Precious Metal at the Petersen Automotive Museum
- Images by Shawn Glad
In the heart of Los Angeles, within the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery, the Petersen Automotive Museum has assembled an all-silver collection of rare and exceptional automobiles, appropriately titled “Precious Metal.” The gallery showcased cars on loan from esteemed collections such as those of Bruce Meyer, The Nethercutt Collection, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, to name just a few. In terms of value, the collection had an estimated worth of $200 million, with the 1954 Mercedes W196, valued at half the exhibit’s total.
“The chemical properties of silver (Ag) bestow upon it the coveted status of one of the world’s most sought-after metals. As the most reflective, conductive, and malleable metal, silver finds its place in jewelry, tableware, currency, and other cherished items. It’s no surprise, then, that the color silver has adorned automobiles through metal brightwork and lustrous paint. The advent of chrome plating in the early twentieth century marked the era when silver cars captivated public imagination, ushering in a futuristic aesthetic and bidding farewell to the days of brass and nickel-plated vehicles.
From that point on, silver cars became synonymous with luxury, status, and refined taste. Automobile manufacturers reserved silver touches for their most prestigious models and show cars, with names like Silver Arrow, Silver Bullet, and Silver Streak representing the epitome of performance and style. Today, despite advancements in technology and materials, silver cars continue to captivate. For automobiles, it seems that silver will forever set the gold standard against which others are measured.”
Among the cars of the exhibit were the Mercedes W196, Ferrari 625/250 Testa Rossa, 375MM, and the McLaren F1, each a masterclass in engineering and design, with stories of speed, luxury, and ingenuity. These cars were more than just machines; they brought the exhibit’s theme to life, showing how silver evolved from a simple metal into a mark of prestige and design excellence.
The 1954 Mercedes W196 stands as one of the most valuable cars in the world, estimated at around $100 million, with a reputation as the most advanced race car of its era. Owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, it features a straight-8 engine with fuel injection, achieving top speeds of 186 mph. Uniquely designed with a center driving position reminiscent of Grand Prix cars, it was skillfully driven by legendary drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. Dominating the racing scene, the W196 won 9 of the 12 races it competed in during 1954 and 1955, before Mercedes-Benz made the strategic decision to withdraw from racing, cementing its legacy in motorsport history.
The 1954 Ferrari 375 MM, bodied by Scaglietti, is heralded for its high-speed performance. Originally built as a race car with a Barchetta body and finished in red, it was first owned by film director Roberto Rossellini and his wife, Ingrid Bergman, who took it on European road trips until an accident severely damaged its front end.The vehicle underwent a transformation at Scaglietti in Modena, where it was fitted with a new coupe body, as it is currently displayed. As the 12th of just 15 375 MMs manufactured by Ferrari, its unmatched significance is highlighted by a top speed of 170 mph. This car is currently on loan from The Shirley Family Collection in Seattle, Washington.
This 1957 Ferrari 625/250 Testa Rossa, bodied by Scaglietti, holds the title of being the most winning Ferrari in history and included drivers such as John Von Neumann, Richie Ginther, and Ken Miles. Its distinctive design and exceptional performance on the race tracks underscore its significance in Ferrari’s racing heritage.
The 1995 McLaren F1, designed and built by Gordon Murray, redefined the boundaries of speed and design for production cars in the 90s. Weighing only 2,431 lbs and powered by a 550hp BMW V-12 engine, and making use of materials like carbon fiber, titanium, gold, and Kevlar, this vehicle is capable of achieving a remarkable top speed of 243 mph. Regarded as one of the fastest production cars ever created, its distinctive cockpit design places the driver in the center, flanked by passenger seats on both sides, providing a driver-centric design.