The beginning of a dream – In 1963 Jerónimo Esteve-Abril and Juan José Bellapart founded Bella International, a small Honda motorcycle dealer in San Juan.

Leveraging opportunities – During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Bella International realized it was a prime opportunity to enter the auto industry with newer, more efficient cars. In 1973 the company began selling the first generation of Honda Civic in Puerto Rico.

Exclusivity reigns supreme – Throughout its first fifteen years, Bella demonstrated its staying power and capacity for growth, which cemented its relationship with American Honda Motor Company. By 1977, Bella had become the exclusive distributor of the entire Honda product line in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. And by the mid-80s, Jerónimo Esteve-Abril was already the sole owner of Bella International.

Bella equals luxury – In 1986, thirteen years after the Honda Civic became Bella’s first automobile venture, the company entered the luxury segment with the launch of the local Acura division. In 2013, Acura became the favorite among all luxury brands in Puerto Rico, a feat only accomplished in the Puerto Rican market.

Variety becomes a trademark – By the early 90s, Carlos López-Lay and María Isabel Esteve, begin to learn the ropes of the organization. Spearheaded by López-Lay and Esteve, in 1998 the company adopted Bella Group as its trade name, when it inaugurated Flagship Dealers, retail points for Chrysler (1998), Mazda (2005) and Volkswagen (2013). In order to further cater to its clients’ transportation needs, the organization created Bella Rent-A-Car (1990), Bella Marine (2003), and Bella Bodyshop (2004).

A vision of service – In 2004 Carlos López-Lay and María Isabel Esteve jointly acquired Bella Group, becoming sole owners of the organization. Beginning in the 90s, they transformed Bella into a service-oriented company, driven primarily by a vision of excellence and superior quality in service. In fact, Bella was the first auto retailer to provide complimentary shuttle service to its clients as early as the mid-90s. In order to solidify its vision, in 2000 Bella established its Customer Retention Management Center.

A new phase – For the first time since the 1970s, Bella expanded its auto distribution lineup when it became the exclusive distributor of Mazda for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.