“L’epoque des Carrossiers: The Art and Times of the French Coachbuilders” is the title of a new exhibition opening April 14 at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, where some of the most sculpturally sensual cars in the world will be on display. Among those cars are the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic by Jean Bugatti, 1939 Delahaye Type 165 cabriolet by Figoni et Falaschi and 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS “Goutte d’Eau.”
“Our new exhibit will showcase the sublime beauty and artistry of France’s finest coachbuilt cars,” Peter Mullin, the museum’s founder, was quoted in a news release. “The display highlights the nuanced details and elegant craftsmanship that define and distinguish each of the coachbuilders from one another.
“The elegant cars paired with their rich and diverse stories will create a captivating educational experience on the coachbuilt genre.”
Included in the exhibit are works by Bugatti, Citroen, De Villars, Figoni et Falaschi, Henri Chapron, Henri Labourdette, Guiet & Cie., Pourtout, Jacques Saoutchik, Vanvorren and Gabriel Voisin, the museum said.
Several of the vehicles are Best of Show winners at major concours d’elegance.
Petersen to host ‘Future of the Automobile’ conference
Peter Mullin not only runs his own car museum, but is chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which will join the Los Angeles World Affairs Council to host the “Future of the Automobile Conference” on May 3. The event will feature talks and panel sessions involving leaders in the field of the automobile, technology and city-planning.
Among the subjects to be explored are the impact of autonomous vehicles on city landscapes, the future of auto racing, and the competition between the traditional automakers and the tech companies to design the next-generation of transportation devices.
“Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, the Petersen his immersed in the transportation revolution. We want to be at the forefront of this conversation,” said Terry Karges, the museum’s executive director.
“The world of the automobile is changing before our eyes, and Los Angeles is at the epicenter of this change,” added Terry McCarthy, president of the LA World Affairs Council. “Our conference will discuss this paradigm shifts in the car industry that will soon impact every country in the world.”
Among the speakers is Ted Schilowitz, futurist at Paramount Pictures, as well as experts from Caltech, Microsoft and the Art Center College of Design.
Corvette museum offers ‘Moore Mondays’
Each Monday, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, will offer its Moore Mondays podcast featuring curator Derek Moore. The first segment was staged March 26 with a five-minute video on the Falconer ZR-12 Corvette. On April 2, Moore’s subject will be the “Cormaro.” You can catch the cast on Facebook Live “around 10:30 a.m.” CDT, and if you miss it there, the museum says it will also post on YouTube.
‘The Future is Now’ at the Simeone
“The Future is Now,” or at least will be very soon, at the Simeone Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, where an exhibition by that name is to run from April 28 through May 13.
“We are looking to prove that we are living in the future, a world where driving an automobile with technology once thought to be science fiction is an everyday experience,” the museum said as it sent out a request for cars that might be included in the exhibit.
“Innovations such as hybrid technology, touch screens, navigation systems, hands free voice communication systems, object detection systems, radar, heads up displays, electric, solar, and more are needed to showcase these once sci-fi technologies,” the notice continued. “If you have a sports car, a car built for speed and fun that has any number of the above features send us a submission to see if it can be a part of The Future is Now Exhibition.”
To offer your vehicle, see the special exhibit website.
Mercedes museum extends AMG exhibition
The special “50 Years of AMG” exhibition at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany has been so successful, already attracting more than 150,000 visitors, that it is being extended through May 6, the museum staff has announced.
For the extension, six more cars are being added, five of them from the AMG Black Series.
Special events this weekend
The Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, not only is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but on Sunday hosts the fifth anniversary session of its cars & coffee cruise-in from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. On both Saturday and Sunday, the museum will be selling off its collection of toy and model cars, including 1/43-scales by Rio, Solido, Corgi and Brumm, 1/24s and 1/18s by Danbury and Franklin mints.
Beginning today and running through April 15, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, England, offers tours on board the Gipsy Moth IV and HMS Medusa. For details, see the special Buckler’s Hard website.
The AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, offers an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Mark your calendar
On April 7, the AACA Museum stages its Spring 2nd Chance Auction/Flea Market/Car Corral in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Also on April 7, the Blackhawk Museum will feature not only Peter Brock in its feature series, but will host the Blackhawk Z Gathering, a Datsun/Nissan car show featuring members of the Z Owners of Northern California club.
LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, plans to open a special exhibit of 17 BMW Motorsport vehicles spanning 75 years of racing history on May 12. But before then, on April 12, the museum will open its Powering the Future Learning Lab with an examination of “What will fuel our future automobiles?”
On April 20, the Petersen hosts “Luff X Petersen – 30 years of the 964,” a special Porsche event to kick off the fifth annual Luftgekuhlt show.
The Mullin Museum has to be the premier small venue anywhere
We plan to go again. It is superb
Just a comment: I understand that the Mullin Museum does not allow photography, which is very disappointing. I have just returned from the Revs Institute in Florida where it is not only permitted but the lighting is set to facilitate it. In addition, there are no barriers around the cars there!