In April 2014, John Pasas, an independent broker in South Florida, reached out to a fellow in the car business with which he’d recently established a relationship. Pasas had a beautiful Ferrari F40 to sell, and he knew the duPont REGISTRY™ magazine was just the right fit for the rare exotic.
Around that time, Pasas and friend Brian Wallin, while on a fishing trip, had also discussed a vision for a dealership that would offer the best exotics and luxury cars around. Little did they know, the ad for the F40 would lead to an uncanny chain of events that would make their dream into reality.
Located in the heart of Tennessee in Nashville’s Music City, Velocity Motorcars is a thriving, one-of-a-kind exotic and luxury automobile dealership and brokerage. “I always like to say that God and duPont REGISTRY™ helped us get our start,” Pasas stated in a phone call. “Most people wouldn’t give me the time of day because I was just a broker,” he recalls, “but duPont gave me a chance.”
A collector in California, who saw Pasas’ ad in duPont REGISTRY™, bought the F40. That same collector acquired an additional 15-20 cars from Pasas over the years. The ad for the F40 is also responsible for bringing Pasas and Wallin together with investor, Bob Steel. A savvy investor and exotic car enthusiast, Steel spent an estimated $40 million with the team, which gave them the opportunity to turn the independent brokering into a thriving business. “He’s somebody you not only look up to, but he’s a great mentor and took us under his wing,” Pasas stated, referring to Steel’s commitment to his and Wallin’s dream.
With a little faith and his wife’s blessing, Pasas packed up his South Florida home and headed for Music City in Nashville, Tennessee. A year later, Wallin left his management position at one of the largest BMW franchise dealers in the nation and moved his wife and their three kids to Tennessee. Together, he and Pasas started their dream, Velocity Motorcars.
Thanks to Steel’s investment and Pasas and Wallin’s unwavering dedication to their clients, Velocity Motorcars sells an average of 12-15 cars every month. The team offers everything from the Corvette to the Enzo. They have hired three additional team members.
Pasas and Wallin believe in integrity and the importance of maintaining quality relationships and attribute this mantra to Velocity’s success. Pasas personally chooses each car that Velocity Motorcars offers while Wallin makes sure sales and daily operations at the office run smoothly. “It’s a perfect partnership,” Pasas stated, “and we know we’re only as good as the clients that we have.” This unwavering dedication to clients, and their esteemed relationships with vendors and others in the industry, indeed, sets Velocity Motorcars apart.
Pasas and Wallin are looking forward to what the future holds, and they know that Divine Order and their relationship with duPont REGISTRY™ will continue to help Velocity Motorcars flourish.
(This article originally appeared in the duPont REGISTRY April 2016 print issue. Check out more here.)
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