How Passion Drove Autoplus Sports Center to Pole Position

Learn how purpose-driven entrepreneurship and a passion for motorsports won the race for consumers’ hearts in the automotive industry.

For car enthusiasts, supercar owners, and racers alike, one name is in pole position: Autoplus Sports Center. The company founded by Carlos Gono and now led with the help of his son, Luis Gono has done so not by its strategic business model–though this has proven to be a winning formula. Neither has it done so by harnessing new technologies–though it has adapted to shifting markets through the decades. It has done so powered by the engine of passion.

The entrepreneurial story of Autoplus is one that is echoed by countless business gurus. “Find your passion,” they tell aspiring entrepreneurs. Few entrepreneurs exemplify this better than the father-and-son team behind Autoplus Sports Center, Carlos and Luis Gono. From their efforts, they built, in their words, “the premier destination for automotive enthusiasts in the Philippines,” a mecca for car lovers interested in world-class restorations and high-performance tuning. 

Their story shows how entrepreneurial passion can be a viable way to achieve lasting, sustainable success. In the beginning, it is this passion that led Carlos Gono to found the company based on his personal, entrepreneurial identity. Through the years, it provided him with the energy and drive to persevere through challenges. And finally, entrepreneurial passion proved to be contagious, inspiring Luis to find his place and share the responsibility of running the business. At the same time, it is this passion that has attracted customers who know that Autoplus’ dedication gives them an unbeatable edge in service.

The Business Manual spoke to Carlos Gono and Luis Gono on the 30th year of Autoplus Sports Center. They trace the beginnings of their journey to illustrate how the Autoplus name became synonymous with high-performance automotive service in the Philippines. Aspiring entrepreneurs have many lessons to learn from the Gonos. Here are six from our in-depth interview:

1. Let Passion Set Your Course

Carlos Gono’s love for cars started at a young age and never waned. But it wasn’t until he was an established businessman at 30 when he was able to turn this passion into an entrepreneurial venture.  

With the encouragement of an uncle who ran an auto shop in the United States, Carlos began Autoplus from a friend’s two-car garage in 1995. 

He recalls, “My wife’s uncle, who has a shop in the US, came and told me, ‘You know, Gono, you should make a shop also here, because you like cars, you have so many nice cars, you know how to fix them.’ That’s when we started this.”

From that location, business began with a flying start. Soon, they added a lifter to the shop, and after a year, they transferred to a larger space along West Avenue, Q.C. By 2000, Autoplus had a highly visible, 1,000-square-meter location along EDSA.

Despite growing the business from 0-60 at such a rapid pace through passion, Carlos Gono emphasizes that passion must be paired with persistence.

According to Carlos, “The reason why we stayed in this business this long… it’s really about the passion.” But looking back at the key ingredients of Autoplus’ early success, he also says, “It’s sheer persistence and the effort we put into this business. That made us endure and survive to this time.”

Lesson: Passion gives you purpose, but persistence ensures you last. When starting a business, especially one tied to your interests, prepare for the long haul—and don’t give up when it gets hard.

2. Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday

Building a business from passion came with its own challenges. Unlike businesses that relied on research to identify a market need, Autoplus’ focus on performance tuning was based on a belief that their services would be recognized by like minds.

Carlos Gono explains the automotive landscape in the 90s, saying, “It’s hard to survive, especially back then in the 90s when we started. Virtually, there were no high performance shops at all. People were interested in fixing, dressing up their cars, putting sound systems, going to the show.

“There was virtually no interest in making the car go faster, modifying… So when we started, we had to educate the people.”

For Autoplus, educating the market meant championing the burgeoning motorsports scene in the Philippines. When the Subic racetrack was built in 1995 and they began hosting race events, Autoplus immediately joined.

Entering the Subic International Race in the most premier class, Super Saloon, with a professional driver and a race car from Japan, Autoplus dominated. They won the championship for three years straight, from 1995 to 1997.

“The proving ground is to go to the racetrack and join the races,” Carlos says about their strategy. “So that the people will see that your car, the one you built, goes really fast. They will have the confidence to ask you to also do it to their cars.

“It’s like an advertising thing back then.” 

This “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” work ethic was instrumental in spreading the word about Autoplus and growing the market for performance tuning. And as Autoplus’ reputation became synonymous with racing, other shops began to compete. But Autoplus continued to innovate by bringing in machines like the Dyno, providing new products and services, and doubling down on their unique brand of service.

“We always set the bar,” Carlos continues. “That’s why people look up to our shop because they always ask, ‘What is Autoplus doing now?’ So they try to copy, they try to follow, because we’re always setting the standards.”

Lesson: When carving out a niche, be the educator and the innovator. Teach your market why you’re different—and back it up with credibility.

3. Perseverance through Passion

Entrepreneurial passion is plain to see in how it provided motivation in the founding and growth of Autoplus. However, the same passion also plays a critical role in how Carlos Gono faced challenges as a businessman.

