I recently spent a fortnight in Japan for some rest and relaxation. This time around, the holiday wasn’t centred entirely on seeing automotive landscapes (unlike my 2017 trip) but I did manage to sneak in a few motoring-related itinerary items. A visit to the Nismo Omori Factory was finally accomplished, which I documented about here, in addition to stopping by Bingo Sports – a high end automotive dealership based in the Nagatacho district of Tokyo.
Fans of supercars need no introduction to Bingo Sports, with images of the dealership’s inventory and customer cars a regular sight on their social media feeds. However, your eye balls must see these unicorns in the flesh to truly appreciate their presence. With that thought in mind, I made my way to the closest train station, swiped my Icoca card at the platform gates, and boarded a train bound for Nagatacho.
After reaching Akasaka-Mitsuke Station and navigating a few hundred meters forward, my eyes noticed something low, wide and turquoise in the distance. Although there was still some length to travel, I already knew this was going to be good; we are in Tokyo after all. My legs begun to power walk, involuntarily from excitement, and before I knew it my vision was filled with this.
One of only three species inhabiting Japanese soil, the Koenigsegg Agera RSR is an automotive spec sheet on steroids: 1160 horsepower/1280Nm of torque, 1395 kilograms, 442 km/h top speed and a sticker price in excess of AUD $2,800,000 are the headlining digits. After seeing such unicorn in the flesh, one may have called it a day without even attempting to soak in what else Bingo Sports had on display. Japanese performance cars are my favourite type of poison, so as nice as the Koenigsegg was, the sight of not one but two NSX-Rs – in NA1 and NA2 guise – was enough to temporarily distract me from the Swedish egg.
Standing in front of an NH-0 splashed NA1 and NA2 NSX-R with under 2,000 clicks is a reality only realised within dreams for many (including me) who reside in western countries. While I tried to savour the moment, another pair – coated in Rosso Corsa hue – was glowing so immensely in the corner of my eye that I just had to shift my focus. One of just twenty produced Ferrari F40 LM and one of only five 288 GTO Evoluzione on the entire planet, both sat under the same roof? Only at Bingo Sports.
Bingo Sports is Japan’s only authorised Pagani distributor. Bingo’s founder – Shinji Takei – is promised two inventory vehicles from Horacio Pagani each year and with the recently opened Pagani Tokyo showroom (which is managed by Shinji’s company) in full swing, probably explained why I wasn’t blessed with any Zonda or Huayra sighting during my visit. They were all lurking at Pagani Tokyo.
A few impeccable and classic air-cooled Porsches (along with a lonesome S30 Fairlady Z) filled up the rest of Bingo Sport’s cosy but impressive showroom. In addition to the Tokyo dealership, there’s also an Aladdin’s cave filled with further stock and vehicles from Shinji’s personal collection but access to this nearby secret-basement-carpark is reserved for VIPs only.
While I do get to appreciate examples of the 356 back home in Adelaide, I almost never get to recognise Porsche’s original Rennsport model – the ’73 911 Carrera RS. Admiring this white example with blue highlights was a delightful way to wrap up my time at Bingo Sports.
I generally try to avoid visiting dealerships unless an invited event is taking place. However, an exception was made for Bingo Sports as it’s a brand I’ve followed for ages and has a reputation for welcoming tourists. The staff were very accommodating and allowed me to freely roam, something I’m certainly grateful for. If you’re a fan of supercars and happen to be in Tokyo, a visit to Bingo Sports is essential. Just be prepared to carry a mop so that you can clean up your drool along the way.