Take a look under the hood
Learn about what drives our passion to be the trusted partner for collectors and why people choose ISSIMI.
We make it easy to buy and sell
extraordinary machines.collector cars.enthusiast cars.exotic cars.hypercars.supercars.
We believe in building trust and transparency between collectors, and we're committed to simplifying the process.
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100+ Years
of combined experience
We're not just another online auction. We offer a full white-glove service that makes growing your collection easy and enjoyable. With over 100 years of combined luxury automotive experience, we take care of everything from preparing a seller's vehicle for sale to coordinating transportation for the buyer, ensuring every transaction is seamless.
On top of transaction management, we also offer global searches for exceptional cars worldwide, operate a full-service workshop for routine maintenance and full restorations, offer allocations for exclusive manufacturers, and host regular events for our ISSIMI community.
Our goal is to make every part of the buying and selling experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. At ISSIMI, we believe that growing your collection should be a source of joy and pride, and we do everything we can to make that a reality for our clients.
On top of transaction management, we also offer global searches for exceptional cars worldwide, operate a full-service workshop for routine maintenance and full restorations, offer allocations for exclusive manufacturers, and host regular events for our ISSIMI community.
Our goal is to make every part of the buying and selling experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. At ISSIMI, we believe that growing your collection should be a source of joy and pride, and we do everything we can to make that a reality for our clients.
Our History
2017
ISSIMI, Inc was founded with a mission to bring trust and transparency to the previously opaque and costly secondary market for collector cars. Since our establishment, we have been dedicated to providing a delightful and transparent experience for buyers and sellers. Our first US location opened in Northern California, and we have since grown to serve a global market.
Porsche GT1 transacts on our marketplace, from Italy to California.
Porsche GT1 transacts on our marketplace, from Italy to California.
2019
ISSIMI, Inc continues to grow as a trusted platform for buying and selling collector cars. As part of our commitment to providing valuable content and insights to our community, we launched our own YouTube channel.
Revenue doubles from the first year, reflecting the trust and confidence that our customers have in us as their preferred partner.
Ferrari 333 SP transacts on our marketplace, from Netherlands to Denmark.
Revenue doubles from the first year, reflecting the trust and confidence that our customers have in us as their preferred partner.
Ferrari 333 SP transacts on our marketplace, from Netherlands to Denmark.
2020
ISSIMI expands its services with the launch of ISSIMI Meccanica, a team of experts specializing in complex servicing, engineering, and race preparation for high-end sports cars. With deep experience in Ferrari, Pagani, and Porsche, the team has opened its first US location to offer its services to clients.
The launch of ISSIMI Meccanica has proved to be a success, with revenue doubling from the previous year. Clients can now benefit from the expertise and experience of the ISSIMI team not only when buying or selling their cars, but also when it comes to maintaining, upgrading, and racing their vehicles.
The launch of ISSIMI Meccanica has proved to be a success, with revenue doubling from the previous year. Clients can now benefit from the expertise and experience of the ISSIMI team not only when buying or selling their cars, but also when it comes to maintaining, upgrading, and racing their vehicles.
2021
ISSIMI Factory begins collaborations with prestigious car manufacturers Koenigsegg and Rimac, reflecting our commitment to full car collection services. As our reputation for quality and transparency continues to spread, revenue grows 63% from the previous year.
McLaren F1 transacts on our marketplace, from UK to California.
McLaren F1 transacts on our marketplace, from UK to California.
2022
ISSIMI expands to Italy with the launch of ISSIMI Italia and the opening of its new showroom in Verona. The company becomes fully operational in Italy, offering its services to local collectors and enthusiasts.
Two Pagani Huayra BCs transacts on our marketplace in Italy.
Two Pagani Huayra BCs transacts on our marketplace in Italy.
2023
Redefining the Digital Auction
As the collector car market transitioned away from the “irrational exuberance” of the pandemic era into a highly rational, discerning landscape, ISSIMI capitalized on the shift. Recognizing that both buyers and sellers were experiencing internet auction fatigue, the company refined its transaction mechanics. They officially deployed their proprietary Hybrid Auction Model. This allowed buyers to instantly “Buy It Now” or negotiate openly; once an offer was accepted, it triggered a transparent, 72-hour, no-reserve public countdown. To incentivize early market movers, ISSIMI introduced a breakthrough feature: rewarding the first bidder with a cash incentive even if they didn’t win the final asset. This effectively eliminated the traditional friction of forced timelines and hidden reserves.
