Benchmark Motoring 2008 BBQ & Open House

If you have ever dreamed of owning a custom car shop, then Benchmark Motoring is probably what you envisioned. Benchmark is located in Bellevue, Washington, in what I refer to as the "Automotive District". Right in their backyard you'll find Audi, Jaguar, Bentley, Lamborghini, BMW, Land Rover, Lotus, and just about any other high-end automotive mark you've ever drooled over, and it's these incredible cars in which Benchmark specializes.
Summer is officially in session here in Seattle, and this weekend we're expecting beautiful blue skies and 80-degree weather - perfect for a BBQ, and that's exactly what Benchmark did. The shop's parking lot was filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Mustangs, Porches, and a few other jaw-dropping rides. They also had the shop completely open, allowing customers to wander from the showroom to the install bays.

Check out the rest of the story and all the pics after the jump!

When the last time you walked up to a shop and saw this many exotics and dream cars lined up?

Brian Whitehead of Benchmark manning the grille in 80-degree weather. What a guy! Brian can whip up a mean batch of burgers. Thanks for the great eats!

I've always been a fan of classic air-cooled Porsches. And this is a prime example:

The install was simple on the inside, just an Alpine deck and 7" touchscreen.

But under the bonnet is where you get an idea of Benchmark's quality:

There were a few Ferrari's on hand:

And a small handful of Lambo's

A few more Porsches to drool over:

Of course, you can't have luxury without Mercedes:

Unless BMW is more of your German mark:

The big BMW guns were on the shop floor:

Or perhaps a little domestic muscle?

You don't see Maserati's very often, so it's a treat whenever I stumble across one:

And just for me, the guys at Benchmark brought out an R8 to show off (kidding):

All-in-all a great time with, with great weather (a rarity in the NW), and some really exceptional cars. Hats off to Benchmark for a quality event!

in the forums!