Victor Gomez III has been in the car business his entire life. In Puerto Rico, his family began selling cars all the way back in 1949. Over the years, under the stewardship of his grandfather and father, the business flourished selling Toyotas. Gomez, though, has led the expansion into luxury and supercar brands like Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, Maserati, Land Rover, Jaguar, Lamborghini, and Bentley.
Today, Gomez (seen above with his son, racing driver Victor Gomez IV) is expanding his business interests into the US by investing in duPont Registry, this country's leader in the luxury automotive marketplace that connects affluent buyers with high-end exotic cars and luxury brands.
Together, Gomez and duPont Registry are planning a new future for the brand that will reportedly knock our socks off, but we have to wait to find out what's coming.
In the meantime, we sat down with Gomez to learn a little more about him and his life in cars.
Motor1: Your family has a very interesting history in the automotive business that began in Puerto Rico. Can you tell us about that?
Gomez: First of all, my family started in the business in 1949, and I am the 4th generation of my family in the automobile industry. We have sold over 20 automative brands through our dealerships. The Gomez family has primarily been known for being the sole Toyota distributor on the island for 32 years. My personal project started 25 years ago when I started to represent European brands like Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, Maserati, Land Rover, Jaguar, Lamborghini, and Bentley.
Motor1: What made you go from selling Toyotas to supercars and luxury vehicles?
Gomez: Growing up, my family was the Toyota distributor for Puerto Rico. When my grandfather decided to sell the franchise in 1994, we kept only one Toyota dealership. That was a huge change from having complete control of the brand to being a small independent dealership.
I quickly understood my real calling was the luxury segment and decided to start the search for exotic and luxury franchises. The brand that I always dreamt of was Porsche and with hard work and determination I was able to finally get the representation rights for Puerto Rico. Also, at the same time I got the opportunity to acquire the rights to Audi.
These two brands awakened the desire to create a unique dealer group of exotic and luxury brands. My vision was to create a dealer group where the affluent customer could choose from various manufacturers while still staying under the Gomez Hermanos family. The level of trust, transparency, and reliability that we transmitted to our customer gave us the magic formula to keep customers for life. Throughout the years, I further expanded Gomez Hermanos Kennedy, representing some of the most prestigious and luxury brands in the world like Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Lotus.
Motor1: Did you always know you would work in the family business or had you considered other professions?
Gomez: Cars and the automotive industry have always been my passion; I have never considered another profession. I started working in 1990, but then in 1994 my grandfather sold the business and I went to work with my dad. Two years later, I decided to start my own business, which at that time was in used cars, but after just a couple of months I realized this is not what I grew up in and started to acquire franchises. From that moment to today we have Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, Maserati, Land Rover, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Bentley, Lotus, and Hyundai.
Motor1: When did you first become interested in cars, and fine automobiles in particular?
Gomez: I have a saying that I don’t have blood running thru my veins, I have gasoline; cars are what fuel my life. Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve had a special attachment to the design of European cars and speed.
Regarding fine cars, I can tell you that my tastes have become refined in the last few years, searching for highly collectible and low-mile automobiles for my collection.
Motor1: What was the first car you owned and your favorite car you’ve owned? What’s your daily driver today?
Gomez: The first car I owned was a Toyota Celica. My favorite car that I currently own has to be the Porsche Carrera GT, which is a true museum piece. I don’t have a particular car for daily use since I change what I drive quite often based on cars we have in the dealership.
Motor1: Your son is in the family business, and he’s a world champion race car driver too. What’s it like to see the fifth generation of your family come up in the business and be so successful?
Gomez: Having the opportunity to share the same passion for the automotive industry and motorsports with my son is a dream come true. As a father, you always want your children to follow their own dreams and do whatever makes them happy. I am lucky enough to have a son with big aspirations in the automotive industry and at the same has been able to accomplish so much in his short career as a professional racecar driver.
Our journey into motorsports started when Victor IV turned 17. For his birthday, I invited him to go experience the Formula 1 USA GP in Austin, Texas. Before the GP, we watched the Ferrari Challenge support race and noticed how there were a couple of up-and-coming young kids on the grid. After the race weekend I asked my son, “Would you like to race?”, and he thought I was kidding… a month and a half later, Victor IV was racing his first race in Ferrari Challenge around Daytona.
From that moment on, he has done full seasons in some of the most competitive single-make series. Motorsport has been a blessing to our family, creating an incredible bond between us. This bond has directly translated to the way we handle business. We communicate daily and are constantly brainstorming for new projects and innovative ways we can grow in the industry.
Motor1: When did you first become aware of duPont Registry and how did you use the magazine (pleasure reading or a resource to buy cars)?
Gomez: Honestly, I cannot date back exactly how I learned about duPont Registry since it was so long ago. But it has always been a magazine that I have enjoyed, used as a reference, and always look to see what’s new to buy in the market. When it went digital, then I began using it at least 3-4 times per week to see new and interesting cars hitting the market.
Motor1: Why did you want to invest in duPont Registry?
Gomez: duPont Registry has been a market leader for over 36 years, connecting the most affluent buyers with exotic and luxury automobiles. They have successfully created an ultra-luxury marketplace were buyers feel comfortable purchasing automobiles time after time. I feel that I can add key value to the new vertical of business that duPont Registry is getting ready to launch.
Motor1: What’s in store for duPont Registry’s future that you’re excited about it?
Gomez: The future is the most interesting part about duPont Registry. We are getting ready for a new vertical of doing business with the collaboration of Motorsport Network, the biggest global media and technology company in the world of motorsport. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you all the details, however stay tuned for more exciting news.
Editor's Note: duPont Registry is owned by Motorsport Network, the parent company of Motor1.com. It's a part of the Driven Lifestyle division that also includes Canossa Events, which organizes nearly 270+ marquee experiences per year for driving enthusiasts; Cavallino, a preeminent media and concours events company that hosts the annual Palm Beach Cavallino Classic; FerrariChat, a leading global social platform and foremost voice on Ferrari; and Amalgam Collection, which crafts unrivaled examples of the world’s most iconic and luxurious cars at scale.
