At Finish Line Auto Club in Costa Mesa, California, a private garage is only part of the attraction. Owners might spend the morning admiring a rare Ferrari or vintage Porsche in their own custom automotive suite, then head upstairs to a rooftop lounge overlooking the runway at nearby John Wayne Airport. Here, valuable cars are more than collectibles to protect: they are the reason an exclusive community of enthusiasts comes together.
That vision has become substantially bigger. Finish Line Auto Club has completed a major expansion of its Costa Mesa property, growing from the original 80,000-square-foot facility to approximately 103,000 square feet with 41 private garage condominiums. The club now includes an approximately 6,000-square-foot clubhouse and a 2,500-square-foot rooftop social area. The second phase was completed in October 2025, and the developer says the new units have sold out.
For founders Rick and Tony Principe, the Costa Mesa expansion is also part of something larger: an automotive country-club concept that now spans three completed Southern California locations, with additional projects planned for Palm Desert and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Inside a custom-designed car condo, a second-floor mezzanine overlooks an owner’s private collector-car collection.
From Private Car Storage to a Luxury Collector Community
Finish Line Auto Club began with a problem familiar to serious collectors: where do you keep a growing collection of valuable cars while still having easy access to them? Rick and Tony Principe, a father-and-son team with years of commercial real estate experience, initially focused on secure, individually owned automotive spaces.
Owners soon wanted more than parking. They wanted a place to meet people who understood their passion, share their collections, host friends, and enjoy the culture around their cars. The developers responded by creating clubhouses, member events, and personal gathering spaces alongside the private car condos.
In a 2025 interview published by the Southern California News Group, Rick Principe explained why collectors embraced that idea:
“Many owners have huge collections elsewhere, but they elected to buy into the Finish Line concept because of the social aspect.”
That sense of belonging is central to the Costa Mesa experience. The property is designed less like a conventional vehicle-storage complex and more like an automotive country club where the cars themselves help bring people together.
Inside Costa Mesa’s Luxury Car Condos
The heart of Finish Line Costa Mesa is its collection of 41 individually owned, customizable garage condominiums. The developer advertises suites ranging from approximately 1,000 to 6,000 square feet, with the option to combine spaces for a larger collection.
Each garage has its own entrance, an oversized roll-up door, and 24-hour owner access. High ceilings of approximately 20 to 24 feet create room for dramatic collector-car displays, vehicle lifts, and custom interior layouts. Some owners choose polished showrooms; others build lounges, mezzanines, or private automotive retreats where they can spend time with guests.
These are owned garage condominiums, not conventional residential apartments. Their primary purpose is automotive storage, display, and related recreational use; residential occupancy should not be assumed.
This approximately 2,206-square-foot example features upgraded flooring, custom finishes, a mezzanine, and owner-selected lighting, furniture, and automotive artwork.
One of the original Costa Mesa configurations measured approximately 2,206 square feet and was designed with a 12-by-12-foot glass garage door, a private entry, and utility provisions for additional owner improvements. Specific equipment and finish packages vary by unit.
Another original example was a larger, approximately 4,849-square-foot car condo suited to a substantial collection. Its original specifications included a mezzanine, separate utility metering, fire sprinklers, exhaust ventilation, and plumbing provisions for a restroom, bar, or shower.
A larger car condo of approximately 4,849 square feet, originally presented as suitable for around 12 to 15 cars, depending on vehicle sizes and layout.
For collectors needing still more room, the original development offered an approximately 6,346-square-foot premier configuration that could be designed for an extensive private automobile collection. Features described for that example included high ceilings, secure private access, mezzanine potential, and provisions for climate-control improvements.
One of the original premier garage-condo configurations offered approximately 6,346 square feet of customizable collector-car space.
Those dimensions illustrate what makes the development different from ordinary vehicle storage. Every owner’s collection and entertaining style is different, and the private suites can reflect those individual tastes. Garage capacity, permitted improvements, and current resale availability should be confirmed with Finish Line before purchase.
