The 10 greatest cars I have photographed personally
Discussion
God knows how many photographs I have ,but i was thinking about the very best cars I have seen over the years, some recently, some longer ago. I am not sure I could put them in order, but for me the represent true greatness, in some cases uniqueness, and the very best of the automotive world. They all have in common that i could not afford even the cheapest of them, if the word "cheap" can ever be used here. If I could actually bring one home, I think it would be the BMW.
As far as possible I have indicated where I saw each car.
(1) 1936 Bugatti Atlantic - Mullin Museum, Oxnard CA.
There is not an imperfect line on this car. The thing is Art Deco perfection, and in my view nicer than the only other in existence, the black car owned by Ralph Lauren
(2) 1940 Mille Miglia BMW 328 - BMW Museum, Munich
Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
(3) 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR - Mercedes Museum Stuttgart
10 built, including the two Uhlenhaut coupes. One (levegh) lost in the 1955 Le Mans Disaste. Six are held directly by Mercedes, one at Ford Museum in Dearborn, one at the Schlumpf in Mulhouse, and one in the tecknik museum in Munich.
Although the most important one is 722, the Moss car, I prefer the Uhlenhaut Gullwing, with its straight 8 and open exhaust..
(4) 1928 Mercedes SSK - Schlumpf Collection, Mulhouse.
These show up in a few places in including the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, they are lean and much more sporting than the lumbering 540Ks that followed.
(5) 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa pontoon - Simeone Foundation, Philadelphie
I prefer this to the 250 GTO personally...it looks so lithe and racing greyhound-like to me.
(6) Porsche 917 - various locations, including Porsche Museum and Simeone Foundation
Greatest Porsche racer ever, much smaller in reality. The first pic is at Simeone, the second in the Porsche garage, and third in the main museum .
(7) McLaren F1 - BMW private reserve collection Munich
BMW-derived V12, it is so small in reality, like a Boxster. It was the greatest car of its time
(8) Ferrari 250SWB - Galleria Ferrari, Modena
I like it better than the GTO, compact, beautiful car.
(9) Porsche 911 Hybrid.- in the pits at the Ring 24 in 2010
As a Porsche fan, have to include a 911. I watched as the Hybrid clawed its way to a certain win in the 24, only to have a gearbox problem and retire a cuoble of hours before the end
(10) F1 Ferrari of Gilles Villlenuve...photographed with him at the wheel at the Canadian GP in 1978 and in Sears Point CA in 2006. I loved the excitement of going to F1 raced then, the noise, the smell, the skill. Included for the memories of seeing Gilles win in it.
As far as possible I have indicated where I saw each car.
(1) 1936 Bugatti Atlantic - Mullin Museum, Oxnard CA.
There is not an imperfect line on this car. The thing is Art Deco perfection, and in my view nicer than the only other in existence, the black car owned by Ralph Lauren
(2) 1940 Mille Miglia BMW 328 - BMW Museum, Munich
Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
(3) 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR - Mercedes Museum Stuttgart
10 built, including the two Uhlenhaut coupes. One (levegh) lost in the 1955 Le Mans Disaste. Six are held directly by Mercedes, one at Ford Museum in Dearborn, one at the Schlumpf in Mulhouse, and one in the tecknik museum in Munich.
Although the most important one is 722, the Moss car, I prefer the Uhlenhaut Gullwing, with its straight 8 and open exhaust..
(4) 1928 Mercedes SSK - Schlumpf Collection, Mulhouse.
These show up in a few places in including the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, they are lean and much more sporting than the lumbering 540Ks that followed.
(5) 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa pontoon - Simeone Foundation, Philadelphie
I prefer this to the 250 GTO personally...it looks so lithe and racing greyhound-like to me.
(6) Porsche 917 - various locations, including Porsche Museum and Simeone Foundation
Greatest Porsche racer ever, much smaller in reality. The first pic is at Simeone, the second in the Porsche garage, and third in the main museum .
(7) McLaren F1 - BMW private reserve collection Munich
BMW-derived V12, it is so small in reality, like a Boxster. It was the greatest car of its time
(8) Ferrari 250SWB - Galleria Ferrari, Modena
I like it better than the GTO, compact, beautiful car.
