"We built it on growth," says Mark Verhagen with a wink. The managing director of Wittebrug Audi is proud of the new home of 'his' car brand. The flagship store in the Forepark is huge, bigger than any other in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. And is the only one in the world to feature a glass-roofed atrium.

That means no more old-fashioned, fluorescent-lit office cubicles, but hip lounge sofas, high seating and lots of screens. Verhagen: "We even sacrificed space for cars to put trees there for atmosphere. Everything to make customers feel at home and welcome."

Director Mark Verhagen at an Audi e-tron GT

Capriole Café

Thanks to their MacBooks, sales staff can talk to customers anywhere in the building about their next Audi. "Very approachable," he says. "And for customers who value tradition and therefore still prefer to talk in private, we have the customer private lounges." Of course, the coffee is not left to chance either: "We want only the best, which is why we work with Capriole Café from The Hague."

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Game developers

In the configuration room, the cars can be put together virtually. "Here we can visualise all the colours and call up different landscapes," Verhagen explains enthusiastically. "So you can see the car you order driving straight away. Lifelike, because the software was created by the best game developers in the world!"

Audi jacket

Also new is the representative meeting room in an Audi jacket. "Here we can organise meetings for the business clubs of which we are a member ourselves, but also other companies can hold their meetings or tea sessions here if they want something completely different. We can take care of those completely - anyway, we want to organise more events in this new building."

Audi Sport dealer

Wittebrug has recently been allowed to call itself an Audi Sport dealer. "This means that we also carry all high-end performance models from the RS series, both in the showroom and for test driving. In addition, we are certified to service these special, sporty models," says Verhagen.

That prestigious label is not for all Audi dealers. The managing director: "To be an Audi Sport dealer, we have to continuously invest in the skills and training of mechanics, and of course in the tools our people use. In the Netherlands, we are therefore one of only eight dealers who have this range in their portfolio."

The workshop is like an open kitchen in a restaurant: the transparent wall allows you to see exactly what is happening to the cars on the bridge

With an eye to the future - Audi's slogan is not for nothing "Future is an attitude" - the new flagship store is covered with solar panels to meet its own power needs as much as possible. The car court is also full of charging stations for the growing number of electric cars in Audi's range. Unique, according to Verhagen. "Sustainability and electrification are the pillars for Audi. Compared to our direct competitors BMW and Mercedes-Benz, we are moving fastest towards 100 per cent electric mobility: the last fuel-engined Audi will be introduced in 2026, so around 2035 we will have switched completely to electric driving."

The flagship store in Forepark is the only one in the world to feature a glass-roofed atrium.

Buyers are also moving with that ambition. In 2020, a quarter of new Audi cars sold were already electric, a year later that share has grown to over a third, and for 2025 Verhagen even foresees that three-quarters will be electric. Meanwhile, the number of hybrid-powered cars is also still increasing. "The Netherlands is leading the way in this transition," he argues. "

Electric driving

Also because electric driving is hugely encouraged from the government." But as far as he is concerned, there are more advantages. "Driving electric gives a totally different experience than driving with a fuel engine. It is very quiet and comfortable and because you always have maximum torque, it is also very sporty; the emotion of Audi has been preserved."

Sustainability battle

The latest weapon in the sustainability battle is the recently introduced Q4 e-tron. This is the cheapest car in Audi's all-electric offering, with a starting price of 48,295 euros. Opposite that is the topper: the e-tron GT, with prices starting at 104,895 euros. Verhagen: "We have christened this car our 'hero car': this showpiece demonstrates the maximum we have to offer in the electric field." With the wide range of models - from A1 to R8 - the Audi driver is one with many guises. "From young to old, men and fortunately also more and more women: anyone who consciously chooses premium quality can be an Audi driver," summarises Verhagen.

Flagship store

Those who have once purchased an Audi at Wittebrug's flagship store will be right at home there, Verhagen expects. "On the first floor of the split level, we have a customer area that includes three enclosed, transparent workstations. There one can work undisturbed while the car is in the workshop. We also have a pick-up service, but it should be a treat to bring your car." Then laughing: "So much so, that you would rather be working with us than in the office, so to speak." The workshop is like an open kitchen in a restaurant: through the transparent wall you can see exactly what is happening to the cars on the bridge. "If you want, you can go there and have a look. Then you get a tour from one of us."

Showroom

That workshop is at least as state-of-the-art as the showroom. "The people working there are more programmers than mechanics these days - the days of black hands are over," Verhagen explains. "They have the latest technology at their disposal. And, also important: because of the sound-absorbing floors and ceilings, it is no longer that reverberant space that makes people leave dead tired at the end of the day."

Service

That's important to the managing director - himself employed at Audi for 20 years - because no matter how beautiful the new premises are: it's the employees who make the difference. "They bring the customer and the car together and they do so with passion for the Audi brand, both in sales and service. "

www.wittebrug.nl

Tenth edition BOIDR

This article appears in the upcoming tenth edition of Bij Ons In De Residentie. Want to read more about the good life in The Hague? From 26 November, the magazine will also be on sale at the following bookshops: