Custom Cars, Community, and the Florida Lifestyle: An Interview with Chris Centrella
If you’re into cars, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an automobile in Naples that made you do a double-take. And if it was a Rolls-Royce with skulls on the doors, odds are it belonged to Chris Centrella. With a shop full of custom cars, decades of memorabilia, and a passion that goes back to his childhood, Centrella is the perfect person to provide expert insight into the car scene on Florida’s Paradise Coast.
from childhood influence to custom builds
"My dad was always big into car shows," Centrella says. “No matter what he had, he would always do something to make it cool.” That sense of creativity stuck. “I just think it's always been part of my DNA.”
Centrella’s collection today can be described as anything but ordinary. “It’s a very in-depth representation of myself. Every car is personalized to me,” he says. “When you open up the cars, they're unmistakably mine.”
From McLarens to muscle cars, his automobiles often leave people surprised. “You just don't see certain things. I push the boundaries of what most people consider the norm.”
a lifetime of cars and keepsakes
Centrella’s shop is layered with history—decades of collecting, restoring, and customizing cars, as well as personal mementos. “The memorabilia in here is a life's collection of things. I literally have things from when I was a little kid,” he says. “It's stuff that has stuck with me and traveled with me through moves, through relationships, through everything.”
Now 50, he’s spent more than four decades building a collection that reflects both taste and sentiment. “These cars are a gift,” he says. But for Centrella, ownership alone isn’t the point. “I love these cars, but I love working on cars more. I love having my hands in something.” When asked what he’d like to work on next, he says, “I’ve always wanted to do a ’71 split-nose Camaro.”
why naples is unlike anywhere else
When Centrella moved to Naples from New England in 2000, the contrast was immediate. “New England has a car scene, but not like Florida,” he says. “I don't know any place that has a car scene like Florida.”
He credits the car culture here to a few key factors: great weather, a high volume of cars, a broad mix of people, and roads that are made for driving. When he lived in New England, Centrella could drive around in a Rolls-Royce for 6 months without seeing another one. But in Naples? “You're out and you see seven in a day,” he explains. The roads are flat, smooth, and well-kept—ideal for taking out everything from a vintage cruiser to a modern hypercar. Even better, “if you've put blood, sweat, and tears into a cool car, there's somebody here who's going to recognize your work.”
There’s also no need to wait for a special event. “You'll see more cars downtown than you will at most car shows in most places,” Centrella says. “There’s always something car-related going on here.”
That kind of daily access is what propels car lovers from all over the world to relocate to Naples. After all, as Centrella explains, “Where else can you drive your cars 365 days of the year?”
the scene and community
Centrella doesn’t hesitate when asked about the most impressive show in town. “Cars on Fifth is the pinnacle of car shows anywhere in the country,” he says. “I think they had 700 cars last year...that's probably billions of dollars’ worth of cars.”
Over the years, he’s seen everything from Ferraris to Koenigseggs—once finding himself parked right next to actor John Cena. “You never know who's going to be there, you never know what you're going to see.” That unpredictability is part of the draw. “Every year, you get more and more people coming, and the cars get crazier and crazier.”
For a more regular meet-up, Centrella points to the Mercato show (Cars and Coffee 239), held on the third Sunday of each month. With as many as 400 cars gathering, it’s grown into a must-attend event for gearheads. “If I'm not there by 8:30 to park on the lawn, I can't even go to the show because there are no parking spots,” he says.
car clubs, inclusivity, and paying it forward
“There’s such a diversity of car clubs [in Naples], I can’t even name them all,” Centrella says. For example, there’s the Ferrari Club, the Lamborghini Club, and the Cool Cruisers. There’s also Centrella’s own group, Ride or Die Racing, which he started to create a space for people who share a love for cars, no matter what they drive. “There’s an equal opportunity here for everybody to be a part of something. If you can drive it, there’s a place and a car club for you here.”
His focus was never on exclusivity but on creating a sense of belonging. “When you have a car club, everybody helps everybody. Learn from us, we'll teach you whatever we know.”
He also sees every interaction as a chance to pass that passion along to the next generation. “Taking the time can change people’s lives,” he says. “This is every child’s fantasy, anyone who's seen The Fast and the Furious.” Whenever he’s out with a special car, he makes time to talk, open the doors, and answer questions. “You’ll remember exactly where you were when you saw the car that made you fall in love with cars,” he reminisces.
living the life–every day of the year
Whether it’s going out for dinner with the top down or driving a Rolls-Royce past a Bugatti, Centrella says Naples offers a lifestyle few places can match. “If you're looking for that specific lifestyle of always something to do, shopping, dining, having your top down, being able to go someplace and park your car out front...this is the place to be.”
Whether you’re putting together your dream garage or just want to see masterfully crafted cars you won’t find anywhere else, you’ll find your community here. Because for collectors like Chris Centrella, ONLY Paradise will do.