The Last Word: Tactical Fleet’s Chris Barta on How He Got Into the Supercar Sales Business

“I didn’t know people bought $250,000 cars. That was news to me.”

Chris Barta
Co-Founder
Tactical Fleet
.…on how he first got into the supercar sales business before co-founding Tactical Fleet in Farmers Branch, via the Dallas Morning News.

Tucked away among blocks of warehouses in Farmers Branch, an address without a sign offers no clues of the treasures within, which would make any supercar fan salivate—if they don’t pass out from sheer overwhelmption. It’s the 75,000-SF HQ home of Tactical Fleet, America’s largest pre-owned supercar dealership, where hundreds of Lambos and stacked-to-the-ceiling Porsches and Ferraris glitter with the promise of speed.

Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce are our bread and butter,” Barta, who launched Tactical Fleet in 2018 with co-founder Jason Putnam, told the Morning News’ Cheryl Hall. 

The partners sold their company to North Carolina-based Sonic Automotive in 2020, but still hold sway in their massive, minimalist, all-about-the-cars dealership. Prices inside range from $100K for swift steals to uber-super $900K-plus models.

The duo met back in 2010 while working at Park Place Motors in Dallas, the DMN notes, a time when Barta was surprised to learn how much people will drop on a car. Now, he’s more blasé about it.

“When I started at Park Place, I was like, ‘Who am I ever gonna sell a Rolls-Royce to?’ We sold four Rolls-Royces here last weekend,” he told the DMN.

Putman admits that the sheer volume of supercars racing out of Tactical Fleet can raise eyebrows. “Our average price point is almost 300 grand, and we’ll probably sell a hundred of them this month,” he told the DMN. “Pretty crazy.”

 

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.

One quick signup, and you’re done.

R E A D   N E X T

  • Want to map your innovation-to-market commercialization path or apply for federal money through the $4 billion America's Seed Fund program? Or maybe you're an entrepreneur seeking to validate your customer's needs. The Texas SBDC Technology Commercialization Center wants to help.

  • As New Year's Eve approaches, thoughts are turning to holidays, fireworks, and—yes—business plans for a whole new year. That may be why December is National Business Plan Month, and TWU's Tracy Irby has the perfect way to celebrate it—by avoiding 5 key business plan mistakes.

  • Small business employment growth is booming in metro Dallas and Texas, with both ranked No. 1 on the Small Business Employment Watch report from Paychex and HIS Markit. Metro Dallas took the top spot among other metro regions across the U.S. in both small business employment growth and hourly earnings growth.

  • Texas small business owners say inflation is hurting their ability to hire and retain workers, forcing them to raise prices on consumers

    Texas small business owners say inflation is hurting their ability to hire and retain workers, forcing them to raise prices on consumers; 90% of respondents say inflationary pressures have worsened since January. 74% of respondents across all sectors say rising energy prices are impacting their business, according to a survey from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices.

  • Comerica Assembles South Dallas Business Banking Team

    Dallas-based financial services giant Comerica Bank has named Trent Sampson, Jerry Collazo, and Adriana Najera to its newly formed South Dallas Business Banking Team that is led by Group Manager Derric Hicks. "As the leading bank for business, it is imperative that we raise expectations in all the communities where we live and serve," Comerica Bank Dallas Market President Amanda Mahaney said in a statement. "For many years, we have provided retail banking services and made community investments in the South Dallas community. Now, Derric and his team will focus on finding access to capital solutions for underserved entrepreneurs and…