The Louwman Museum

The Louwman Museum inwards the Netherlands is domicile to the world's oldest individual collection of motor cars. Started inwards 1934 as well as complied past times 2 generations of the Louwman family, the collection boasts 250 antique as well as classic cars.

Architecturally, the museum is astounding. The purpose-built infrastructure was opened inwards 2010 as well as was designed past times ane of the renowned 'New York Five' architects, Michael Graves. Graves specialised inwards maintaining a pure cast of modernism inwards the buildings he designed, as well as is the architect behind a huge issue of outstanding structures, from the Riverbend Music Centre inwards Cincinnati, to the Team Disney edifice inwards Burbank, alongside many to a greater extent than credits to his get upwards some the world.

Our companionship accountant, Amanda, painting exterior the museum

With a plethora of cars inwards the collection, it has listed its ain Top Five cars inwards monastic say to present the orbit of vehicles that they own. So, best accept a look...

Jaguar D-Type XKD 606 (1956)

This machine happens to live the 1957 Le Mans winner, crewed past times Flockhart as well as Bueb. The XKD 606 achieved a hat-trick of consecutive Le Mans wins, roofing a tape 4397km at an average speed of 183km/h; a tape which remained unbroken for 4 years. After Le Mans, the D-Type ended upwards on the social club racing scene, as well as then, next a crash, was carve upwards inwards two: torso as well as rear-wheel suspension as well as front end sub-frame as well as engine. The museum managed to start out both halves of the car, as well as later a lengthy – as well as historically accurate – restoration project, the machine was returned to the status it was inwards during it's successful run inwards 1957.

Lagonda M45R (1935)

This Lagonda M45R won Le Mans inwards 1935, despite running depression engine petroleum as well as suffering a collision that damaged the steering before inwards the race. This machine is displayed inwards completely master copy condition, correct downwards to the upholstery; an impressive feat for a machine over eighty years old!

AC Racing Special (1924)

Englishman Gordon Rossiter used coin gifted to him on his 21st birthday to convert an one-time 1924 2.0-litre six-cylinder air-conditioning into a racing car. air-conditioning stands for Auto Carrier, the get upwards of the three-wheeled delivery van launched past times the Weller brothers inwards 1904. Rossiter gear upwards a novel flat tape at the Blackwell colina climb inwards his converted AC, and, spell racing at Donington Park, clocked a transcend speed of 105mph.

Spyker C4 All-Weather Coupe (1922)

This special Spyker C4 is upholstered inwards simulated snakeskin, as well as the luggage rack has a jagged border to discourage ane from hitching a ride on the back. The reliability as well as luxurious blueprint of this machine led to it beingness known inwards England every bit the 'Rolls-Royce of the Continent.' In 1922, Selwyn Francis Edge headed to Brooklands inwards a C4 for the 'Double Twelve.' The tape endeavour was held inwards 2 12-hour stints, as well as Edge gear upwards a novel speed tape of 2860km at an average speed of almost 120km/h.

Renault 40CV Type JP Touring Wiederkehr (1922)

With a six-cylinder engine that has a nine-litre capacity, this is ane of the largest Renaults every built, as well as the ane on display at the Louwman museum is the exclusively ane nonetheless inwards existence. The 40CV before long became a trace of piece of employment solid favourite inwards high society, as well as was delivered every bit exactly a motorised chassis, alongside the choice of bodywork beingness left to the customer. In 1925, a 40CV won the Rally Monte Carlo, as well as inwards 1926, a special single-seat bodywork 40CV participated inwards the Montlhery endurance event.

Fellow Velocista, Amanda, lately visited the Louwman museum, as well as brought dorsum alongside her numerous images of the vast collection. Now, aside from the real conventional looking cars that brand the museum's transcend five, hither are v cars that stood out for their unique as well as striking designs!