The greatest challenge he faced was when, during one remodeling of Autoplus, a fire burned the whole shop down in 2019. On the heels of this disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic followed, forcing the closure of Autoplus for two years.

When other entrepreneurs may have pragmatically decided to call it quits, Carlos Gono built a new shop. Once again, it was passion that empowered him to continue after losing the shop. This time though, the passion had an external source–it would come from his son, Luis.

Carlos recalls his wife telling him that Luis had told her, “If dad wants to continue the shop, I think I will help him.”

With a new engine driving Autoplus, Carlos rebuilt. And as he rebuilt, he also shared the company’s leadership with Luis.  

“That’s where I got the energy and momentum to build this new shop here,” he shares. “We did it quickly. So before the end of ‘21, we were already back in business. Then most of the work now, everything has transitioned already to Luis.”

4. Integrity and Service

Luis Gono grew up with Autoplus. His racing career began with go-karting when he was just 13 years old. In 2013, Luis shifted to competition drifting. In 2014, he became the first ever Vios Cup Champion. Then in 2018, he joined the Formula V1 series where he won the championship in the first season.

Continuing the “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” ethos, Luis is driven by the same passion that has motivated his father Carlos throughout his career. This passion translates into an intimate knowledge of performance cars and unbending integrity in serving Autoplus’ customers.

Despite the lucrative potential of pushing expensive parts, Luis refuses to sell products that don’t match a client’s actual needs. He explains, “Even if we could earn a lot from it, we would say, ‘Oh, no. You could just go with this.’ And you could get exactly what you want at half the price.”

Carlos adds, “We always provide very good service. We’re always true to the client. We always tell them the things we did and the things that you expect… That’s why people trust us.”

This trust and respect was on full display during Autoplus’ 30th anniversary earlier this year. The company gathered almost 200 supercars, 200 JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars to showcase Autoplus’ work and celebrate automotive sports–a victory lap of sorts that was a first-of-its-kind event in the Philippines.

The anniversary was graced by countless guests–including famous car aficionados like Ramon Ang–customers old and new, and even foreign bloggers.

Carlos Gono says, “That’s when I knew that we did right all these years. That’s why we still gain the trust of the people and their support.”

His son, Luis, understands that integrity and service come first for the company. 

He says, “In a business that’s rooted in passion, you have to accept that there will be times you’re not going to earn. There’s going to be times you’re going to lose money. 

“And you have to forget the money sometimes, because if you do everything correctly, you charge people fairly, you do the job properly, the money’s going to come eventually.”

Lesson: Never compromise your reputation for short-term gain. Trust and credibility take years to build and seconds to lose.

5. Adapt to Shifting Markets and Tech

From working on the Civics and Corollas of yesteryear to maintaining multimillion-peso supercars, Autoplus grew alongside its customers. As technology advanced, so did its team’s knowledge. And as customer habits and preferences changed, Autoplus has adapted its business.

Luis notes how modern builds now combine aesthetics with performance, requiring both legacy expertise and a fresh vision.

“Before, it was pure performance that made Autoplus stand out. Nowadays, people are also more [concerned with] the aesthetic side. So it’s about maintaining a car that drives fast, but also looks the part nowadays. It’s about bridging the gap of the two generations.”

Lesson: Evolve with your customers. Stay informed, upgrade your skills, and embrace the changing needs and preferences of your market.

6. Passion Is Contagious

Carlos and Luis have built more than just a clientele—they’ve built a community. From customers who’ve become close friends to mechanics they’ve trained from scratch, the Autoplus culture is one of loyalty, mentorship, and camaraderie.

Carlos Gono empahsizes that their work in Autoplus comes from one place: a love of cars. He says, “It’s really the passion here because we are very interested in fixing cars, and we experiment on our own cars… So we’re having fun with the business also. Back then, the main objective is just to make it every day, make it work. But for us, the purpose is really to have fun.”

The passion of Autoplus–the spirit of joy for all things automotive—has transferred from its founder Carlos to his son Luis to the employees. It is a value shared by Autoplus customers and the reason why they keep returning.

Lesson: Investing in people—employees and clients alike—pays long-term dividends. Build trust, empower your team, and foster authentic relationships.

The Gonos’ journey proves that building a brand anchored in passion, integrity, and expertise can yield lasting impact—not just in business, but in the lives of people who trust and grow with you. For aspiring entrepreneurs, the lessons of Autoplus are a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

Text VINCENT SALES

Photography EXCEL PANLAQUE of KLIQ INC.

Videography JR RAMIREZ of KLIQ INC.

Art Direction ANDREA SANGCO

Sittings Editor JILL TAN RADOVAN

Shoot Coordination TONI MENDOZA

Shot on Location AUTOPLUS SPORTS CENTER, LIBIS, QUEZON CITY