the new website of the prince of monaco collection
Zapping The Blogauto Testing the Cupra Born in Lapland
At the end of the 1950s, Prince Rainier III, a car enthusiast, began his collection of vintage cars. Over the years and acquisitions the collection grows and very quickly. It was then that in 1993 Prince Rainier III decided to unveil his treasures to the public.
First located on the Terrasses de Fontvieille, the Car Collection of HSH the Prince of Monaco moved into its new modern setting in July 2022 next to the Rainier III nautical stadium and on the edge of the Monaco circuit, the establishment being located between the 1st corner of the swimming pool and the new Louis Chiron public car park! . This 3500m2 exhibition brings together nearly a hundred cars. It’s a little less than what was previously on display, but the scenography and the setting have nothing to do with it. We are now in a real automobile museum, which is worth the detour despite its relatively average size.
We first enter by discovering a collection of helmets, including those of Rosberg, Hamilton, Leclerc and especially that of Ayrton Senna, given in person to Prince Rainier in the early 90s, as well as a Porsche 908 ex-Hans Hermann . Access to the exhibition is spectacularly enhanced by two Formula 1 vehicles hung vertically on the wall overlooking the escalator: a 2008 Renault RS28 driven by Fernando Alonso and an ex-Hamilton McLaren MP4/22.
The museum is on two levels. The first level is dedicated to road cars – coupés and cabriolets in force – with first of all a space for the oldest, where princely carriages and carts from the beginning of the century rub shoulders. Then, the cars are sometimes arranged by nation or by era: first we come across imposing Rolls-Royce or a Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet, then large Americans (the Chrysler Imperial and the huge 1961 Cadillac Fleetwood with its batmobile) or even the Italian beauties, with the accent being placed on the “dolce vita”: we admire the three convertibles including a Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina and an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, with a projection in the background that compiles several extracts from films, since the beautiful transalpines were real stars of cinema and TV in the 60s and 70s, from the Giulietta Sprint of the things of life to the Ferrari Dino ofSincerely Yours passing by Maurice Ronet’s Maserati Ghibli in the swimming pool. On the French side, you can admire a Facel Vega, Citroën Traction Avant and 2CV or a Renault Dauphine.
This space is decorated with several touch tables which allow access to the detailed technical characteristics of all the cars but also to photographs and videos placed in front of the place of the automobile in the Monegasque heritage. You can also see through a small bay window part of the restoration/conservation workshop that manages the collection park. A Lamborghini Miura was seen…
The second level is dedicated to motorsport. We start with a beautiful Bugatti Type35 and an ex-Mansell Ferrari 640, then modern F1 and the WRC take the lead. On one side, a small starting grille where Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari SF90 rubs shoulders on pole, an ex-Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes (the difference in size between the two generations of cars is stunning) or even a 1991 Lamborghini (designed by Mauro Forghieri!). Opposite, some rally beasts with an R5 Maxi Turbo, a BMW M1 Group 4 ex-Bernard Beguin, a Peugeot 205 T16 or the recent Toyota Yaris WRC of Sébastien Ogier. A lot of rally cars have disappeared compared to the old collection where we also saw a Subaru Impreza. Finally, the level ends in apotheosis with a few supercars (Ferrari Testarossa, Lamborghini Countach) and a 2000 HP Top Fuel Dragster. This level is also decorated with a few windows and screens projecting archive images of the Monte Carlo rally or the Monaco F1 Grand Prix.
to summarize
The Prince of Monaco’s car collection has had a makeover by moving into a new, more modern space, making it possible to further enhance the fine motorized heritage of the principality. From the coach to the F1 via the pre-war torpedo or the Italian supercar, there is something for everyone.