As the collector car market transitioned away from the “irrational exuberance” of the pandemic era into a highly rational, discerning landscape, ISSIMI capitalized on the shift. Recognizing that both buyers and sellers were experiencing internet auction fatigue, the company refined its transaction mechanics. They officially deployed their proprietary Hybrid Auction Model. This allowed buyers to instantly “Buy It Now” or negotiate openly; once an offer was accepted, it triggered a transparent, 72-hour, no-reserve public countdown. To incentivize early market movers, ISSIMI introduced a breakthrough feature: rewarding the first bidder with a cash incentive even if they didn’t win the final asset. This effectively eliminated the traditional friction of forced timelines and hidden reserves.
2024
The Global Marketplace & Sourcing Network
Building on the foundation of ISSIMI Italia and the Verona showroom, 2024 marked the year ISSIMI truly matured into a seamless cross-border engine. Armed with a strict, hands-on 500-point physical inspection protocol, the platform established a zero-sight-unseen risk environment for multi-million-dollar transactions. While legacy auction tents struggled with overhead, ISSIMI leveraged its high-velocity media presence—anchored by The Carmudgeon Show—as an asset-light, highly organic global client acquisition pipeline. This enabled the dealership arm to efficiently execute an aggressive principal-buy strategy, acquiring rare, blue-chip US-spec exotics from tight European markets for immediate resale stateside.
Building on the foundation of ISSIMI Italia and the Verona showroom, 2024 marked the year ISSIMI truly matured into a seamless cross-border engine. Armed with a strict, hands-on 500-point physical inspection protocol, the platform established a zero-sight-unseen risk environment for multi-million-dollar transactions. While legacy auction tents struggled with overhead, ISSIMI leveraged its high-velocity media presence—anchored by The Carmudgeon Show—as an asset-light, highly organic global client acquisition pipeline. This enabled the dealership arm to efficiently execute an aggressive principal-buy strategy, acquiring rare, blue-chip US-spec exotics from tight European markets for immediate resale stateside.
2025
Establishing the Munich Hub & European Expansion
In 2025, ISSIMI aggressively scaled its continental footprint by launching dedicated operations in Munich, Germany — the heart of Europe’s high-performance automotive culture. To spearhead this strategic expansion, ISSIMI brought on Max Paulus as Head of European Sales, establishing an elite regional team capable of securing off-market, blue-chip European inventory. Concurrently, recognizing the intersection of heritage design and modern engineering, ISSIMI expanded its dedicated brand partnership portfolio to become a premier partner forEverrati, offering beautifully engineered electric versions of legendary platforms like the Porsche 911 (964) and the W113 SL “Pagoda.” This dual-pronged strategy massively broadened ISSIMI’s reach across the UK, Germany, and Southern Europe.
In 2025, ISSIMI aggressively scaled its continental footprint by launching dedicated operations in Munich, Germany — the heart of Europe’s high-performance automotive culture. To spearhead this strategic expansion, ISSIMI brought on Max Paulus as Head of European Sales, establishing an elite regional team capable of securing off-market, blue-chip European inventory. Concurrently, recognizing the intersection of heritage design and modern engineering, ISSIMI expanded its dedicated brand partnership portfolio to become a premier partner forEverrati, offering beautifully engineered electric versions of legendary platforms like the Porsche 911 (964) and the W113 SL “Pagoda.” This dual-pronged strategy massively broadened ISSIMI’s reach across the UK, Germany, and Southern Europe.
2026
The Pinnacle Hypercar Ecosystem
Today, ISSIMI stands as a fully vertically integrated, elite pillar of the international car collecting universe. The physical footprint has evolved far beyond a traditional dealership network. Through ISSIMI Factory, the company acts as a trusted, hand-vetted gateway for the world’s most exclusive automotive art, coordinating direct factory delivery pipelines and orders for hypercars like the Koenigsegg Jesko, the Kimera EVO38, and the Eccentrica Diablo Restomod. By seamlessly marrying master-level mechanical expertise, world-renowned media authority, and high-integrity digital tech, ISSIMI has built a completely modern, transparent blueprint for the high-end collector car world.
Today, ISSIMI stands as a fully vertically integrated, elite pillar of the international car collecting universe. The physical footprint has evolved far beyond a traditional dealership network. Through ISSIMI Factory, the company acts as a trusted, hand-vetted gateway for the world’s most exclusive automotive art, coordinating direct factory delivery pipelines and orders for hypercars like the Koenigsegg Jesko, the Kimera EVO38, and the Eccentrica Diablo Restomod. By seamlessly marrying master-level mechanical expertise, world-renowned media authority, and high-integrity digital tech, ISSIMI has built a completely modern, transparent blueprint for the high-end collector car world.
