Symbolic International

What Symbolic International does

Symbolic International is a privately held luxury and collector vehicle dealership headquartered in La Jolla, California, founded over three decades ago by Marc and Bernie Chase as Vintage Motor Car Company and later evolved through the Symbolic Motor Car Company identity. The company sells and consigns rare, classic, and modern performance automobiles — including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Chevrolet models — to high-net-worth individual collectors and enthusiasts. Operations are conducted through an appointment-only La Jolla showroom and a global buyer network spanning the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan, which was developed under President and co-owner Patrick Van Schoote.

The core product is a six-step consignment service that handles vehicle intake, inspection, professional detailing, high-resolution photography (photo, video, drone, and GoPro), and a comprehensive enthusiast-focused Bring a Trailer listing, followed by active auction management, payment collection, and shipping coordination. Bring a Trailer serves as the primary digital sales channel, functioning as both a marketplace and an audience-acquisition layer, while direct inventory sales out of the La Jolla showroom provide a secondary revenue stream. The company also operates a wholly-owned adjacent subsidiary, Symbolic Aviation, reflecting a broader diversification beyond pure automotive retail into aviation and lifestyle verticals.

Symbolic International generates revenue primarily through transaction-based commissions on consigned vehicles plus margins on direct inventory sales. Pricing is bespoke per consignment agreement and is not publicly disclosed, and there is no recurring or subscription revenue component. The business has remained independent throughout its evolution, with no disclosed external investment, and competes on brand heritage, inspection quality, presentation craftsmanship, and access to a curated global collector buyer pool rather than on technology or scale advantages.

Name

Symbolic International

Legal name

Symbolic International

Website

https://symbolicinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Symbolic International is a privately held La Jolla-based dealer and consignment agent for luxury and collector automobiles, serving high-net-worth enthusiasts primarily through Bring a Trailer auctions and an appointment-only showroom, with a global buyer network spanning the USA, UK, Europe, and Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury & Collector Vehicle Dealership

NAICS

Used Car Dealers (44112), Automobile Dealers (4411), Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers (441)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Managed Consignment & Authentication-led Resale (CRAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)

Keywords

• Luxury car dealership
• Collector vehicle sales
• Vehicle consignment services
• Classic car brokerage
• Online car auctions

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Consignment Sales: The company earns commissions on successful vehicle sales through their consignment service. They handle the entire sales process including inspection, professional photography, listing creation on Bring a Trailer, auction management, payment collection, and shipping coordination. Their revenue is transaction-based, earning a percentage of each vehicle sold.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Symbolic International is a luxury and collector vehicle dealership that sells curated high-end automobiles directly from its La Jolla showroom and operates an end-to-end consignment service for sellers of collector and enthusiast vehicles. The consignment workflow spans vehicle evaluation, agreement signing, transport coordination, expert inspection and preparation, professional listing creation on the Bring a Trailer auction platform, and active management of the live auction through to payment and shipping. The current inventory includes classic and modern performance vehicles from marques such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Chevrolet.

Product overview

Symbolic International operates as a premier classic and collector vehicle dealership offering a dual approach: (1) a curated current inventory of high-end vehicles including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Chevrolet models, and (2) a comprehensive vehicle consignment service that guides sellers through a six-step process culminating in professional listings on Bring a Trailer marketplace. The company evolved from Symbolic Motor Car Company and maintains diversification into aviation and art, though its primary current focus is vehicle sales and consignment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Symbolic Aviation: Aviation venture established as part of company's diversification into aviation and related services

Products and services

• Vehicle Consignment Services

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bring a TrailercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership with Bring a Trailer serves as the primary sales channel for vehicle auctions. Symbolic International creates top-tier listings on the platform including professional detailing, high-resolution photography (photo, video, drone, GoPro), comprehensive enthusiast-focused write-ups, and manages all communication during live auctions to drive competitive bidding and top-tier results for clients.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• ClassicCars.com: ClassicCars.com is an online marketplace for collector and classic vehicles, providing a listing platform that overlaps with Symbolic International's online presence and offers an alternative channel for collector car transactions.

Direct peers

• RM Sotheby's: RM Sotheby's is one of the largest collector car auction houses globally, competing in the same luxury and rare vehicle category as Symbolic International, particularly for high-value consignments that Symbolic's Bring a Trailer platform helps facilitate.
• Bonhams Cars: Bonhams operates a global collector car auction business serving the high-end of the market, directly comparable to Symbolic's luxury collector vehicle focus and consignment-driven transactions.
• Barrett-Jackson: Barrett-Jackson is a major collector and classic car auction company with physical and online auction formats, directly competing for the same consignment and buyer base Symbolic International serves.
• Russo and Steele: Russo and Steele is a collector car auction company specializing in European sports and American muscle cars, overlapping with Symbolic International's collector and exotic vehicle categories.
• Gooding & Company: Gooding & Company is a premier collector car auction house specializing in high-end classics and exotics, directly comparable to the upper end of Symbolic International's collector vehicle market and auction-style consignment flow.
• Mecum Auctions: Mecum Auctions is one of the largest collector car auction companies in the world, with both live and online auctions that overlap with Symbolic International's classic and collector vehicle transaction model.
• Canepa: Canepa is a high-end collector car dealer in Scotts Valley, California that sells, restores, and consigns rare classic and exotic vehicles, mirroring Symbolic International's luxury collector vehicle focus and consignment model.

Broad incumbents

• Hagerty: Hagerty is a broad collector car platform offering insurance, media, marketplace, and events, serving the same high-net-worth collector customer base that Symbolic International targets with its consignment business.

Others

• Bring a Trailer: Bring a Trailer is the online auction platform that serves as Symbolic International's primary sales channel and core strategic partner. While not a direct competitor, its platform terms and competitive dynamics directly shape Symbolic's business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SymbolicInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/symbolic-motor-car-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Symbolic International