Kjell Qvale

San Francisco resident and founder of British Motor Car Distributors, Ltd., Kjell Qvale has led a life marked by numerous successes in business and sports. From an early age, Kjell Qvale devoted his time and energy to a wide range of activities requiring speed and agility. A skiing and track and field champion at West Seattle High School, Kjell Qvale earned an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Washington, where he became the captain of the Varsity Men's Track Team. While there, Kjell Qvale competed in a number of events for the Pacific Coast Championships (now Pac-10 Conference), winning the 100-yard dash in 1941. With the outbreak of World War II and the American entry into the conflict, Kjell Qvale joined the Navy and rose to the rank of Captain. Throughout the war, Kjell Qvale flew transport and cargo planes in the Pacific region. Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1945, Kjell Qvale entered the world of automotive sales, establishing Qvale Motors in Alameda, California. For the next year, Kjell Qvale operated Qvale Motors as a Willys Jeep dealership, bringing civilian jeeps to customers in an around Northern California. In 1947, Kjell Qvale sold his Willys dealership and gained the rights to sell MG and Jaguar vehicles in Northern California. Soon after, Kjell Qvale changed the name of his dealership from Qvale Motors to British Motor Car Distributors, Ltd. Over the next several years, Kjell Qvale fostered the massive expansion of his company, selling a vast array of practical and luxury cars imported from Europe, including Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley, Audi, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Lotus. In addition to his work as a distributor, Kjell Qvale worked with De Tomaso Modena S.p.A. to develop and manufacture the Mangusta racecar, which he eventually sold under the Qvale Motors brand. Kjell Qvale has also served as President of the Pacific Racing Association.

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