AutoNation, for example, recently opened a gleaming glass-and-stone Lexus store
in Palm Beach with a sales floor made of polished porcelain tile. Walls and counters are accented with cherry and bird's-eye maple veneer. "Guests"--as Lexus calls its customers--leave their cars with
a valet and are then guided by a personal concierge to a European-style coffee bar offering complimentary java and a selection of pastries prepared by a chef trained in Rome.
The rise of super-luxury dealerships reflects the country's growing ranks of wealthy individuals and the ways companies are trying to cater to them. At hotels, for example, five stars are now nearly passé, with more and more six- and seven-star properties cropping up around the world.
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