Luxury car puzzle stacks to be built on Sunshine Coast for downsizers and their “toys”

A decade ago, the self-proclaimed car fanatic Chris Rodgers got the idea to build a shiny garage filled with rows upon rows of luxury cars.

The property developer’s dream is now taking shape on the Sunshine Coast with the construction of a multi-storey puzzle stacker believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.

The stacker will be five stories high, and as a vehicle is moved in or out, all the cars will change position in a mechanized system.

Rodgers said it would accommodate 31 cars and would be “pretty exciting”.

“You dial your number in and your car physically puzzles down to the bottom where it comes out,” he said.

“And that means cars will move on a weekly basis when people use them.

“So when you come in and sit on the viewing platform, cars will be in different places all the time.”

It is part of a $ 7.5 million commercial development on 11 units at Aura Business Park, which will focus on top-class auto companies.

Rodgers, a director at Yindi Holdings, said the luxury car repair shop was marketed to downsizers who had run out of space for their “toys”.

“Or they’re a bit in a tin shed somewhere, and it’s not really the best environment to store them in.”

Idea born in the USA

Rodgers said the idea was inspired during a visit to the United States.

“We saw a similar concept in Houston … about 10, 12 years ago and thought, ‘This is the type of development we want to build Australia,'” he said.

“There were at least 200, maybe 150 cars stored in there, so yes, [it was] quite significant. “

But Mr Rodgers and his business partners decided to start with a more modest approach.

“We thought that if we build one here first and we just do it a little bit boutique, then it will test the water,” he said.

“We want to extend that to other states and other areas as well.

“So this is kind of our test model.”

Buys ‘factories’ to store cars

Roadrunner Car Club President Graeme Block could see the benefit of such a development, with his members often struggling to find space for their collection.

“I know people who buy factories to store them … which is an expensive exercise,” he said.

“So if someone provides the kind of storage that is ultra-secure, so valuable cars are protected, there would be a market for it.”

He said people had collections of cars that the public never saw.

“You would be surprised at the number of cars you never see,” Mr Block said.

Sir. Rodgers said the facility would include meeting rooms that local car club members can use.

“And it’s sharing those interests as to whether it’s an advanced exotic car or an antique car, a muscle car,” he said.

“There’s definitely a pretty large community of car lovers on the coast, and this will just be a little support for that whole group.”

The development should open at the beginning of next year.