Cadillac back in Hartford

One year after Hartford’s lone Cadillac franchise folded, the domestic luxury brand has replanted its flag in the city.

Valenti Cadillac opened its doors two weeks ago in one of the showrooms at 99 Leibert Road, in the North Meadows, that had been part of the defunct Tony March Connecticut dealership network.

Valenti Auto Group, which has eight other domestic and European new-car dealerships in Connecticut, is becoming quite familiar with Hartford’s new-car market.

In the past three years, Valenti Auto acquired former Bill Barry Volkswagen in West Hartford (now Volkswagen of Hartford) and the city’s former Thomas Jaguar franchise (now Jaguar of Hartford).

Valenti later moved both franchises to two other former Tony March showrooms on Leibert Road, adjacent to the northbound side of Interstate 91, in the shadow of the city’s police station and public works.

According to Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell, after Thomas Cadillac in February 2009 voluntarily handed over the keys to its struggling Hartford franchise, General Motors’ flagship brand wanted the best franchisee possible. To land one, it literally put its Hartford franchise up for bid, Caldwell said.

Valenti was among an unspecified number who responded with a “business-case proposal’’ for how it would serve Cadillac and its customers in this market, Caldwell said. Cadillac, in turn, closely evaluated Valenti’s record of customer sales and support, as well as the financial strength of its other dealerships, which also sell GM’s Buick and GMC brands.

In the end, Cadillac liked what it found, Caldwell said. Valenti officials were not immediately available for comment.

“They came out of there with the strongest picture,’’ he said.

Cadillac is now back to about a dozen stores in Connecticut. (GREGORY SEAY)