The Journal
Drive In, Hang Out – The OTTO Car Club Experience
Shipping and delivery conditions
DISCOVER WHAT MAKES A CAR BOTH COLLECTIBLE AND ENJOYABLE WITH INSIGHTS FROM ELI KOGAN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF ARIZONA’S OTTO CAR CLUB
Eli Kogan is an avid collector, enthusiast and racer of cars and motorcycles. In 2018, he founded OTTO, an exclusive social club in Scottsdale, Arizona, that offers vehicle storage and collection management. The facility features a private club venue, climate-controlled car storage and dedicated staff for its members’ automotive needs. In 2021, OTTO WERKS was launched to provide in-house service, restoration, and racing for OTTO clients.
In a chat with the IWC JOURNAL, Kogan dives into what makes a car collectible, when cruising beats speeding, and why gearheads are drawn to mechanical watches.
— Eli Kogan with his German shepherd, Zarra, and his Mercedes-Benz 280SEL at OTTO Car Club, a 49,000 square foot vehicle storage facility in Scottsdale, AZ
— The CEO of OTTO Car Club wearing the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces Ref. IW326905
LOVE OF THE HOBBY AND LACK OF TIME
What is the OTTO Car Club all about?
OTTO is a destination for car enthusiasts and collectors who share a mutual love of the hobby and a mutual lack of time. In today’s highly stimulating age, we all have a lot on our plates regardless of industry or position. OTTO allows members to congregate with like-minded enthusiasts in a private and emotionally unguarded environment while delivering a robust social calendar they don’t have to manage or plan themselves.
Some events are casual and local, and some are highly produced destination affairs. OTTO also provides a concierge service for the automotive space, allowing members to execute any of their vehicular needs through our staff and the multi-faceted platform. We take care of everything in-house from detailing, shipping and racing to restoring, routine service and more. To sum it up...if you need something to do, or something to be done, we have you covered.
How did you get into vintage cars?
There comes a time when you realize that speed and danger aren’t the only fun factors to enjoying cars and motorcycles. Sometimes the 20-80mph range is more fun than 100mph+, depending on what you’re behind the wheel of. Vintage cars certainly follow the adage “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.” As my racing career developed, my desire for fast street cars quickly declined. I’ve found that I enjoy cars more for the slow, engaging and vintage aspects because you can really experience all the facets of the vehicle without risking jail time or safety. Well, as safe as a vintage car can be...
— Eli Kogan is wearing the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert IW389402 with a beige ceramic case and rubber strap with textile inlay
I am of the belief that long-term utility and serviceability are a major component of collectibility. Old cars can be infinitely restored. How will you restore a modern hypercar 40 years from now?
COLLECTIBILITY DRIVERS
What makes a car collectible?
Collectibility is inherently in the eye of the beholder. What drives an individual to collect is a fundamental question of human nature that can be applied to any hobby. That said, I think a car is collectible if it meets the following criteria. I will expand upon each metric.
▶ Is it historically or technologically significant?
Cars that are historically or technologically significant feature breakthroughs or a provenance that is first-to-market or cannot be replicated.
Technology example: The 959 is technologically significant because it paved the way for modern supercars with innovations like electronically adjustable suspension, four-wheel drive systems, turbocharging, air/water intercooling and more.
Historical significance example: the first-production Shelby Cobra and the Ferrari that won Le Mans are high-value signifiers, but they can also be implemented on a micro level, which is within reach for more collectors and enthusiasts.
▶ Was it produced in low quantities?
This one is self-explanatory but deserves qualification. Rare does not mean valuable, valuable does not mean rare. In turn, they do not necessarily equal desirability.
▶ Does it have lifecycle longevity?
I am of the belief that long-term utility and serviceability are a major component of collectibility. Old cars can be infinitely restored. How will you restore a modern hypercar 40 years from now? Does that mean they are speculatively valuable or collectible? I know my opinion.
▶ Is it emotionally significant?
The desire to collect can also stem from family ties, lifetime achievements, and other factors that have nothing to do with value or rarity. Sometimes this is the most important and satisfying reason to collect.
Car people love watches and vice versa. Half the time, the club’s discussions focus on watches […]
— Besides collecting cars and watches, photography is one of Eli Kogan’s hobbies
— The Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces IW326905 comes in a black ceramic case, a white dial with luminescence and black textile strap
— German shephard Zarra in front of the Mercedes-Benz 280SEL
— The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert IW389402 is powered by the IWC-manufactured movement caliber 69380
WATCH AND CAR IN SYNC
What role do mechanical watches play for you and your club members?
Car people love watches and vice versa. Half the time, the club's discussions focus on watches, especially the fantastic IWC timepieces on display that have adorned our members’ wrists through our IWC events. Mechanical watches activate the same part of the brain that makes us care about old cars, and we love to pair the right watch with each car. It’s our version of nerdy fashion.
Your favorite IWC?
My favorite IWC is the Ingenieur. When it was released, it struck me as a fantastic tribute to the 1970s Genta design language. It’s so different from IWC’s current watches but so true to its heritage. I love the way it sits on the wrist and hope I end up with one to enjoy on future automotive adventures.
[Our members] love cars, claim to be antisocial until they join, need help managing their social or automotive schedules, and are good people
JOIN THE CLUB
You kickstarted the OTTO Car Club when you were 23. Where did the idea originate?
Living and growing up in Los Angeles, space was a rare commodity. The idea went through dozens of iterations until we realized that Scottsdale was a better target market for a variety of reasons. I believe the best businesses solve pain points for consumers. While we are certainly in the luxury space, we fulfill the needs of our clients by giving them back valuable time.
I didn’t know where to put my cars and motorcycles or how to build a life around them. I also wanted a more centralized and convenient way to manage them. I joke that instead of solving my vehicular problems, I decided to take them on for everyone else.
Who is your typical club member?
That is an impossible question to answer because our members range in age from 21 to over 80! They are in every industry and every level of companies or entrepreneurship. That said, they all: love cars, claim to be antisocial until they join, need help managing their social or automotive schedules, and are good people. We have a fantastic unspoken no-A-hole rule, and non-solicitation policy on the grounds. The club is for good people to enjoy each other’s company and cars, not for doing business.
Thank you, Eli.
— Eli Kogan founded OTTO Car Club in 2018 to address key challenges for consumers and car enthusiasts
