Import Car Trailblazer Kjell Qvale Dies

Kjell Qvale, an automotive entrepreneur who made his fortune importing European brands to the U.S., died on Nov. 2 at age 94, Automotive News reports.

At its peak, Qvale's San Francisco-based British Motor Car Distributors Ltd. was wholesaling 10 German and British car brands to more than 100 dealerships including 2,000 VW Beetles per month.

Qvale once estimated he had handled more than 1 million cars during his 55 years in the business.

He also dabbled in auto racing, twice entering cars in the Indianapolis 500 in the mid-1960s. Qvale later invested in two unsuccessful European marques, British manufacturer Jensen in the mid-1970s and DeTomaso in the 1990s.

Qvale's son Bruce will head the Qvale Automotive Group of dealerships.