Porsche of Burlington, and Herb Chambers Honda of Burlington all of which are located on Route 3A.

“This new dealership creates jobs and further enhances our presence in the Burlington community, both of which are important to us,” said Herb Chambers. “We are proud to offer customers the high quality KIA brand at a location that is very convenient, and we look forward to servicing our customer’s needs at this new location.”

In 2009, Chambers opened four new dealerships including Porsche, Audi, Infiniti and BMW, completed major renovations at his Lynnfield Mercedes-Benz and Smart Center dealerships, and also opened a new truck service and collision center in Braintree.

About Herb Chambers Companies

Herb Chambers purchased his first car dealership in 1985 and has grown his company into the largest automobile dealership group in New England. Today, the Herb Chambers Companies are comprised of 45 automotive dealerships throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For a list of dealership locations visit www.herbchambers.com.

Chambers opens new KIA dealership

Boston Business Journal – by Lisa van der Pool

Herb Chambers has opened a new KIA dealership in Burlington , Mass. , the company said on Wednesday.

The new dealership, located on Cambridge Street , has six car showrooms, services bays and employs about 25 people.

“As a company we experienced significant growth in 2009, and this opening marks our first new dealership in 2010,” said Herb Chambers, in a prepared statement. “We look forward to continuing to grow our company and service our expanding customer base, and adding the KIA brand to our family of dealerships is something we are very excited about.”

The new location is Chambers’ fourth in Burlington . Last year, Chambers opened four new dealerships.

All contents of this site © American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.

Herb Chambers on making it through the recession

(NECN) – Yes, he is a salesman. But auto dealer Herb Chambers, CEO of the Herb Chambers Companies says he thinks prices are as low as they are going to go and he says this is the best time to buy a car. That’s because no one wants to give up market share. Chambers answers the question: is it safe to buy a car from a company that is or may go bankrupt. And he talks about how he is getting through this hard time. Plus, what cars are hot and what cars are not.

Herb Chambers and Stephen DiFillippo talk Gala

(TV Diner) – It’s Platinum Plate Gala time! We’ve got so much planned for the 3rd Annual TV Diner Gala, presented by Dadgar Insurance that we doubled up on the guests this week! Herb Chambers is a legend in the auto-industry, and once again he’s the Host of this years TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala, brought to you by Dadgar Insurance! If you haven’t seen his flagship Lexus showroom in Sharon, MA, mark you calendars for Saturday, November 21st!

The Importance of Service

Herb Chambers Cadillac moving to Warwick

by Russell J. Moore – Courtesy of: Warwick Beacon

Warwick will soon be home to the only Cadillac dealership in the state when Herb Chambers Cadillac, formerly located in Providence, moves into what was the Saturn dealership on 1511 Bald Hill Road.

Earlier this year, General Motors announced it would eliminate the Saturn brand of cars by 2011. Saturn, which had never been profitable in its 20-year history, was eliminated as part of GM’s restructuring plan submitted to Congress and President Obama after having received bailout funds.

Herb Chambers, which owns the dealership, was considering building a state-of-the-art two-story dealership in West Warwick, just a mile or so up the street. Herb Chambers, however, was convinced by Mayor Scott Avedisian and Warwick attorney Joe Shekarchi (who does legal work for the company) to remain in the city. That means the city will retain the tax revenue that otherwise would have been lost had the dealership opted to move.

Contacted yesterday, Chambers said he was happy to retain a presence in Warwick.

“General Motors has been pressuring me to move (Cadillac) there for a long time. Finally, we’re able to do it,” said Chambers.

Chambers pointed out that while the dealership will sell Cadillac exclusively, people who own Saturns will still be able to have their cars serviced at that dealership.

“We will continue to service Saturns forever, basically until there aren’t any more of them on the road,” said Chambers.

Chambers said the consolidation of two dealerships (Saturn and Cadillac) into one would result in some job losses, but he hopes that increased Cadillac sales will result in future job gains.

“We expect an increase in Cadillac sales because of our new location. Hopefully we’ll be able to add more employees in the near future,” said Chambers.

Chambers said Warwick is a great place to do business.

“There is so much retail in Warwick. That strip on Route 2 has to be one of the busiest in New England,” said Chambers.

Avedisian said that the addition of Herb Chambers Cadillac represents a much-needed end-of-the-year boost in economic development.

“Herb Chambers Cadillac is a wonderful addition to the city. We had many discussions about getting them here, as they are a well-known and respected entity in Rhode Island. We are pleased they will call Warwick home,” said Avedisian.

“This is a great end-of-the-year economic boost for the city.”

Councilman Steve Merolla (Ward-9), contacted on Friday, said he too welcomes the dealership into the city.

Herb Chambers Lexus Goes Hollywood!

