How much money does a supercar salesman make in a year? This is a question I have been asked lots of times in the past and the truth is no more than a salesman selling normal cars, and in some cases less.
The reason for this is that Ferrari’s and similar supercars are highly desirable and in most cases literally sell themselves. These cars often have long waiting lists or in the case of limited production models require you to have bought lesser models to even be allowed to purchase a car.
So in truth you don’t need to be a star salesman that can convince somebody to part with their hard earned cash. If the dealership is situated in the correct location the buyers will be chasing the sales team and not the other way around. Don’t believe me?, just try phoning your local Porsche agents and try and buy a new GT model of any description and see what response you get! It is exactly the same with true supercars, in almost every case demand massively outstrips supply.
The true superstar salesman are to found in the local Ford, Vauxhall or Skoda dealerships, where sales targets are high and the competition is even higher. These dealerships will pay top money for top performing sale staff because they need to.
That’s not to say a salesman selling supercars doesn’t need to be skilled or experienced. Far from it, a salesman will need to be very well presented, customer focused and professional and often operate to a higher standard than when selling a lesser brand, so it’s not a job for everyone. It’s just that the cars are easier to sell and customers are more eager to buy.
Another factor to consider is that the business models of a garages and franchises selling exotic cars, are geared to making their profits from the parts and servicing aspects of their businesses, and not vehicle sales. Car sales may drive these other profits but the margins made from car sales are normally a fraction of the service departments, and they simply don’t sell the same volume of cars as a normal dealer. Meaning paying a fortune for a salesman often just isn’t feasible or necessary.
So if you don’t make anymore money that selling normal cars why would a salesman bother? Well you get to say you work for Ferrari, Lamborghini or whichever exotic brand you work for and you are surrounded by supercars every day, this alone is worth it for some salesman. Some of the other perks are often good too, like driving supercars, factory visits and posh car launches in exotic locations. You may also get an allowance or help to buy quality suits and handmade shoes so you look the part on the showroom floor.
The job also suits older salesman often looking to move into managerial roles that offer less stress, but require more experience. Exotic or supercar sales are often slower paced and the customers easier to sell to and only requiring expert help with the final details before purchase.
Conclusion
It’s easy to understand why people would think supercar salesman are being payed a fortune. It’s also understandable that the general public would assume that a supercar salesman must be operating at the top level. But just because the products are more expensive and a salesman is wearing a posh suit, doesn’t mean a salesman or the garage is making more money.
So it’s a myth that supercar salesman are all making a fortune? In the main yes. But if you have ever visited Dubai you will have see some salesman that are clearly earning some big money in a highly competitive marketplace. So there is always an exception to every rule.
