Welcome to BINGO Sports Japan: is this the world's greatest car dealership?

Unlike that particular trend of car culture, BINGO Sports isn’t focused on chasing likes or followers. For company founder and CEO Shinji Takei, it’s all about the thrill of the chase – working with like-minded enthusiasts to dig out and uncover the world’s most exciting cars. The kind so rare you’ll be forced to shout ‘Bingo’ upon finding. And yes, that’s exactly where the business name is derived from...

Photography: Mark Riccioni

A company CEO listening to its clients and delivering what they want sounds quite niche in 2026, but it’s an ethos which Takei-san and his team have abided by since first establishing BINGO back in 2002. Originally a small showroom in Nagoya, Takei-san initially treated it solely as a business for buying and selling interesting cars. He’d always loved everything automotive – especially racing – but it was only when he stopped looking at cars purely as inventory items that he found his passion with BINGO Sports.

“The landscape for car collectors in Japan is often different compared to other countries,” Takei-san explains. “Overall, there is more emphasis on their continued use rather than hiding them away in the hope that values increase. Because of this, there is often a stricter criteria than simply finding a car in good condition. This could be its past owners, how it was used and where it came from. When I realised this and saw the joy it would bring individuals to find such cars, I saw an opportunity to help build car collections with collectors rather than just selling them as stock.”

Walking through its Narita storage facility – just a few minutes from Japan’s second busiest airport – it’s safe to say Takei-san and his team have all the automotive pillars covered. There’s three Ferrari F40s – one of which has delivery miles – and an accompanying F50, Enzo and LaFerrari. Opposite these sit a BMW M1 and an ex-Le Mans M1 Procar, while a 1977 Porsche 935 K3 in Jägermeister livery is nestled under an Advan-liveried 964 Turbo racecar.

Peer beyond these and you’ll even find a road-legal 962CR Schuppan Porsche alongside a road-legal Lamborghini Diablo GTR. All of which are in eight individually temperature and humidity-controlled bays to keep every car in pristine condition. Its Tokyo showroom houses Japan’s first Koenigsegg Jesko, a Pagani Huayra BC and a one of one Lamborghini Miura SVR Jota.

As exciting as these cars are, it’s the less obvious oddities which arguably give more insight into Takei-san’s passion. Cars like a Citroen SM complete with UK tax disc (last dated 2015) and an immaculate Mazda Cosmo, the first rotary-powered production car from 1967. There’s even a 1972 Nissan Lauren C130 stanced on Longchamp wheels. 

But perhaps most interesting is the early AP1 Honda S2000 in silver with red leather interior, the ‘proper’ launch spec combo. These are still relatively affordable in any country, but it does show how far ahead Takei-san and the BINGO team are already thinking.

“In Japan, there are many collectors who still love the type of cars that were owned and driven by people like James Dean and Steve McQueen, as these were their idols while growing up,” Takei-san explains. “These cars still hold value and nostalgia but are becoming less of interest to younger collectors. This is why I always encourage clients to choose cars they find exciting regardless of age so they will continue to use them.

"Of course, certain cars will always be exciting for every generation like the Ferrari F40. But there is now a desire for more cars from the ’90s and ’00s, including those domestic ones like the Skyline GT-R. It is a different car and collector, but the same passion.”

Asked why this is, Takei-san believes it’s simply the latest generational shift and not any sign of the market slowing or decreasing. “As older owners pass or lose interest, it is inevitable that so do some of the cars that were relevant to them while growing up,” he adds. “But at the same time, you have younger collectors starting their journey – bringing with them a new wave of desirable cars.

"As we saw last year, even new examples like the GMA S1 LM can be sold for tens of millions of dollars, so the demand for these kinds of machines is still increasing. While these exist – and the collectors want to own them – BINGO Sports will continue to bring them together.”

Check out a few of Bingo's highlights here...

ONE OF ONE 1968 LAMBORGHINI MIURA SVR JOTA

After the original Miura Jota was destroyed in an accident back in 1972, various Miura owners contacted Lamborghini about rebuilding it. This led to several being rebuilt to ‘Jota’ specification... because why not take a customer’s cash if they’re offering it? But of these, one particular car based on a Miura S was converted to a more race-focused spec, denoted by the ‘R’ in SVR. It remains the only SVR in the world, residing in Japan since 1976 and most recently restored over 19 months by Polo Storico Lamborghini in 2018. The asking price? You’ll need to ask Takei-san but make sure you’re sitting down first.

JAPAN’S FIRST JESKO

Takei-san and the BINGO Sports team are also authorised dealers for a whole range of hypercars including Koenigsegg, Apollo and even Bugatti. It opened the first Bugatti showroom in Osaka last year, with more planned very soon.

BEHIND THE GLASS WALL

Situated in the centre of Tokyo is BINGO’s main showroom – a beautifully crafted, glass-fronted building where Takei-san and his team operate from each day. But much to the approval of Tokyo-based car spotters, Takei-san regularly rotates the cars on display – this month opting for several big hitters including an Apollo Intensa Emozione, Japan’s first Koenigsegg Jesko, a Lamborghini Countach (new kind) and the one of one Miura Jota SVR. Oh, and not forgetting a classic Porsche 356 SC Coupe and a Pagani Huayra BC for good measure.

1994 PORSCHE 962CR SCHUPPAN

There’s no denying Japan loves a road-legal racecar, but few models take it quite to the extreme of the 962CR Schuppan. Based on the Group C racecar from the late ’80s, six of these models were created by Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan at the race team’s facilities over in the UK. Each car consisted of a carbon fibre monocoque with a 3.3-litre, twin turbo flat six sending 600bhp to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual ’box.

BARN FIND FERRARI F40

Given how immaculate each car within BINGO’s collection is, you might be confused as to why this particular F40 appears to be covered in detritus. That’s because this particular car had spent nearly a decade left outside in rural Japan, forgotten about until Takei-san and his team were able to reach the owner and do a deal.

CREATURE COMFORTS

One of the coolest elements of BINGO’s Narita storage facility is the fact that each of the two-deep, double-decker bays has its own temperature and humidity control. Although removed for the photos, usually each car here is also individually covered and connected to a battery conditioner allowing them to be fired up within a moment’s notice.

MASCOT MANIA

Is this the most stylish Tiger ever imagined? Probably. Even gets a Martini-themed racing helmet.

Who is Mr Bingo?

Shinji Takei, the brains behind BINGO Sports and BH Auction, founded the company back in 2002 having previously worked in sales at a car maintenance shop. During the early years of BINGO Sports, Takei-san noticed there were limited options for those in Japan who wanted to buy the various emerging hypercars – think Pagani’s Zonda and the early Koenigsegg CC. Fast-forward to 2026 and BINGO Sports is now responsible for bringing all these brands into Japan, giving customers direct access to limited models as well as overseeing multiple dealerships including Bugatti Osaka.

Takei-san started his automotive journey in a 1980s Mazda RX-7 FC. A spicy choice being a rear-wheel drive, turbocharged sports car… and one which inevitably ended with it being crashed quite quickly after passing his test. But his love for racing goes hand in hand with his passion for cars, having competed for several decades across multiple championships including the Porsche Carrera Cup and GT World Challenge Asia.

Given his exposure to so many bonkers cars, Takei-san finds it tricky to pinpoint just one ‘dream’ car, instead highlighting the McLaren F1 and Ferrari F40 LM as the two cars he’s driven which remain unmatched in feeling and experience. However, when it comes to modern hypercars, the Jesko and Sadair’s Spear are the current kings.