They say Henry Ford’s Model T, first produced in 1908, changed the way we commute. Since the 18 century, the journey from high-end luxury cars to the common-man’s car has been a long history of innovation and enterprise. In Malaga, on the south coast of Spain, the Museo Automovilistico (automobile museum), which is devoted to ‘the car as a work of art’, has 93 vintage cars of various brands: Bugatti, Auburn, Bentley, Jaguar, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Mercedes … Worth around €25 million this is one of the most important vintage car collections in the world today.
Opened in 2010, the automobile museum — a dream child of Portuguese millionaire Joao Magalhaes — is housed in an old tobacco factory constructed in 1927. Magalhaes inherited a passion for cars from his father who was a collector of beautiful things and works of art. This led him take an interest in vintage cars. When his father died, Magalhaes decided to add to the collection and open this museum.
The museum not only has beautifully maintained and refurbished cars but also a gallery full of dresses by renowned designers like Christian Dior, Balenciega, Chanel as well as hats. These are complemented by period travel-related pieces, such as old-fashioned leather suitcases, antique trunks and picnic baskets, etc. So it is easy to imagine the lifestyle of the rich and famous of which the car was an essential part. Areas are dedicated to various eras and themes, Belle Epoque, Art Deco 30s, Dolce Vita 50s and English Tradition, plus the more contemporary Alternative Energies, including a solar-powered model, and Tuning.
Sometimes the cars arrived with missing doors or front lamps. Experienced auto designers and mechanics restored them to their original splendour so that they could be exhibited. Each car has an interesting name. For example, a 1937 Peugeot from France — recovered from a dump after World War II — is named “Eclipse”. A1924 Rolls-Royce is called “The Fridge”, because in the 1950s it was exchanged for the price of a fridge, which was considered more useful than an old used car. Then there is the ‘Jet Set’ car, a black Rolls-Royce customised with Swarovski crystals, another inspired by Cubism and customised by Sonia Delaunay, a French-Ukrainian artist who was the first woman to have her work exhibited at the Louvre in her lifetime.
A Jaguar 1952 model appropriately named “The Black Cat” has Hollywood associations. When this model was introduced in 1948 at the London Salon, it was an instant hit and soon supply fell short of demand. The waiting list was minimum two years and only stars like Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart could get one at once.
One of the exhibits is a quirky “Ready to fly”, a prototype created by Marcel Leyat after World War I when it was necessary to recycle many aviation engines. Only two models are in existence today, the other in the Motor Museum, Nashville in the U.S.
Another section showcases car paraphernalia like old engines parts, some of which look like art pieces, and wheels etc. For those who dream of a ride in these beauties, there is good news: some cars are available for hire.
So go ahead, choose one of these fantastic cars with a chauffer to boot and make heads turn while you drive by.