Brooke 25/30-HP Swan Car (1910)

Created past times the eccentric Scotsman Robert Nicholl 'Scotty' Mathewson, the bodywork represents a swan gliding through water, as well as on the bring upwards is an elaborate lotus bloom blueprint inwards gilded leaf. The swan's eyes are fifty-fifty fitted alongside electrical bulbs! Fully restored past times the museum inwards 1991, the machine went on to win the Montagu Prize at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, held inwards California.

Fiat 1100 Boat-car Carrozzeri Coriasco (1953)

Despite how it may seem, this is non an amphicar! Coriasco, a bodywork manufacturer inwards Turin, built this inwards the '50s to promote the Scuola Nautical Scarani sailing schoolhouse inwards Bologna. Lots of nautical details were included, such every bit portholes, lifeboats as well as a varnished wooden deck, alongside the mudguards representing the waves of the ocean.

Lincoln Sedan Delivery Deco Liner & Harley Davidson Sportster Deco Scoot (2008)

Inspired past times the bodywork designs of Saoutchik as well as Figonie et Falaschi inwards the 1930s, as well as the fine art deco movement, Terry Cook as well as Frank Nicholas of Deco Rides, New Jersey, designed this vehicle based on the 1939 Lincoln Zephyr T. Completed inwards 2008, the machine is powered past times an eight-cylinder, 5.7 litre Chevrolet 'small block' engine, as well as the Chevrolet Blazer four-wheel chassis has an extension to allow for a 1992 Harley Davidson Sportster to live stored inwards the car.

Taruffi Italcorsa/TARF II

Designed past times Italian racing driver as well as engineer Piero Taruffi, this machine is powered past times a 1.7-litre 290HP supercharged Maserati engine, as well as is driven using command sticks, every bit in that location is no room for a steering wheel. Achieving a transcend speed of exactly nether 300km/h on the flight kilometre as well as flight mile, held on the Via Appia close Rome, it went on to interruption records over longer distances at Montlhery as well as Monza over the next years.

Darracq 12HP 'Genevieve' (1904)

Ah, Genevieve... Those who are regular followers of all things Veloce volition squall upwards that nosotros published a mass on Genevieve at the terminate of 2016. Written past times Rodney Laredo, A Darracq Called Genevieve is the biography of this 1904 Darracq's life on as well as off the silverish screen. Coincidently, nosotros lately received a review of this fabulous book, which you lot tin displace read here:

"An enjoyable insight into the Genevieve legend"

"Genevieve, every bit revealed inwards the 1953 classic British comedy painting was, as well as is, a credible tale of veteran motoring mayhem. Veloce has lately published A Darracq Called Genevieve. It's a 154-page hardback detailing the floor of the car, the film, as well as the multifarious as well as multi-talented characters involved.

"We've got a re-create of the mass correct hither inwards the component as well as we've been enjoying reading it. New Zealand author Rodney Laredo writes from the heart; this tale reads similar a real personal trace of piece of employment concern human relationship of his lifelong involvement alongside the Genevieve story.

"Laredo was exactly a man child when he became entranced alongside the celluloid as well as the 1904 Darracq at the centre. His developing involvement led to numerous letters, articles, conversation as well as lastly coming together the slow Dinah Sheridan.

"Laredo as well as menage unit of measurement eventually became expert friends alongside Sheridan as well as other personalities involved inwards the wider story. Therefore, it was natural plenty for the author to also explore the real interesting history of Darracq cars, which is nonetheless a largely overlooked- or fifty-fifty unknown- chapter inwards the annals of motoring history.

"Packed alongside numerous artifacts from the film, it's difficult to reckon why whatsoever hard-core Genevieve fan would not want a re-create of this book. But fifty-fifty those alongside a to a greater extent than casual involvement volition honour this enjoyable.

"If you lot haven't seen the painting for a spell as well as desire to re-view it, you'll live certain to picket it inwards a much wider lite as well as context later you lot leafage through this publication. And if you lot but desire to know something nigh Darracq cars, here's a pretty expert house to start."

–Sump