LCOC Heritage Cars Share Spotlight with Roger Penske at Lincoln South Coast Grand Opening

LCOC members and their cars turned out in force to help celebrate the grand opening of Roger Penske’s beautiful new Lincoln South Coast (LSC) dealership in the Santa Ana Auto Mall on Monday Aug.13. The early evening catered affair drew dozens of LSC staff members, corporate executives, customers and other guests.

Chief among them was the famed racing driver, car owner and automotive legend Roger Penske himself. His Penske Automotive Group employs over 25,000 people on three continents representing over 40 brands. The newest of these is the Santa Ana facility, 1405 Auto Mall Drive.

The dapper Penske cheerfully greeted LCOC members who assembled their cars in front of the main showroom about an hour before the formal proceedings. Inspecting a row of mostly ’60s and ’70s Lincolns, Penske eyed one of the convertibles and remarked, “that’s a real car!” He seemed in genuine awe of the condition of these decades-old Lincolns that have been lovingly maintained and prepped for the occasion by our club members.

At the gala, emphasis was on today’s Lincolns–the collectibles of the future. Penske and LSC host Jim Parsons presided at a brief ceremony where the dealership team, contractors and others involved in the project all received recognition.  Then guests were treated to a special surprise.  The newest member of the Lincoln family named the Nautilus, a sleek crossover model, was unveiled for the first time in a sneak peek months before it will be hitting showroom floors. 

A jazz band and plenty of luscious hors d’ouvres added to the festivities.  Visitors were able to view the brand new customer seating areas, waiting rooms and staff offices. 

Each guest received a special souvenir candle and LCOC members were given Penske Team shirts as thanks for their participation. As twilight descended guests drove home in their classics perhaps dreaming of new Lincolns in their future.  

To view more photos from this event click here