Summer 2025
Summer is the perfect time for travel and discovery, and many automobile museums around the world offer special events and exhibitions. You can find more information on the museums’ websites (click on the museum link on the Automobile Museums page). In addition to the exhibitions featured in this newsletter and previous ones, here are a few more ideas for visits.
The Louwman Museum (Den Haag, Netherlands) is exhibiting several BMW “Art Cars.” This idea, launched in the 1970s, has endured (and continues to this day), with BMW calling on famous designers to interpret their theme on a car. These are generally racing models that have competed in prestigious events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Copyright Photos Louwman Museum
The exhibition features iconic models from the brand such as the 3.0 CSL, the M1 and, more recently, the M3, as well as a few touring models such as the 525i and the 850 CSi. The artists involved are equally prestigious, including Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Jeff Koons. The exhibition “Fine Art On Wheels” runs from July 4 to August 31, 2025.
Copyright Photos Louwman Museum
Leidsestraatweg 57, 2594BB Den Haag, Netherlands
From July 3 to August 31, with the “Big in Japan” exhibition, Autoworld Brussels (Belgium) invites you to immerse yourself in a world where tradition, innovation, and mechanical extravagance meet. This spectacular summer exhibition will celebrate the richness of the Japanese automotive and motorcycle industry through a scenography dedicated to the Land of the Rising Sun. In terms of atmosphere and decor, Autoworld will be transformed to immerse its visitors in a traditional Japanese atmosphere, with a reconstruction of a small town inspired by the Edo period, its cobbled streets, its Japanese stepping stones winding through Zen gardens, and its iconic Torii gates.
On the mechanical side, visitors will find iconic and rare production cars and supercars such as the Mazda Cosmo, Toyota 2000 GT and Spider, Honda NSX, Toyota GT One, Mazda MX-5, Toyota Celica, and Toyota Supra. Several authentic race cars will immerse visitors in the adrenaline rush of Japanese motorsports and the legendary circuits of Fuji and Suzuka. The spotlight will be on the exceptional Mazda 787, winner of the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans (the only rotary-engined car to have won the classic race), as well as the 1994 Toyota 94C and Carlos Sainz’s Toyota Corolla WRC.
Copyright Photos Autoworld
Because Japanese passion doesn’t stop at cars, Big in Japan also pays tribute to the giants of motorcycling. From the legendary Honda CB750 to modern monsters such as the Yamaha R1 and Suzuki Hayabusa, discover how Japanese brands have revolutionized the world of sports motorcycling and competition in half a century of speed, style, and engineering.
As part of this exhibition, Autoworld invites owners of Japanese vehicles to gather on the Esplanade, just opposite the museum, on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a special Cars & Coffee event dedicated to Japanese cars!Retrouvez plus d’informations sur le site Autoworld
Find more information on the Autoworld website.
Parc du Cinquantenaire 11, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
In the United States, the Savoy Automobile Museum is continuing its varied exhibition program throughout the summer. Currently on display, “Harvest to Highway” showcases a few examples of manufacturers that produced both cars and agricultural tractors. While it’s no surprise to find Ford there, with a 1941 Deluxe Coupe and a 1938 tractor prototype, the most spectacular are Porsche and Lamborghini. There is a 1962 Porsche “Junior” tractor, a small 15-horsepower single-cylinder tractor, and a 1961 Porsche 356B Coupe. While Ferdinand Porsche was involved in the design of the tractors, Porsche was not involved as a car manufacturer. Porsche tractors were built from 1956 to 1963.
Archive photos, copyright Automobile-Museums
For Lamborghini, the story is different, as Ferruccio Lamborghini began his industrial career in 1948 developing tractors using military surplus available in Italy after the war. The company quickly took off, allowing its founder to drive a Ferrari. The rest is history: Ferruccio Lamborghini made comments to Enzo Ferrari about the reliability of his cars, which were not well received by the Commendatore. The two men fell out, and Lamborghini decided to build his own sports cars, giving rise to Automobili Lamborghini and some of the most desirable and spectacular sports cars ever made.
Archive photos, copyright Automobile-Museums
Both companies still exist today, with Lamborghini Trattori part of the SAME-Deutz group and Automobili Lamborghini owned by Audi within the VAG Group. Illustrating this duality of Lamborghini, a 1966 2R tractor accompanies a 1970 Miura P400S. This exhibition is open until September 28.
Starting July 15, a new exhibition will feature several “Muscle Cars,” but in versions equipped with smaller blocks. There will be a change of style on August 2 with the Duesenberg exhibition, one of the most prestigious American car brands, organized with the support of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. And finally, on August 25, an exhibition of Jaguar racing cars will begin. But we will of course return in more detail to these exhibitions in the Automobile Museums blog.
Find more information on the Savoy Museum website.
3 Savoy Lane, Cartersville, GA, USA
Throughout the summer, the Cite Retromecanique Maurice Dufresne is organizing numerous activities for families and enthusiasts, including giant Cluedo on the last Sunday of each month, a children’s workshop on “Solar Car Design” on Wednesday afternoons starting July 16, an art exhibition at the museum from Saturday, July 5 to Monday, July 14 with the VAL Art association, a “Vineyards & Heritage” tourist rally on Saturday, July 19, in partnership with Tours Auto Events, and a Musical Barbecue at the Museum on Sunday, July 20, starting at noon, with other events to discover in August. See the detailed calendar…
Copyright Photos Cité Rétromécanique Maurice Dufresne
17 route de Marnay, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau, France