ONYX Automotive Earns National Recognition for Fourth Consecutive Year
Story by Natalie Veloso // Photography by Sarah Lemke
In the luxury automotive world, not all awards are created equal. For the fourth year in a row, ONYX Automotive accomplished what few luxury dealerships nationwide can claim: repeatedly earning both the BMW Center of Excellence Award and the MINI Golden Bulldog Award, the highest national honors for dealers of each brand.
The BMW Center of Excellence Award is reserved for dealerships that deliver top-tier customer experience, high-volume performance, and consistent operational excellence. Only a select few earn the honor annually. Meanwhile, MINI’s Golden Bulldog Award has become MINI’s most coveted dealer award, celebrating not just operational excellence and sales, but also brand alignment and delivery of a best-in-class customer experience. ONYX has received the Golden Bulldog every year since the award was created—a perfect four-for-four streak.
“The standard for receiving these awards is to be better and better each year as metrics and expectations increase,” General Manager Drew Friesen said. “We plan to continue to do so.”
Awards might arrive once a year, but the work behind them happens daily. For Friesen, ONYX’s winning streak starts and ends with the team’s internal culture.
“When we look at the number of associates who have been with us from the beginning, we see a lot of familiar faces,” Friesen said. “The ONYX journey started five years ago, and our level of retention is extremely high, at about 78%. Our team members stay with us because they continue to be passionate about making the experience great for our customers.”
That consistency is no accident. ONYX conducts anonymous associate engagement surveys, asking questions like, “What can we improve?” and “Why do you choose us?” The leadership team uses the feedback to adjust throughout the year, re-surveying later to track growth. “We want to know why our associates choose us and what we can do to make sure they’re happy doing what they do,” Friesen said.
That feedback loop—listen, improve, repeat—does more than just strengthen the team. It improves the customer experience, which in turn strengthens the dealership’s national standing. “The awards are great,” Friesen added. “But what’s better is that we’re continuing to grow.”
While the prestigious BMW and MINI awards take center stage in the trophy case, ONYX’s standout performance spans all four of its luxury brands—including Jaguar and Land Rover. “One of our biggest goals is to earn top recognition for each of our brands. The competition is incredibly tough, with demanding metrics. While we didn’t win Land Rover this time, we came in fourth place, and for Jaguar, we came in seventh place out of 150 dealers,” Friesen said. “That’s a pretty big deal.”
The Land Rover Pinnacle Award is one of the most competitive dealer recognitions in the country, and Friesen believes ONYX is closing in fast. “We’re very, very proud of what we were able to accomplish in 2024,” he said. “We hope to bring that award home in 2025.”
Behind every five-star customer review, service visit, and successful sale is a person who makes it happen. ONYX invests in onboarding, ongoing training, and mentorship—ensuring consistency and excellence across departments. Friesen is quick to credit the team as the reason behind the growth streak, pointing to thoughtful leadership as a key driver of their performance.
“We always look to grow our business, and that’s the expectation for this next year,” Friesen said. “With each consecutive win, the goals become more challenging to achieve as the bar continues to be raised. ONYX is up to the task.”
— DREW FRIESEN, GENERAL MANAGER
With four years of dual wins under their belt, the question is: what’s next?
“We’re very excited about 2025 because of the all-new MINI product line,” Friesen said. “Every product that’s on the road right now and up for sale is a brand-new model, with brand-new trend lines and all-new updates on the interior.”
But new models are only part of the plan. After once again sweeping two of the highest honors in the luxury vehicle sector, ONYX isn’t treating this as a lucky streak, but the new standard. That means more vehicles sold, more service appointments fulfilled, more customer interactions, and more opportunities to deliver an elite experience.
For more information, visit onyxautomotive.com.
