Are Bethesda residents turning in their Tesla Cybertrucks?

Now that the Tesla store has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall, the only place to find a Tesla in a showroom or on a sales lot in Bethesda at the moment is at EuroMotorcars at 7020 Arlington Road. A Tesla Cybertruck is now on prominent display in the used car area. Cybertrucks have been on the road here for barely a year, so it seems awfully soon to be trading one in, but here it is. While the Cybertruck design has been divisive, other Tesla models have been hugely popular in Bethesda for over a decade, until Elon Musk began backing Donald Trump last summer. Still, I saw 3 Cybertrucks in one hour in Bethesda.

Another sign of rising crime in Bethesda (Photos)

Bethesda residents are seeing some unusual things as the crime spike of the last two years continues to plague Montgomery County. County police have established a "resource room" at Westfield Montgomery Mall after 9 people were assaulted there over the summer, a new Trader Joe's added deployable window coverings at the front of the store, and as of last night, cars are physically blocking all of the exits at EuroMotorcars in Bethesda during the overnight hours.

According to Montgomery County police, four vehicles were stolen from the dealership on one night in late August. Stealing cars from Montgomery County dealerships has been a trend during this crime wave. The most hard-hit area so far has been on MD 355, between Wintergreen Plaza and Derwood.

Audi Bethesda signs lit (Photos)

Signage has now been fully installed at the new Audi Bethesda dealership at 7015 Arlington Road. You may recall the dealership sign had been installed a week ago, but wasn't lit yet, and the Audi rings logo had yet to be added. Now the rings have been added, and all were lit last night. 

Illustrated moments from Audi racing history are now being installed on the showroom wall. The company's racing legacy stretches back to its three consecutive victories at the International Austrian Alpine Rally between 1912 and 1914.

What does the Audi four rings logo mean? According to the manufacturer, the rings represent the Auto Union partnership formed by four German manufacturers after the worldwide recession of 1929. From left to right, the rings stand for Audi (founded by August Horch - who translated "Horch" into Latin as "Audi" when he left his own company and couldn't use its name), motorcycle manufacturer Dampfkraftwagen (DKW), the original Horch company, and motorcycle and small car maker Wanderer.

Audi Bethesda signage installed - and a look back at construction of the dealership (Photos)

Signage has been installed on the facade of the new Audi Bethesda dealership at 7015 Arlington Road. It's the latest example of modern German auto dealership architecture that we've seen in the last four years in Montgomery County, from Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Porsche. Let's take a look back at the construction process, with the demolition of Crawford Tire, grading of the site, the building of the frame structure and walls, and - below - the latest phases of completion, with photos I haven't published before, in chronological order:

This final photo is from last
evening, March 4, 2021

EuroMotorcars goes green with new Bethesda dealership building

The new EuroMotorcars dealership and service facility at 7020 Arlington Road in Bethesda has improved the aesthetics of that block at street level. But the roof of the structure is one of an increasing number in Montgomery County that are meant to also improve the environment. In recent days, workers have been installing the components of a green roof. You can see the progress between Tuesday (top photo) and Friday (photo below).

Photos by RFS

Bethesda construction update: Audi Bethesda (Photos)

There has been significant progress on the structure that will become the new Audi Bethesda dealership at 7015 Arlington Road. The sidewalk is closed in front of the site. EuroMotorcars plans to open the new facility in 2021.

Yes, that Mercedes Benz logo lights up at night at EuroMotorcars Bethesda (Photos)

Some readers asked if the giant Mercedes Benz logo added to the new EuroMotorcars Bethesda showroom Monday would light up at night. I am pleased to report that, indeed, it does. 

Another reader asked why the part of the showroom closest to Arlington Road was featuring desks instead of vehicles. EuroMotorcars says that the arrangement is only temporary due to continuing construction on another part of the new facility. When that work is complete, the desks will move and cars will then take the spotlight inside the large Arlington Road-facing windows.

Mercedes Benz logo added to EuroMotorcars dealership in Bethesda (Video+Photos)

A giant Mercedes Benz logo was attached to the new showroom at EuroMotorcars in downtown Bethesda yesterday. Black cladding was placed behind the sign. This is the most-coveted hood ornament in the world writ large.

Bethesda construction update: Audi Bethesda dealership (Photos)

EuroMotorcars has just opened its new Mercedes Benz/AMG dealership facility at 7020 Arlington Road in downtown Bethesda. Now work is starting on constructing EuroMotorcars' Audi Bethesda dealership across the street. A Goodyear tire business was demolished. Now the site has been graded, and construction of the new building is starting.

EuroMotorcars' new Bethesda dealership finished and stocked (Photos)

Over the last three years in Montgomery County, we've seen German auto brands raise the bar for auto dealership architecture. Titanically-tall windows and clean euro-modernist lines dominate as these Teutonic auto giants attempt to match or outdo their rivals, even as some are owned by the same parent company. Porsche Bethesda was the first to turn heads, debuting at Pike & Rose in 2017. More recently, Audi Rockville and BMW of Rockville have unveiled their showrooms of the future on Rockville Pike.

Now it's EuroMotorcars' turn to dazzle auto buyers in downtown Bethesda with their brand-new showroom and facility at 7020 Arlington Road, now fully-stocked with the latest Mercedes Benz and AMG models. Also returning is EuroMotorcars' always-interesting assortment of used luxury vehicles and supercars at the corner of Arlington and Bethesda Avenue.