A LEGACY BMW DEALERSHIP IN EATONTOWN GARNERS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO THE CUSTOMER

BY ERIK SCHONING PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO

In 2023, Circle BMW Eatontown was knighted as the National BMW Dealer of the Year Award from DealerRater.com. It was an honor for Tom DeFelice III, owner and center operator, the culmination of four generations in the automotive business. DeFelice’s great-grandfather launched Circle Chevrolet along the old Freehold Circle back in 1946. While Freehold Circle no longer exists, today the Circle family of dealerships carries on that legacy. Circle Auto Group partners with several notable automotive brands, including Hyundai, Chevrolet, Isuzu, and its flagship, BMW.

In 1980, DeFelice’s father, Thomas DeFelice Jr., was presented with an opportunity to obtain a BMW franchise in Shrewsbury. At the time, BMW was still a relatively minor player in the American luxury car market.

“The location that my dad purchased in 1980 had sold just 50 cars in the entire year the year prior,” DeFelice said. “In the first year of Circle BMW’s existence, it doubled that to 100 cars. Today, we sell over 2,000 new and used units every year. BMW has gone from a small niche brand to the number one luxury automaker in the United States. It’s been an incredible run for BMW, and my dad made a great decision.”

As a fourth-generation car dealer, DeFelice knew he wanted to carve his own path in the family business. Like many who grew up around showrooms, DeFelice’s first job was washing cars at 14 years old. After college, he went to law school and practiced first as a general litigator before joining a boutique law firm that represented car dealers. When he returned to Circle BMW, he had a deeper perspective on the nuances of the business, from mergers and acquisitions to navigating the intricacies of the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act, which governs the relationship between a dealer and its manufacturers.

“I learned a lot about the business and the industry from the perspective of a lawyer,” DeFelice said. “After seven years of practicing law, I used what I learned in my experience representing car dealers as a jumping-off point to really operate a car dealership effectively.”

Ultimately, steering a successful dealer ship boils down to two primary components: the suite of vehicles and the people who sell them. While the BMW fleet has expanded significantly (the company offers more than 100 different model variants), the brand has never lost sight of its guiding principles of luxury and performance. Today Circle BMW caters to every segment of the BMW market, from active families shopping for a plush but capable SUV, to the thrill-seeking devotees of the M performance sub-brand. (For the latter, Circle BMW has become somewhat of a mecca.

The latest shift in BMW’s portfolio is the introduction of electric vehicles. DeFelice stressed that, rather than hastily chasing headlines or Wall Street investors, the company has moved responsibly into the space.

“BMW is unique in that they are designing their vehicles to be exactly the same regardless of the powertrain,” he said. “The i4, i5, and i7 are identical to the 530, the 760, and the 430 Gran Coupe. They look exactly the same, except one has an electric powertrain and the other a gas powertrain. A lot of EVs perform well but don’t match the fit, finish, and luxury feel of a BMW. We are providing clients the ergonomics, beauty, and expertise of a car brand that’s been around for 80 years. Drivers get both the luxury finish and the EV performance.”

The second component of a national award-winning dealership the people behind the showroom doors is ultimately the key factor in a business’ success; after all, DeFelice’s father doubled his sales in the first year of Circle BMW, not by selling different vehicles, but by implementing a culture that puts the customer first. Today, DeFelice carries on that mission at the dealership with his staff of just under 100 employees, a team whose average tenure at the company is more than ten years.

DeFelice often uses the phrase “all in” when describing his leadership ethos. He maintains a presence at the dealership every single day, shaking hands with customers and interacting with the members of his team, always available to provide guidance or support. This practice, he explained, is simply defined by following the golden rule: take care of everyone the way you would want to be taken care of.

“Having an owner there every single day, it’s much easier to create a culture that reflects the values of the ownership, because they’re there, they see you, they see how much you care, and they reflect that,” said the fourth-generation owner. “If you take care of your employees and ensure you have a productive, fun, and respectful place to work, that bleeds through to the customers and the customers benefit from that.”

Circle BMW

500 NJ-36, Eatontown

732.440.1200 / circlebmw.com