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Official: Petersen Museum undergoing stunning design overhaul [w/video]

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Videos

Petersen Automotive Museum exterior renovation plans

If you were alarmed when the Petersen Automotive Museum starting selling off large and significant parts of its venerable collection, fret not: the museum isn’t in trouble. In fact it’s about to embark on what could be its most ambitious rebirth since the late Motor Trend publisher Robert E. Petersen and his wife Margie founded the museum nearly 20 years ago.

The plans announced at Pebble Beach this past weekend revolve principally around an architectural renovation of the former department store that houses the museum by the corner of Wilshire Boulevard at Fairfax in Los Angeles. The project is being undertaken by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (no relation) and calls for flowing bands of stainless steel enveloping three sides of the red structure, giving the building a fresh look without requiring any structural changes. The steel ribbons will be backlit by LEDs day and night, and remind us of a blend between a hot rod flame job and cartographical topography. But the renovation isn’t just a facade: the project will also add another 15,000 square feet of display space inside, with new galleries and digital displays focusing on cars and car culture in South California and around the world.

The overhaul will also encompass a “refined and upgraded” collection as well as rotating displays, although few details were given at this point as to what exactly that will entail. Scope out the video clip and the press release below for more.

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Petersen Museum undergoing stunning design overhaul [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Aug 2013 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: LaFerrari design secrets explored at Ferrari museum

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Design/Style

For every finished vehicle design we see, there are probably hundreds of drawings and models that have long since been discarded. Housed in its own room inside the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, the LaFerrari has a unique exhibit that shows off some of the car’s design evolution, and Autocar caught up with Ferrari design director Flavio Manzoni for an even deeper look at what went into creating this hybrid supercar.

In addition to the final product, the LaFerrari exhibit also reveals some of the designs that didn’t make the cut – two of which made it to the full-size scale model phase, though. The display shows off five different designs (three from Ferrari and two from Pininfarina) that were in the running to become the final LaFerrari.

The interview with Manzoni even adds in some juicy bits of info, including news that one of the potential LaFerrari designs has been locked away and could resurface as a special, one-off model. Manzoni gets in a couple of good quotes while voicing his opposition of the current retro design language currently being used by some automakers, as well. Check it all out in the video below.

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LaFerrari design secrets explored at Ferrari museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auctions: Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Wagon, Auctions, Ford, Ferrari, Luxury

The changes happening at the Petersen Museum have been making the rounds in major press, but it probably won’t be until August 18, during Pebble Beach, when we get the full story on what’s happening; that’s where and when museum reps plan on announcing the way forward for the SoCal institution. In the meantime, the museum is still reorganizing its collection, and that means auctioning some of its showpieces at this weekend’s Auctions America event in Burbank.

Three of the stars are a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289, one of less than 20 produced with a three-speed C-4 automatic transmission, a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL owned by actor Robert Stack and the last 1948 Ford Sportsman ‘Woodie’ ever produced. The Cobra, now restored to its original white exterior and red leather interior, was a factory demonstrator that first sold for $5,250. Showing just 38,950 miles on the odometer, its pre-sale estimate is $800,000 to $1 million.

The 300SL is actually a 1957 model but wasn’t titled until Robert Stack took possession in 1960. The lead actor in the The Untouchables TV series used to drive by the Sunset Boulevard Mercedes dealership to ogle the car, but couldn’t justify spending the money to buy it. When he and the producer of The Untouchables won Emmys for the show, the producer, who happened to be Desi Arnaz, bought the car for Stack. He owned it his whole life, it has been left as Stack drove it and still bears the California license plate “UNTCHBL.”

The 100-horsepower 1947 Woodie is considered to be the last Sportsman ever built, one of just 28 examples produced that year. It’s been thoroughly restored and returned to its Maize Yellow hue, with the original Birdseye Maple along its flanks and gray cardboard lining in its trunk.

They will go up on the plinth with rarities like a Jaguar XJ220, 1974 Mercedes-Benz 600 LWB Pullman Limousine and 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. You can read about the cars and the auction in the press releases below.