A Private Clubhouse and Rooftop Lounge Above the Airport
Costa Mesa’s setting next to John Wayne Airport is an unexpected part of its appeal. Inside the approximately 6,000-square-foot clubhouse, owners can gather around the bar, meet in lounge areas, enjoy a coffee, or relax after a drive. The club also advertises a wine cellar and conference facilities.
The 2025 expansion added a new rooftop bar and approximately 2,500-square-foot lounge. From above the property, members can socialize while watching aircraft arrive and depart at the neighboring airport. It’s a distinctive backdrop for automotive gatherings and private events.
The Finish Line Auto Club clubhouse brings owners and guests together with lounge seating, a bar, gathering areas, and entertainment amenities.
The club’s hospitality spaces allow owners to enjoy their cars without staying inside their individual suites. Private parties, conversations about new acquisitions, and informal gatherings all contribute to the community atmosphere.
Seventy-Six Mercedes-Benz 300SLs Celebrate a Major Milestone
If one event captures the kind of collector culture Finish Line wants to create, it may be the October 4, 2025 gathering of 76 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwings and Roadsters at Costa Mesa. The remarkable assembly helped celebrate the opening of Phase II and filled the property with some of the world’s most recognizable classic sports cars.
Finish Line also organizes themed Cars & Coffee gatherings, driving events, collector-car unveilings, track days, and a speaker series featuring figures from the automotive world. The calendar gives members reasons to return even when their vehicles are not being serviced or driven.
For more on the 300SL celebration, see the official Finish Line event gallery.
From the Garage to the Bugatti Driving Experience
Finish Line’s connection to Southern California’s luxury and exotic-car scene has also included special manufacturer experiences. In an earlier event, Bugatti Newport Beach brought clients to Finish Line Auto Club to experience the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, one of the final road-car applications of Bugatti’s celebrated W16 engine.
The original video below offers a look at that automotive experience.
Located in Orange County near Newport Beach and numerous exotic-car dealerships, Finish Line is well placed for this type of event. That proximity makes the club a natural gathering point for owners of Ferraris, Porsches, classic Mercedes-Benz models, American performance cars, and rare automobiles of many kinds.
Finish Line Auto Club Expands to Five Locations
The Costa Mesa expansion is part of a broader development strategy. Finish Line currently identifies five locations on its website, although they are not all at the same stage of completion.
- Costa Mesa, California: Operating 103,000-square-foot location with 41 private garages and a newly expanded rooftop club experience. The developer reports its completed primary development sold out.
- Westlake Village, California: Established club location, with a further phase planned to add garage condos and enhanced social amenities.
- Calabasas, California: Completed boutique automotive community with approximately 19 garage condos and its own clubhouse.
- Palm Desert, California: Proposed expansion serving Coachella Valley collectors; completion has not been confirmed.
- Scottsdale, Arizona: Planned luxury car condo development near Scottsdale Airport, representing Finish Line’s expansion beyond California.
Future projects will extend the brand’s reach, but the development timetable, ownership inventory, and amenities may differ from one site to another. Prospective buyers should check the official location pages for current details.
Why Private Car Condo Communities Are Growing
Finish Line Auto Club is a revealing example of a larger change in the collector-car market. Many owners no longer want only secure storage: they want a place where their cars can be displayed, friends can gather, and a shared passion becomes part of everyday life.
The company’s expansion—from the original Westlake Village concept to an established Costa Mesa community and additional developments—illustrates the growing interest in private automotive real estate that combines ownership with amenities and social experiences.
Also See: 2026 U.S. Car Condo Market Report: Prices, Development and Industry Growth
Visiting Finish Line Auto Club in Costa Mesa
Finish Line Auto Club Costa Mesa is located at 3080 Airway Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, minutes from John Wayne Airport and Newport Beach. While the developer reports that its newly constructed Costa Mesa units sold out, ownership opportunities may change through resales, and other Finish Line developments offer additional ways to become part of the community.
For location details, events, and availability, visit the official Costa Mesa page or the Finish Line Auto Club website.
What began as a practical solution for housing collector cars has grown into a very different kind of luxury destination: a place where a private automotive gallery and an exclusive social club can exist under the same roof.