(9) Porsche 911 Hybrid.- in the pits at the Ring 24 in 2010
As a Porsche fan, have to include a 911. I watched as the Hybrid clawed its way to a certain win in the 24, only to have a gearbox problem and retire a cuoble of hours before the end
(10) F1 Ferrari of Gilles Villlenuve...photographed with him at the wheel at the Canadian GP in 1978 and in Sears Point CA in 2006. I loved the excitement of going to F1 raced then, the noise, the smell, the skill. Included for the memories of seeing Gilles win in it.
The first 4 are particularly great. That Bugatti 
(2) 1940 Mille Miglia BMW 328 - BMW Museum, Munich
Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
When I first saw the image I actually thought this was an XK120, it has an uncanny resemblance.
What a Gobsmackingly Gorgeous car that Jaguar may have copied??? or is that just sacrilege to even suggest such a thing!
Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
When I first saw the image I actually thought this was an XK120, it has an uncanny resemblance.
What a Gobsmackingly Gorgeous car that Jaguar may have copied??? or is that just sacrilege to even suggest such a thing!
lestiq said:
(2) 1940 Mille Miglia BMW 328 - BMW Museum, Munich
Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
When I first saw the image I actually thought this was an XK120, it has an uncanny resemblance.
What a Gobsmackingly Gorgeous car that Jaguar may have copied??? or is that just sacrilege to even suggest such a thing!
The car has an interesting history and spent most of its post-war life in the UK as a private vehicle driven regularly. As I recall Lyons certainly saw it. Its years since I read the story though. No specific evidence, though, just rumours.Only one built, often regarded as the inspiration for the Jag XK 120, and for me, the most beautiful BMW ever.
When I first saw the image I actually thought this was an XK120, it has an uncanny resemblance.
What a Gobsmackingly Gorgeous car that Jaguar may have copied??? or is that just sacrilege to even suggest such a thing!
wolfracesonic said:
Did you see the Type 41 Coupe Napolean while you were at the Schlumpf collection? I've always thought that a beautiful looking car, despite it being the size of small truck, which only seems to be noticeable when you see someone stood next to it.
I did indeed...spectacular car. I could probably list another 50 but its all what you like...things like the Teardrop Talbot-Lagos, Alfa 2.9, Porsce 904 plus the type 41 you mentioned, the 250 GTO and others come to mind. have a few pics of the Royale somewhere
RDMcG said:
The car has an interesting history and spent most of its post-war life in the UK as a private vehicle driven regularly. As I recall Lyons certainly saw it. Its years since I read the story though. No specific evidence, though, just rumours.
Here is a tail view..alao beautifully executed.......
The Testarossa surely is a thing of extreme beauty.
Having seen a few F1s, you're right that in the flesh they are much smaller than one would imagine. Also, that looks the nuts in Silver. Most cars don't but I think compared to F1s I've seen in other colours, the silver brings out the detail in Gordon Murray's design more than any other.
Lovely pics. Thanks for sharing.
Having seen a few F1s, you're right that in the flesh they are much smaller than one would imagine. Also, that looks the nuts in Silver. Most cars don't but I think compared to F1s I've seen in other colours, the silver brings out the detail in Gordon Murray's design more than any other.
Lovely pics. Thanks for sharing.
rockandrollmark said:
The Testarossa surely is a thing of extreme beauty.
Having seen a few F1s, you're right that in the flesh they are much smaller than one would imagine. Also, that looks the nuts in Silver. Most cars don't but I think compared to F1s I've seen in other colours, the silver brings out the detail in Gordon Murray's design more than any other.
Lovely pics. Thanks for sharing.
Sadly they had two originally but the CEO of the time, Pitschreider, wrote one off on the autobahn, so they are a bit picky about allowing anyone to drive the remaining one.Having seen a few F1s, you're right that in the flesh they are much smaller than one would imagine. Also, that looks the nuts in Silver. Most cars don't but I think compared to F1s I've seen in other colours, the silver brings out the detail in Gordon Murray's design more than any other.
Lovely pics. Thanks for sharing.
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