John Staluppi’s story reads like the American dream on overdrive. Born in 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, to working-class parents, Staluppi started his journey as a teenage mechanic with a knack for Chevrolets. That passion turned into an empire worth $500 million, built through grit, foresight, and a love for engines—on land and sea.
Betting Big on Honda Before It Was Cool
Staluppi’s first break came after he opened a Sunoco station with help from his father. While running his growing chain of gas stations, he noticed a little-known brand at the time: Honda. Convinced of its potential, he used his earnings to open some of the first Honda dealerships on the East Coast. It was a bold move that paid off, and by the 1980s, he owned over 20 dealerships. He later expanded into Hyundai, riding yet another wave of automotive success.
Atlantic Auto Group: A Sales Powerhouse
Today, Staluppi runs Atlantic Auto Group, one of the largest privately-owned dealership networks in the U.S., with over $2 billion in annual revenue. With 30 dealerships across Long Island and Nevada, the group sells 70,000 vehicles a year and services more than 1 million. Brands include everything from Honda and Audi to Cadillac and Nissan, making the group a dominant player in the U.S. auto market.
A Taste for Speed, Luxury, and Bond-Inspired Yachts
Staluppi’s success isn’t just in dealerships. He’s a luxury yacht enthusiast and the founder of Millennium Yachts, known for building high-performance, Bond-themed superyachts like Spectre, which he sold in 2018 for $75 million. He also owns a $45 million Bombardier Global 6000 private jet, showing his love for high-end speed stretches skyward too.
Cars of Dreams and Giving Back
In addition to business, Staluppi had a soft spot for vintage cars. His Cars of Dreams Museum in Florida featured 145 classic vehicles in a 60,000-square-foot space before the collection sold for nearly $14 million in 2018. He’s also a known philanthropist, donating generously to organizations like Make-A-Wish, National Kidney Registry, and the American Heart Association.
Living Large in Palm Beach
Staluppi lives in a $10 million waterfront mansion in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but his roots remain in New York, where he once owned a waterfront home with a private helipad.
