Sewickley Car Store remains open during construction of new Audi facility

Don’t be put off by the fencing and construction equipment crowding the Sewickley end of the Sewickley Bridge. It’s there on the property of the Sewickley Car Store of Pittsburgh, which handles Porsche, Audi and BMW. Despite the mess, the dealership and its three franchises are very much open for business. Why all the excavating, digging and hammering? The Sewickley Car Store is about to build a brand-new 13,000-square-foot facility to house its Audi franchise. And this comes just after a complete inside-and-out renovation of the Porsche facility, which was completed in February 2009. That brought to an end the days when Porsche and Audi shared space. Now each will have its own very attractive, and functional, home.

Robert Nikel, the majority partner, and Joe Scarfone, minority partner, founded the Sewickley dealership in the mid-1970s. Today it has 90 employees, and an inventory of new Porsches, Audis and BMWs, as well as pre-owned vehicles.

If you want a look at some of the coolest new models these prestigious automakers have to offer, ignore the construction clutter. Instead, head inside for a gander at the 2009 Audi Q5, a handsome compact crossover SUV. By July, Porsche is scheduled to have launched the Panamera, its first 4-door sedan. Affcianados won’t let any ongoing construction work keep them away from the showroom. Neither will M machine fans wanting to see the 2010 BMW X6M and X5 M, two new powerful SUVs.

Remember, despite appearances, the Sewickley Car Store is open for business.