We had the privilege to visit the Monaco Top Cars Collection or as the locals would like to call it The Cars Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco during the month of April 2018.
As soon as you enter the premises you will be captivated by an array of Formula One cars that is breathtaking beyond compare, just a few meters away the trip back in time starts with amazing Rally cars that took part in Monaco Racing series. On top of that, you get the chance to enjoy the history of Monaco throughout its special edition cars and vehicles used by the Royal Family in multiple special occasions.
Before taking you on a journey through time, I would like to start with a brief history of this amazing collection.
At the end of the 1950s, the car enthusiast Prince Rainier III began collecting old cars. His collection gradually grew over the years as he acquired more and more models, and the garage at the Prince’s Palace soon emerged as too small to contain this collection of around a hundred stunning streamlined and sporty cars, from majestic bodywork to gleaming hoods and regal radiator grills!
In 1993, Prince Rainier III, therefore, decided to open his precious collection to the public by establishing the Top Cars Collection Museum located on the Terrasse de Fontvieille. The exhibition spans 5 000 m2 and is unique in the world, bringing together around a hundred-odd different cars, from a 1903 DE DION BOUTON to the 2013 LOTUS F1 via HISPANO SUIZA, ROLLS ROYCE, LINCOLN, FACEL VEGA, DELAGE, DELAHAYE, PACKARD, HUMBER, NAPIER, FERRARI, MASERATI, LAMBORGHINI, ALFA ROMEO, the LEXUS used for the royal wedding in 2011, and without forgetting the racing cars seen at the Monte Carlo Rally and the Formula 1s from the Monaco Grand Prix.
You really can’t get enough as you move from one car to another, it is a dream come true for car fanatics and car collectors and is a must visit if you ever pass by Monaco. We would like to share with you some stories we picked up as we move along the Automotive Journey of the Royal Family:
The Humber 350 cc a motorcycle from 1902 driven by Prince Albert I to go from Monaco to his castle of Marchais in Aisne.
Next down the memory lane was the story of Prince Rainier and his faithful mechanic next to the DEUTSCH BONNET before the start of the Tour of France Automobile in 1953.
Moving up the timeline, was The New 1959 Renault Floride that was received by Princess Grace from Renault manufacturer in the Courtyard of the Princely Palace.
Fast Forward to the 2nd of July 2011 with the wedding of HSH Prince Albert II and the Princess Charlène in the LEXUS Hybrid specially coated in Landaulet.
Other notable cars in the collection were there as well to stun you including the Bugatti Type 35 driven by William Grover-Williams that won the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix in 1929, and Sébastien Loeb’s Citroën DS3 WRC, which he drove to victory in the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally.
The cars collection of HSH the Prince of Monaco is a unique collection of exceptional vehicles combining luxury with rarity.
We had a blast while going on a time-travelling journey in the middle of these amazing machine that ranges from late 1800 till nowadays.