(Note: This article has been republished with permission from Gearbox Magazine, www.gearboxmagazine.com, gbxm.tumblr.com)

Martis’ passion for cars started in Kuwait at a young age. Surrounded by those with oil-money and a father who was a mechanic at Kuwait Air Base (his mother a teacher), young Martis grew up motor-headed.

“My dad being a mechanic, I was really into mechanical stuff – in fact I became a big fan of planes and cars – and just seeing all those cars, I fell in love with a few brands,” Martis said.

With the likes of BMW 635CSi, Buick Riviera, and Datsun 240’s driving around his neighborhoods, how can one not begin to feel a little something. The correct answer is: they can’t. They will inevitably become infatuated.

“I grew up just admiring those cars, loving them, staring at them,” said Martis. “That’s really how I got addicted to cars in general.”

With Martis’ addiction firmly in place, he obtained an undergrad degree in Engineering, a master’s in electrical engineering, and a master’s in business. After working for the likes of Intel and other technological companies, Martis needed a change that aligned with the happinesses in his life.

“When I left [my last company], I realized that life was too short and I wanted to do something that bridged what I had the background in, the experience in, as well as the knowledge I had with something I had a passion about, which happened to be cars.”

Along with his trusted friend and business partner, Wilfred Martis and Murgesh Navar polished Chariotz to a shine and then started marketing to local area (Californian and Arizonan) shops.

And the reception was extremely welcome.

To finish reading this article, head to Gearbox Magazine or GBXM’s Tubmlr: www.gearboxmagazine.com or gbxm.tumblr.com!

Deanna Isaacs the owner, editor-in-chief and lead journalist at The Auto Reporter. She graduated from the University of Washington's Communication department in 2014 with a BA in Journalism. She enjoys sports cars, working on her classic two-seaters and long drives where she can annoy the husband. You can reach Deanna Isaacs using the Contact Us form: https://www.theautoreporter.com/contact/.