What began as a search for a motorhome for his own auto racing activities ultimately led Québec dealer principal Samuel Laquerre to invest in LOKI Coach — a builder of highly customized luxury motorhomes on Prevost platforms.
“Instead of buying a motorhome, I ended up buying shares in the company,” said Laquerre, President of Groupe Laquerre and a third-generation automotive entrepreneur.
Laquerre entered the family business in 2009 after graduating from Georgian College in Ontario. He was just 19 and arrived during the financial crisis, when the North American auto industry was facing considerable uncertainty.
One of his first projects involved taking on an underperforming Chrysler dealership in Victoriaville. After helping turn that business around, he continued expanding through acquisitions and partnerships.
Today, Groupe Laquerre includes Laquerre Ford, Laquerre Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM, Volkswagen Victoriaville, Saint-Jérôme Chevrolet Buick GMC and Drummondville Ford.
LOKI Coach, which is based in Québec City, gives him an opportunity to bring that dealership experience into an adjacent automotive business. The company builds highly customized luxury motorhomes using Prevost H3-45 VIP coach platforms. It positions its products around design, engineering, personalization and customer experience — attributes Laquerre believes align closely with the premium automotive market.
“Customers who buy a Porsche, a Rolls-Royce or a Ferrari are looking for an exceptional experience,” he said. “LOKI Coach owners have the same expectations.”
LOKI serves a niche North American market, with its coaches selling well into seven figures. The company has ambitious plans to increase production and expand its presence across the continent.
For Laquerre, however, the underlying business philosophy remains familiar: put strong people in the right roles, build around the customer and create the structure needed to grow. It is the same entrepreneurial approach he has used to expand his dealership group, though it’s now being applied to a very different type of vehicle.
