Born February 1st, 2002 in Long Island, New York, Kyle Gilligan has had a lifelong passion for anything and everything with an engine. From showing off his vast Hot Wheels collection to tagging along with his older brother Don and his friends as they worked on FoxBody Mustangs and Jeep XJ's. Kyle’s enthusiasm for cars has been clear from the start.

KG's diverse automotive journey began with a $400 Jeep XJ he purchased at auction. By taking the interior and engine from a wrecked XJ, him and Don worked together to make it an amazing first car. 

A year later, yearning for something more exhilarating, KG sold the Jeep to his brother-in-law and bought a 1992 Mazda Miata with a factory hard top and a few tasteful upgrades. Despite being perfect in many ways, the car had a valve seal issue. KG decided to take advantage of this opportunity and try his hand at replacing both the engine and transmission, but valve clearance issues led him to part ways with the car, teaching him valuable lessons: don’t underestimate daily driver's, and don’t overestimate the job.

This led him to buy back his XJ as he added another car to his collection: a 2000 BMW E46 touring with a factory 5-speed manual transmission - a rare find! The car, equipped with an M54B30 engine swap, needed significant work, including a throttle-by-wire conversion and proper electronics, all of which he completed in his driveway. The result was a well-running project car and a testament to his growing expertise.

KG has always been the type to take the road less traveled and pursue new ideas, especially those that seem out of reach. After graduating high school in 2020, he started a mobile detailing business, blending his love for cars and community. While he greatly enjoyed the experience and knowledge, he was still searching for his true calling. Inspired by his childhood dreams, KG took a leap of faith in October 2022, buying a one-way ticket to Arizona to begin flight school. They say the sky’s the limit, and he knew that wasn’t true. 

Towards the end of flight school, KG knew he had to find a way to immerse himself back into the car culture. He joined Canyon State Classics, where the owner, Jon Morley, gave him the opportunity to help around the dealership. On his first night, KG was entrusted to drive a low-mileage first-generation Viper back to the dealership — a taste of what was to come. Over the next few months, he greatly broadened his automotive proficiency, experiencing all sorts of cars from air-cooled 911’s to high-end exotics. From this point on, he knew he wanted to incorporate this world into his future.

KG completed flight school in December 2023 and returned to Long Island to build flight hours as an instructor. Before leaving Arizona, he purchased a 2003 Volkswagen GTI 20th Anniversary in Imola Yellow, adding another unique vehicle to his history. 

Kyle Gilligan is more than a car enthusiast, and KGCARZ is more than a brand. He’s hoping to return to Arizona and build a community of enthusiasts—both in person and online—who want to share a passion for cars, challenge the status quo, and keep the culture alive.