A True Movie Experience

Kevin James and Friends

No sooner did I give them the “green light” but it seems all of Hollywood arrived! Set guys, lighting guys, camera crews, loads of “assistants”, tractor trailers trucks, miles of cable, electricians, carpenters and more …it was truly transformational… and transform they did! You see this movie plot called for several scenes in a truly ultra high-end exotic vehicle showroom, (This place even had a bar!) the ultimate “Auto Toy Store” if you will. Sprinkled among the set, were several carefully positioned rare and classic cars…Rolls Royce, Mercedes-Benz, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, a McLaren, Bentley’s, Maybach, a Porsche or two… and more. A car guy’s heaven!

The shooting and festivities went on for a few days…our Herb Chambers Lexus General Manager, Giovanni Tosti, and yours-truly even managed to be “extras” in a scene or two! I can only hope that we both don’t end up “edited” on the cutting room floor… no matter, we’ll look forward to seeing this hit when The Zookeeper premiers next year! And remember, at Herb Chambers… when it comes to your dream vehicle… We’ve Got It!

Sincerely,

Before

After

Driven to succeed: Herb Chambers

Courtesy of: Boston Business Journal

Herb Chambers’ name is synonymous with his car dealership empire ­— ­as well as his ubiquitous commercial jingle.

Roaring through Mass. in the McLaren F1

I was about 12 years old when I saw my first McLaren F1. Saw, not as millions of others did from the cover of a Road & Track issue, but saw, as in hearing my father say, “Hey, what’s that coming behind us?”, turning around, and watching the blessed Messiah of all exotic cars pass our Mercury Sable and literally part the interstate traffic.

We were mere miles from our home in Connecticut, and I was freaking out for another 20. No, Mom, that is not a kit car! It’s the fastest production car on earth.

At that time, I knew I had seen one of just seven McLarens in the entire United States, and I knew I would never see one again. I found out later that a company in Danbury, about 35 minutes away, was importing all the F1s from the factory in Woking, England, proof that Connecticut was the center of the universe.

In 2005, I witnessed the second coming of the F1 at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, which was holding an exhibition of Ralph Lauren’s cars. I hardly moved from the velvet rope, despite Lauren’s impressive collection. Two sightings in one lifetime? This had to be the last time I would see an F1.

McLaren made roughly 100 road and race versions between 1993 and 1998, and it’s impossible to cite the exact number in the US today. Some people say there are more than 20; Chambers thinks there’s about a dozen. (And he should know. Jay Leno bought one after taking a ride with him.) Facebook groups and message boards claiming to document each McLaren try their hardest, but the owners of these cars rarely come up in the news unless one catches on fire or gets sold at auction for more than $4 million.

Herb Chambers Car Collection - McLaren F1

Last month, Chambers decided to drop his McLaren at his new BMW showroom in Sudbury, just 20 miles west of Boston. So I asked what anyone would in this rare moment, short of begging: can I please, please, please go for a ride? Chambers obliged, and on a sunny November I found myself holed into the F1′s left side, yanking the butterfly door shut, and trying to resist a hyper fit of feet stomping and flailing arms.

To be assaulted by such a high power-to-weight ratio, deafened by a 627 horsepower V-12, and stared at by every driver on the road is the car enthusiast’s reason for living. What, I wondered, would I do now for the rest of my life? The afterlife won’t be able to match being inside a McLaren at full-bore, running and running while the planet stands still.

For Herb and all the well-heeled car lovers with McLarens, here’s hoping, then, for a long life.

Herb Chambers – The value of confidence

Workers want a leader they can believe in

By Elizabeth Cooney, Globe Correspondent

HERB CHAMBERS WAS in the middle of expanding his car sales business when the recession hit, but he kept right on going with plans to open new dealerships and expand others. Now Chambers is hiring, and employees are glad they’re at a company that’s growing while their industry is gasping.

When the climate is gloomy, employees want company leaders to offer confidence, communication, and a sense that a bright future is being built.

Workers at these companies believe their professional fate is in good hands:

Herb Chambers Cos.: Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t the norm for an auto dealer’s service department to wash the cars before returning them to customers, but Herb Chambers did it. “My feeling was a clean car always ran better than dirty one did,’’ said Chambers, head of his namesake business.

This year, going against the grain meant completing $50 million in new facilities. It’s that kind of thinking that has allowed Chambers auto dealerships to grow while other dealers are struggling or even closing down.

That sits well with employees, especially in the high-pressure world of auto sales. “I think it gives our people a great deal of confidence,’’ Chambers said. “They feel good about our company. They believe they are in the right place.’’

One after another, Chambers employees surveyed for Top Places cited the boss himself and the company’s growth as reasons for their satisfaction.

Not that Chambers has escaped the recession entirely. Sales are down 19 percent this year compared to last year, when the expansion was planned. But national numbers are down even more: from 30 to 34 percent.

“We never had a doubt about the future,’’ said Michael Hannafin, service director at Flagship Motorcars, a newly refurbished Chambers dealership in Lynnfield. “He’s a guy who believes in what he is doing. That trickles down.’’

Hannafin said Chambers recently pulled aside a manager who had reorganized a parts department, saying he wanted the rest of the company to copy the system. “You can’t measure what that does for an employee,’’ Hannafin said. “That guy was on cloud nine and the rest of his team was motivated, because he was singled out in a positive way by the CEO of the company.’’