The niche, $30b industry of collectable and low-production cars has seen little innovation in the past several decades. It’s one that lacked transparency, dependent on traditional dealers, brokers, and auction houses with unnecessarily high fees.
Did you know an auction house can make up to 20% on each transaction? This is one of many reasons the collector car industry is stuck in the past.
We’re setting out to change that.
We believe our technological and operational excellence can decrease costs while increasing transparency into car quality, building trust between collectors. Give us a shot, and shop rare cars anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home.
Did you know an auction house can make up to 20% on each transaction? This is one of many reasons the collector car industry is stuck in the past.
We’re setting out to change that.
We believe our technological and operational excellence can decrease costs while increasing transparency into car quality, building trust between collectors. Give us a shot, and shop rare cars anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home.
Meet the team
Francesco Zappacosta
Co-Founder & CEO
Current favorite car: Lancia Delta Integrale
As the founder of ISSIMI, Francesco Zappacosta brings a wealth of experience in the automotive industry and investment world. Previously, he served as Managing Director at Pagani Automobili from 2010 to 2019, where he led the company's overall strategy and international expansion. Prior to that, Francesco worked in Venture Capital and Private Equity, gaining valuable insights into business operations and investments. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, which has equipped him with the skills to drive innovative solutions and steer business growth. With his diverse background, Francesco is dedicated to driving change in the collector car industry through ISSIMI's innovative approach to buying and selling rare cars.
Ryan Connolly
Co-Founder & COO
Current favorite car: A 1983 300TD wagon that is just getting warmed up.
Ryan focuses on product, strategy, and operations. Prior to ISSIMI, he founded Dispatch.tv, a tool for sharing mobile videos. Early in his career, Ryan worked at the White House on technology, transportation, and cyber security policy. Ryan graduated from Stanford University, BA 01, MA 03, MBA 09.
Benoît Boningue
Head of Sales, North America
Current favorite car: Lamborghini Huracan EVO AWD.
Benoît Boningue blends Silicon Valley innovation with high-end automotive expertise. After early success at Netscape, Oracle, and Palm, he shifted gears to pursue his passion for performance and design. In 2012, he founded 100|OCT, a boutique event and brokerage firm that became a hub for exotic car enthusiasts. He later represented Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Bentley at leading Bay Area dealerships, then led North American sales for hypercar makers Pininfarina and Zenvo. Over the years, he has built a trusted global network and earned a reputation for excellence in client service and brand partnerships, helping collectors connect with truly exceptional vehicles.
Metha Daoheung
Head of Special Projects
Current favorite car: Alfaholics GTA-R
Metha is an automotive expert with a career spanning over 16 years. He started his journey as a Master Ferrari Technician, where he worked for 12 years in various locations such as New York and Florida. During this time, Metha developed an extensive knowledge of Ferrari cars and became a Shop Foreman at Ferrari Silicon Valley. Later, Metha transitioned to Pagani as the Aftersales Director and Flying Doctor for the Americas, Asia, and Australia. He spent four years with Pagani before joining the ISSIMI team as a valued member. Metha's experience as an expert technician and his knowledge of high-performance vehicles make him an asset to the ISSIMI team. He is passionate about delivering the best service possible to customers and helping them maintain and enjoy their prized vehicles.
Lorenzo Iacomini
Marketing & Operations
Current favorite car: Ferrari F40
Lorenzo is an avid car enthusiast who has extensive experience in vehicle storage and media. Having worked at the leading storage facility in Los Angeles for years—as well as hosting his own media channels—made him a perfect addition to the ISSIMI team. When he isn't tending to clients vehicles or producing ISSIMI DRIVES scripts, Lorenzo manages the Protective Film Solutions NorCal branch. In his free time, he overindulges in pasta.
Max Paulus
Sales Director, DACH Region
Current favorite car: Lancia 037 Gr. B
A lifelong petrolhead, Max is focused on bringing ISSIMI's unparalleled way of buying and selling to clients in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Coming from a background in sales and online auctions, he particularly values the personal interaction and connection to clients.
Turn your passion into your career
We're looking for top talent to join us in our mission of making ISSIMI the best place to buy and sell collector cars. Whether you are in the automotive industry or are an enthusiast in another industry, we want to hear from you.
Contact
We’re based in:
San Carlos, California
Munich, Germany
Verona, Italy
Shanghai, China
Get in touch
hello@issimi.com
Follow our journey