Continue reading Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colorado museum is trove of Shelby American treasures

Filed under: Etc.

shelby american collection

Kamil Kaluski, a.k.a CarGuyDad, was cruising around Boulder, Colorado with his daughter when he spotted a sign emblazoned with “Auto Museum.” Not expecting much, he was a surprised to find this particular museum was actually home to the Shelby American Collection.

Stepping into the nondescript building, Kaluski and his young traveling companion were greeted by the sight of Cobras, Mustangs, GT40s and a few other very special hunks of iron. Some of those “other” vehicles include a Falcon wagon used as a Shelby parts hauler/tow vehicle and a Ferrari raced by Carroll himself.

Head over to CarGuyDad for more information on his surprising Colorado find, as well as more photos of the vehicles housed at the Shelby American Collection.

[Source: Car Guy Dad]

Colorado museum is trove of Shelby American treasures originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mullin Automotive Museum steps closer to bringing classic Bugatti coupe to life

Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Bugatti, Design/Style

1939 bugatti type 64 coupe

1939 Bugatti Type 64 Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Peter Mullin is nuts for classic French cars. His Mullin Automotive Museum is a beautiful shrine to a very specific period of automotive history. One particular vehicle in his collection is Jean Bugatti’s unfinished 1939 Type 64 Coupe. Jean was Ettore’s oldest son, and he died while test driving the Le Mans-winning Type 57 C. His Type 64 Coupe chassis never got the body that Bugatti hoped to have built for it… but Mr. Mullin is going to change that.

Using Jean Bugatti’s sketches as a guide, Mullin has partnered with Stewart Reed Design to develop a vision of what the car should look like. Now, that pair is joined by Mike Kleeves of Automobile Metal Shaping Company, which means that team officially have someone on their team capable of bringing this bit of conceptual art into the physical world.

For more on the Type 64, check out the up-close look at the car we experienced during a field trip to the Mullin Museum in 2010.

Gallery: 1939 Bugatti Type 64

1939 Bugatti Type 64

Gallery: Mullin Museum: Bugatti Type 64 Coupe Chassis

[Source: Mullin Automotive Museum]

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Mullin Automotive Museum steps closer to bringing classic Bugatti coupe to life originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petersen Museum secures $100,000,000 donation

Filed under: Etc.

petersen automotive musuem

Petersen Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

Every year, more than 150,000 folks stroll through the halls of the Petersen Automotive Museum. The crowds have been coming to the Los Angles auto-institution since 1994, when the doors were first opened. And it looks like those doors will remain open for many years to come thanks to a very large donation by Margie Petersen and the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation. When we say “large” we mean it, because Mrs. Petersen just handed over $100,000,000 to the Petersen Museum Foundation.

Now, before you jump out of your seat because of all those zeros, we have to explain a bit more about that figure. This $100,000,000 donation is comprised of the 300,000 square foot building, cars that were part of Robert E. Petersen’s personal collection, an undisclosed influx of cash (described as a “substantial unrestricted financial gift”) and a “matching challenge.”

We wanted to find out a little more with regards to just how this $100 million donation breaks down. A quick call to Buddy Pepp, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Musuem, helped shed some light on the matter. While Mr. Pepp could not disclose the exact amount of the cash gift they’re receiving, he did say that value is “enormous.” He went on to state that it’s “breathtaking” and will “enable us to do all the things we’ve wanted or need to do. It will catapult us to a world-renowned status. This donation will allow us to fulfill Bob Petersen’s vision.” Not only that, the “matching challenge” will make sure that the directing board keeps pushing to help the museum continue to grow.

We were hoping to get to the juicy details, and hear an exact figure, but it’s good to know that the Petersen Museum is going to allow people of all ages to get a glimpse of automobiles from all eras. In fact, the total number of vehicles being donated from Petersen’s private stock is 135, and that includes a handful of motorcycles as well. It’s an incredibly generous gift from a couple that already give to many other groups and charities.

Gallery: Petersen Automotive Museum

Musclecars Driven to Collect 1925 Rolls Royce Round Door Petersen Automotive Exterior

[Source: Petersen Automotive Museum]

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Petersen Museum secures $100,000,000 donation originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bertone hits Shanghai, says museum car auction may not happen after all

Filed under: Concept Cars, China, Europe, Earnings/Financials, Shanghai Motor Show

Bertone emblem

Our friends at legendary Italian design house Bertone had a small group of us over to its headquarters in Caprie just to the west of Turin in order to shed greater light on what the company’s current situation actually is. In brief, from the mouth of CEO Marco Filippa, contrary to reports that recent Fiat rumblings have put Bertone on the skids, the company is instead thriving in its own humble manner… sort of.

