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Cover – Chris Cogan F7 Motorsports / F7 Garage

Chris Cogan

F7 Motorsports / F7 Garage

By: Ed Bertha

Cover Photo By: James Corwin Johnson

What do a 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica and a 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa have in common? Both are outstanding examples of legendary artistic coachwork and mechanical dexterity. Furthermore, they were award winning automobiles at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and Concours d’Elegance of America, respectively. These cars are a small glimpse into the private Cogan automobile collection in Louisville, KY.

The Cogan’s involvement with classic motorcars began over four decades ago. Chris Cogan and his brother Kevin began collecting, restoring, racing and showing cars. What started as a hobby evolved into a full-time business. The collection of cars has also evolved and grown with a focus on post-war to modern sports and racing cars. The Cogan’s legacy includes more than ninety years of combined motorcar investing, collecting, racing, restoration, historic preservation and concours competition. Now Chris Cogan has partnered with Kevin’s son Connor to bring an expansion of the family’s decades of automotive prowess to Florida with F7 Motorsports and F7 Garage [1] (together referred to as F7), based in Sarasota.

Chris Cogan F7 Motorsports F7 Garage [2]

Among its many offerings, F7 provides traditional sales and service. They can find any car, in any market, saving you countless hours of searching for a particular vehicle. With F7’s worldwide network they can source classic, exotic and rare vehicles. Securing the ‘unobtainable’ is F7’s specialty. “With our extensive international customer base and knowledge, we pride ourselves on our reputation of sourcing the rarest vehicles in the world,” shares Chris.

If vintage cars are not your thing, perhaps a modern super car or even the new class of hyper car may peak your interest. The Cogan’s also represent new car brands that are bespoke in nature. With models ranging in price from a few hundred thousand dollars to over three million, there is certainly something to satisfy every car enthusiast’s wildest dream. One brand they represent is Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus [3] (SCG), a small volume hyper-car manufacturer based in New York. SCG was founded by world renowned car enthusiast and builder, Jim Glickenhaus, who took the automotive world by storm in 2005 when he created the Ferrari P4/5 and later the P4/5 Competizione which he campaigned successfully at iconic races such as the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in Germany.

It was a common interest in racing which connected Chris and Connor Cogan to Glickenhaus. Together they formed Glickenhaus North American Racing (GNAR) to race in the most challenging races known around the world. Glickenhaus and the Cogan’s have exciting, if not ambitious, plans for GNAR which include major races and race series like the World Endurance Challenge (WEC) series in Europe which encompasses nine of the most famous races and tracks around the globe such as Silverstone in Great Britian, Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, The Six Hours of Fuji in Japan and, of course, the granddaddy of them all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. GNAR plans to field a three car SCG factory team at Le Mans beginning with the 2020/21 season which will mark the first time since 1967 that an American manufacturer has competed for the overall win at the historic race.

GNAR isn’t just building cars to race on the road either, they also have an SUV named the SCG Boot after legendary actor and motorsports racer Steve McQueen’s Baja Boot race vehicle on which SCG’s is based. The SCG Boot is approved to run in the Baja 1,000 off-road race in Mexico in November. They’re also developing a plan with sponsor and navigation expert GARMIN to participate in a trans-continent excursion from New York to Paris slated for 2020 which requires the vehicle to be equipped with pontoons. The excursion as they’re calling it, probably since they can’t find anyone crazy enough to race against them, will depart from Times Square in New York City. From there, the Boot heads west and doesn’t stop. The water crossing will occur at the Bering Strait, which is 53 miles across at its narrowest point. From there, the Boot will trek southwest to the Road of Bones and onto the Trans-Siberian Highway. The route will pass through Beijing, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and finally end in Paris.

1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica [4]

1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica – Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Winner

The Cogan’s relationship with SCG is multi-faceted, they secured exclusive distribution rights for SCG’s road vehicles including 17 states in the east and south U.S. and they plan to establish and manage sales and service centers for the brand in Sarasota and Palm Beach. SCG is the only NHTSA approved hyper car manufacturer in the US. Each model of road car they build is based on a similar version fully homologated to race in classes such as LMP1, GT3 and GT4. The road going cars are basically identical to their race brethren except with a few creature comforts added such as full leather and alcantara interior, DOT approved tires and, of course, obligatory emissions equipment. The Cogan’s, through their GNAR entity, also have exclusive worldwide sales and distribution rights to SCG’s race vehicles.

Regardless of what type of cars you drive or collect, F7 can be a valuable resource. Should you wish to sell a special car, F7 offers consignment services. Their experience and industry relationships will help you find the right buyer at the highest market value. F7’s goal is always to obtain maximum profit for those who consign an automobile with them. It starts with in-house services preparing the vehicle for sale and then determining the best route to sell the vehicle. Chris explains, “Often times it is best to sell privately through our worldwide collector car network.” He continues, “Under certain circumstances if an auction is the best venue for sale, we will advise which auction is the best option to maximize the sale price.”

