SOME INTERESTING EUROPEAN CAR MUSEUMS

Following on from a visit to BMW's private BMW Classic Museum during the BMW Bavaria Tour 2011; some planned visits to other interesting Museums (both private & company owned) in Germany, France & Holland were undertaken & a lot of unusual, rare & unique vehicles seen. The biggest display (some 1500 cars!) consisted basically of the "Schlumpf Collection" at the French National Museum in Mulhouse. The Schlumpf brothers, wool brokers, financiers & avid car collectors had "hidden" their huge variety of cars of virtually all makes, in their old wool stores in Alsace. Their immense collection only "came to light" in the late 1970s, when the brothers filed for bankruptcy/fled France & it was taken over by the then French Government in 1980 in order to protect this "national treasure". The collection & buildings have now been restored/renovated to a truly magnificent standard; with no expense spared. More interesting private museums in Germany were also visited: 1. the Auto Collection Steim in Schramberg near the Alsace border; with over 200 interesting vehicles, mainly 'micro' cars. 2. The splendid collection (300+ cars) of Fritz B. Busch housed in the 500 y.o. castle stables in Wolfegg. Busch was Germany's most famous car journalist & car adventurer who passed away late in 2010, aged 88 years. He drove a 1973 VW Golf diesel from the top of Alaska to the tip of South America(40+K.kms) on one set of Pirelli tyres for advertising purposes. He built & drove a world speed record holder diesel vehicle in 1977. (both vehicles are on display in museum) The Audi Museum in Ingolstadt displayed many varied vehicles from the original 1910 Audi through the range of vehicles from the Auto Union amalgamation of the 1930s, to the present day VAG vehicles. However the finest & most magnificent collection of vehicles seen was in the world's oldest private museum; the Louwman Museum in The Hague, Holland. This purpose built Museum in beautiful park like surrounds adjacent to the Royal Palace, is a great spectacle in itself; even without viewing all the superb vehicle presentations inside. Some of the unique vehicles shown are: 1903 Spyker 60 h.p. All Wheel Drive Racing car. World's 1st car equipped with a 6 cylinder engine, 4WD & all wheel brakes! 1929 MB 550SSK Short wheel base Roadster. In totally original condition with a Supercharged 7 litres engine of 200 bhp & up to 200 kph top speed! 1937 Audi GP car. Rear engined V-16 of 6.5 litres capacity, producing 650 bhp (on methanol) & weighing only 650kgs! 1937 Talbot Lago T150 'teardrop' coupe. 1939 BMW 328 Superleggero Alloy bodied race car. Winner of the 1940 Mille MigliaRace. 1940 Toyota AA sedan. Only surviving example of this vehicle in the world. Unrestored. Owned by a Siberian farmer since W.W.II & driven from Vladivostok to Moscow, before transport to Holland. 1955 Daimler D400 coupe. Built for Sir & Lady Docker (the company Chairman); fitted with Ivory dash, Zebra skin seat covers & Gold plated trim. 1956 Jaguar D Type. Winner of 1956 Le Mans 24 hours Race. 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood 'customised' sedan. Owned by Elvis Presley & the last of some 57 Cadillacs owned by him. These are but some of many 'automobile memories' from our recent 8 weeks stay in Europe. Unforgettable!