Rare and collectible cars have soared to incredible values with some models now in rare Picasso territory such as the Ferrari 250 GTO that achieved in excess of $50M at a recent RM Sothebys auction in New York. A new generation of UHNW car collectors do not want to hide their treasured possessions away under car covers in anonymous storage facilities but instead showcase them in a bespoke environment worthy of their rarity, beauty and worth. You would not display a Rothko in a basement cupboard under the stairs for example.
As Norman Foster, the world celebrated architect once said, “classic cars are extraordinarily beautiful objects in their own right and should coexist at an equal level with great works of art and architecture.” One can argue that anything that conveys the human emotion and experience through different mediums is art.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is arguably the most coveted car in the whole world. Only 36 were ever built and each one was hand built by specialist craftsmen. No single 250 GTO is the same as another as they were all individually crafted by hand rolling aluminum sheets hammered over timber frames. Like rare paintings, it is all about who designed and built the car and why.
In addition to being exceptionally well proportioned and beautiful, the 250 GTO won its class at Le Mans 24 Heures twice in a row so it also has serious sporting heritage. It is Ferrari’s ‘Mona Lisa’. It is art. It is a moving sculpture or art on wheels. It is also worth more hard cash per pound of weight than gold.
Famous twentieth-century car designers such as Pininfarina, Giovanni Bertone and Giorgetto Giugiaro were the period masters of their time comparable in the car world to Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael!
Can a beautiful car that was relatively mass produced be considered as art though? Arguably yes, as the Renaissance artists had assistants who painted whole canvasses ready for their master’s signature or Andy Warhol with his factory churning out hundreds of signed screen prints.
But not all cars are art though.
And this is where it can get highly subjective. There are a plethora of electric and hybrid cars currently on the market which whilst not looking particularly unattractive, they do all tend to have the same ‘cookie-cutter’ visual similarities. Due to their limited shelf-life battery powertrains and their bland looks, ‘white-goods’ is a term that could be used to describe many of them. Not art. They also do not make any noise which removes one of the main senses of human experience and expression.
You could go even further and say that there are a number of modern supercars that all look the same as well. Without naming names, it is quite challenging to tell the difference between some supercar manufacturers’ individual current line-ups. These cars are arguably not art either as their individuality and uniqueness has dissipated and sometimes, the limited additions can border on outright vulgarity.
In no particular order, here is a highly subjective list of 25 cars that should be considered as ‘art’:
- Lamborghini Miura
- Citroen DS
- Mercedes 300SL Gullwing
- Jaguar E-Type Roadster Mk 1
- Ford GT40
- Aston Martin DB4 Zagato
- Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
- Alfa Romeo Touring Superleggera Disco Volante
- Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
- Bugatti Type 57C Atlantic
- Porsche 911 2.7 RS
- Porsche 918 Spyder
- McLaren F1
- Ferrari 250 GTO
- Ferrari Testarossa
- Ferrari Daytona
- Shelby Cobra
- Ferrari 330 P3/4
- Ferrari F40
- Chevrolet Corvette C2
- Bizzarrini 3500GT
- BMW 3.0 CSL
- BMW M1
- BMW 507
- Bentley S2 Continental
Or to whittle it down to a top 10, it gets even more subjective:
- Lamborghini Miura
- Citroen DS
- Mercedes 300SL Gullwing
- Jaguar E-Type Roadster Mk 1
- Aston Martin DB4 Zagato
- Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
- Bugatti Type 57C Atlantic
- Ferrari 250 GTO
- Chevrolet Corvette C2
- BMW 507
If cars are art, how do you display them?
Private collections of historic and exotic cars are traditionally stored in large offsite storage facilities or in unimaginative basement carparks or warehouses with bad lighting and no ambience. These cars are usually stored under a protective cover while their batteries are kept fully charged ready for their next drive. The downside is that their owners do not get to fully appreciate their favorite cars in a secure environment on a day to day basis. Forward planning is required when bringing a car back from the storage facility which normally involves having it delivered home on a trailer.
There is of course nothing new about creating a space for your cars at home. However, instead of treating it as just storage space, you could create a totally unique, luxurious space that you can relax in and take your time to appreciate your favorite cars. You could entertain friends, family and business colleagues in this space with a comfortable lounge area that has a great view of the cars displayed in a gallery-like space. Features such as a sunken seating area, a large cinematic screen, a bar, a dining space and a view into an adjacent swimming pool can all be incorporated.
Rare and covetable art is usually displayed in art galleries or museums – usually large generous and beautiful spaces that allow the art to be appreciated in an environment that complements and enhances the experience. Exactly the same approach can be applied to rare classic and supercars.
Golden Coast Connoisseur Featured Guild Member
Serious collectors are now turning to London-based Jonathan Clark Architects, who operate a sub-division studio called Garage Deluxe (garagedeluxe.com), that specializes in creating buildings and interiors in which cars are not merely stored, but celebrated.
Garage Deluxe are the only design company worldwide who specialize in this very bespoke automotive field with projects in the Middle East, Europe and the UK. Projects range from display spaces for 6 cars up to 100 cars plus race track buildings.
According to Jonathan Clark, “you could own something more dramatic and exquisite like the cars in your collection. If you cannot build above ground due to planning constraints, we can create a new subterranean structure with Bat-Cave influences for example. Everything is bespoke designed and themed to a certain customer – all that you love, from the cars that you drive, to your favorite films and interests. We are not only architects, we are also interior designers and can design every aspect of your bespoke space, all the way down to the very last detail. It could be the stitching of the leather banquettes to match that of your new Ferrari’s Daytona style seats, for example.”
Through their classic car and motor racing contacts, Garage Deluxe have access to virtually any piece of automotive and car racing memorabilia that imaginable — anything from famous driver’s helmets, overalls and steering wheels to trophies and original posters. They can curate a whole collection around a client’s interests.
They also deal with all the mechanics behind it all – humidity control, turntables, lifts, lift up ramps, sliding walls, switchable smart glass, programmable lighting effects amongst many other technological advances that a bespoke garage requires.