First sign of thrive-ery is the unveiling of three Bertone-executed showcar concepts at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show, two of which are strictly for Chinese clients and a third being of potential global significance for General Motors’ joint partner SAIC, known also as Shanghai GM. Bertone’s holding company and Stile Bertone have signed up four of the top five Chinese brands for 2011 projects, along with a project with what some insiders say is BMW, and one more with the newly incorporated Fiat Industrial.

Awkward news reports insinuating that Fiat’s pause in investing in the manufacturing facility it bought from Bertone in late 2009 – and the announcement of six Bertone museum pieces being put up for sale by RM Auctions at the upcoming Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este – had many people concluding that Bertone was desperate for cash. “Not the case at all,” CEO Filippa has assured us.

Continue reading Bertone hits Shanghai, says museum car auction may not happen after all

Bertone hits Shanghai, says museum car auction may not happen after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic In Detail – Click above for high-res image gallery

My first time going to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was back in 2003. There were some incredible classic cars on the 18th fairway, with Ford celebrating its 100th anniversary and Bugatti as the featured marque. In the multitude of millions of dollars worth of cars, though, there was one car that stood out from all the others – Peter Williamson’s 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Despite my complete lack of knowledge of pre-war cars at the time, even I could recognize that the car had a presence about it that no other vehicle at the show could boast. My intuition was right, and the Bugatti eventually went on to win the coveted Best of Show award that year.

The Bugatti made the news again earlier this year when Gooding & Company announced it had sold the car to an unnamed buyer in the range of a record $30-$40 million. Soon after, it was announced that the car would be on display at the recently-opened Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA. Since I’m always looking for an excuse for the museum to let me look at their incredible collection of cars, I called them up and convinced them to let me have a look.

After an hour of inspecting and photographing every inch of the car, I’m declaring the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worthy of its title as the world’s most expensive car. Hit the jump for my top ten reasons why.

Gallery: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic In Detail

Continue reading Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum

Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog tours the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc.

Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

While traveling the country as part of the 2010 Mini Takes The States road rally, we stopped off at Philadelphia’s Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum to get a closer look at some of the iconic cars that helped shape motorsport as we know it. This museum represents the personal collection of Dr. Frederick Simeone and features over 60 different cars from the full spectrum of automakers.

The museum isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as you might expect, but that’s not to say it’s lackluster, either. There are no spotlights or interactive displays, and there are no one-offs or custom builds. Instead, you get an array of cars that saw actual competition. LeMans, Brooklands, Sebring, the Mille Miglia – it’s all on display. What’s more, the museum regularly takes the cars out to its three-acre parking lot for demonstration days.

Located near Philadelphia International Airport, the Simeone museum is open six days a week, and admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students and free for children ages eight and under. Group rates are available, and complete details are available over at the museum’s website.

Scroll through our gallery below for a few dozen high-resolution photos of the beautiful cars on display, and if you’re ever in Philadelphia, be sure to stop by and see the collection firsthand.

Gallery: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

Autoblog tours the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in May history was made when an unnamed buyer shelled out a record $30-$40 million for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, this particular 57SC Atlantic is just one of three built and one of only two still in existence. The sale, done through the Gooding & Company auction house, is the second time this exact car exchanged hands for a record sum. The previous owner, Dr. Peter Williamson, purchased the car in 1971 for the unheard of price of $59,000. The car competed in the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and was easily declared the Best of Show.

While the 57SC Atlantic rarely made public appearances outside prestigious concours events, the Mullin Automotive Museum has announced that they will have the car on display at its Oxnard, CA facility starting on August 10th. “I am honored to have the opportunity to display the Bugatti Atlantic at our Art Deco museum,” said Peter Mullin. “In the historic pantheon of automobiles the Atlantic is without peer.”

Those interested in seeing the car in person can head over to the museum’s web site. Tickets must be purchased in advance for select viewing days. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum

[Source: Mullin Automotive Museum]

Continue reading World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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