Yasiel Puig, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie sensation, has leased a 2013 Lincoln Navigator.
Puig picked out a black Navigator with a black interior and will "tastefully" customize it, said Brian Allan, Galpin Lincoln general manager, in a phone conversation on Sunday with Edmunds. Allan said the customization will include "a little bit of personalization," with Puig’s signature embroidered on the headrests and floor mats.
VAN NUYS, California— Yasiel Puig, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie sensation who has prompted comparisons with Bo Jackson and Sammy Sosa, has leased a 2013 Lincoln Navigator because he wanted something more inconspicuous and roomy than his Rolls-Royce Phantom, according to California’s Galpin Lincoln.
Puig (pronounced "Pweeg") picked out a black Navigator with a black interior and will "tastefully" customize it, said Brian Allan, Galpin Lincoln general manager, in a phone conversation on Sunday with Edmunds.
Allan said the customization will include "a little bit of personalization," with Puig’s signature embroidered on the headrests and floor mats. Galpin Auto Sports will handle the customization.
"This all just happened Friday," Allan said. "We are still fleshing out the details. He wanted to get a vehicle that was a little less conspicuous than his Rolls-Royce Phantom and he needs to carry more people."
Allan added: "He went right to the Navigator."
There are no plans to display the special Navigator at the 2013 SEMA Show. Allan said that when Puig is done with the SUV, Galpin Lincoln may sell it in a charity auction. Puig negotiated the lease deal with the help of a personal translator. He later posed for pictures at the dealership.
"He is a very genuine guy," Allan said. "He took pictures with the employees. The dealership came to a halt. Everyone was going bananas."
Puig, 22, is a contender for the National League Rookie of the Year prize. He defected from Cuba in 2012 and signed a seven-year, $42-million contract with the Dodgers.
"He plays the game with the flair of someone who escaped Cuba and enjoys displaying his talent for the entire world," wrote David Schoenfield in an ESPN.com blog.
Galpin Lincoln’s other celebrity customers include Magic Johnson, who was also drawn to the Navigator. The basketball legend purchased a black Lincoln Navigator two years ago, Allan said.
Edmunds says:Yasiel Puig’s automotive fleet grows, with a little help from a well-known California dealership.
