Peacock Automotive has broken ground on its new 30,000-square-foot Audi dealership at the New River Auto Mall on U.S. 278. The estimated cost of the new facility is $6 million, and it’s expected to create 20 new jobs in addition to the approximately 600 people Peacock Automotive currently employs.

Construction on the building will begin immediately and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2018.

The architecture firm contracted for this project was Hansen Architects, and Thompson-Turner is the contracted construction firm. Many local elected officials and organizations attended the event, which was held on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the site of the new building.

The new dealership will be located two blocks down the street from the current Audi Hilton Head facility that is paired with Hilton Head Volkswagen. When it’s ready, Audi will move into the new building and the Volkswagen outlet will grow to occupy the vacated space. That facility then will be renovated according to current VW design standards.

“This expansion is made possible by the overwhelming demand for Audi and VW brands in our market,” said Warner Peacock, president and CEO of Peacock Automotive. “With this new facility, we are expecting to bring new inventory, new jobs and economic growth to one of the Southeast’s largest auto dealers in the South Carolina Lowcountry.”

The new Audi dealership will feature a state-of-the-art repair center along with convenient features such as a free coffee, beverage and snack bar. Audi Hilton Head will also be a dedicated Audi sport facility, which will expand its inventory of high-performance sport models and offer more sport factory parts and accessories.

“Our auto mall is a hub of quality vehicle brands at competitive prices," said Peacock, “and this expansion puts every option and every service right at the fingertips of our valued customers.”