To build true diversification into personal investment portfolios, F7 also offers classic car portfolio investment advisory services. These include the development of client-specific investment plans, research, sourcing and acquisition assistance as well as analysis of the specialized financing and insurance options required. Classic and collectible cars have been a top performing asset for the last thirty years. The right automotive investments are no longer simply a novelty for wealthy collectors, but a genuine alternative investment strategy. The Dow Jones even has an Investment Car Index of 50 noteworthy cars representing a microcosm of the collector car market. F7 conducts all of it business with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism, all while protecting their client’s privacy. “Integrity and trust are fundamental to how F7 operates and we understand our clients need for privacy. They have our total discretion at all times,” Chris advises.

1953 Ferrari 250 Europa [5]

1953 Ferrari 250 Europa – Concours d’Elegance of America Winner

Need to store your prized possession? F7 offers short and long-term storage, protection and maintenance options for automobile enthusiasts. They will work with you to create a customized car-storage experience. In Sarasota for example, F7 has its own 18,000 square foot, climate controlled facility with 24-hour access and video surveillance, sophisticated alarm systems and ample outdoor lighting ensures your vehicle is safe. From professional valet service upon arrival to adding your vehicle to their comprehensive insurance for the duration of its stay to ongoing vehicle monitoring, F7 treats your vehicle like it is their own. Your vehicle receives the highest possible care while in F7’s possession.

F7 also provides on-going support including factory-trained maintenance and mechanical service, restorations, complete detailing as well as track preparation and support. In other areas like Miami F7 may partner with an existing storage facility as long as it meets F7’s stringent requirements. The objective is to have a network of high-end storage facilities in major cities around the world. “F7 is not just a state-of-the-art storage facility. It is a community of owners, enthusiasts and aficionados who share a common interest, automobiles,” quips Chris.

Like their white-glove storage services, expert automotive mechanical service is a cornerstone of F7’s business. The foundation of F7’s service operations was the acquisition of RENN HAUS, one of the top European-auto service centers in Florida. RENN HAUS is an established and profitable business with an impeccable reputation going on two decades now. The founder and manager, Stephanie Havens joined F7 as Senior Vice President of Service and Customer Relations. The original RENN HAUS shop is located in Sarasota off Clark Road.

The Cogan’s are completing renovations and expansion of the second facility located off Fruitville Road and Lime Avenue in downtown Sarasota and plans are in the works to open a major facility in the Palm Beach area soon.

F7 Garage / RENN HAUS is focused on providing expert auto service across virtually all European brands from Aston Martin and AMG-Mercedes to Ferrari, Porsche and Pagani. The Cogan’s employ only the most qualified, factory-trained and certified technicians. From routine service to building and supporting state-of-the-art race cars, F7 is equipped to handle the job.

Looking to present your prized possession at a show or renowned concours event? F7 will make sure your vehicle is prepared to meet that particular event’s standards. The Cogan’s have restored everything from daily drivers all the way up to major concours winning cars.

Services can range from a quick detail for the Friday night meet, a concours detail for the next show or a complete long-term 100-point concours restoration for Pebble Beach. F7 maintains relationships with the major marquee manufacturers worldwide ensuring your vehicle’s service or restoration is done to factory specifications. Chris shares, “You need to know what they’re going to be looking for before you enter an event. How a judge looks at your car depends on the show. The Devil is in the details.” F7 will help you choose the right show, get your paperwork together and make sure your vehicle is the best it can be.

If you are looking for transportation of your prized possession look no further than F7. Whether you are shipping a car down to Florida for the winter or participating in a show half way around the world they will coordinate door-to-door auto transportation services for you. In addition to their own fleet of local and long-haul trucks and trailers, F7’s preferred carriers are hand-selected, DOT certified and licensed, carry more than sufficient cargo insurance and offer open or enclosed services depending on the situation. Furthermore, with worldwide shipments F7 can manage the intricacies of international carriers, customs and duties as required.

With all their automotive experience and involvement at the highest levels within virtually all aspects of the global motorsports world, it’s understandable the Cogan’s are regularly crossing the globe to attend events. From Pebble Beach to Daytona and Monaco to Le Mans, they are front and center for some of the most notable motorcar events in modern times. Whether it’s a record-breaking Ferrari GTO sale on-stage at auction, viewing classic works of motoring art on the lawn at Amelia Island, feeling the thunderous power of a GTLM race car pass within feet on the straight at Le Mans, or taking a few laps in a factory built race car, the Cogan’s are often there. More importantly, they enjoy sharing those experiences with friends and clients. That’s why they have a designated team constantly working to arrange VIP events, trips and adventures.

For those of us enthusiasts who are not as dedicated or involved, even if you are not a current client, you can sign-up to receive F7’s newsletter or read their blog, and still be invited to private track day events, rallies and other motorsports events. You can also receive valuable gifts and discounts as well as team apparel and automotive related merchandise.

Christopher Cogan, CEO
F7 Motorsports/Garage
2277 2nd Street
Sarasota, Florida 34236
www.F7Cars.com [1]
(941) 952-8050 Office
(407) 340-8808 Cell

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