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It looks like Miles Collier’s Revs Institute opened themselves up to the media, and there are now several excellent YouTube videos describing the collection. One from the Petersen Museum’s channel is here. Revs, in Naples, Florida, is sadly not that convenient. However, a few years ago in Monterey, I did have the opportunity to attend one of the Sports Car Market’s ‘Insider’ symposiums where Collier was a panelist.
Keith Martin brought together Collier, David Gooding, Donald Osborne and McKeel Hagerty to discuss a wide range of automotive topics. It took place in one of the tents at the Pebble Beach Concours. There were about 30 of us there, and I am quite sure I was the poorest. Miles was talking about identifying a unifying theme for one’s car collection, and came up with a histogram model that identified characteristics of vehicles that suited one’s use and objectives. He was using the example of his centre-accelerator pre-war 8C Alfa Romeo and describing it in the context of ease-of-use, servicing challenges, and historical importance. Depending on your objectives, and budget (!), this may or may not be a good car for you. Not having $5M to buy an 8C, it was an academic exercise, but it got me to thinking what a family man of modest means could collect that would still form a cohesive collection.
Very few of the most valuable collector cars have more than two doors. Collectors like racing cars and sports cars, which are by definition impractical machines. Two-seat Ferraris are usually worth many times the four-seat versions. A nice 70's Mercedes-Benz 280se sedan is worth maybe $30,000, while the coupe version would be $150,000 in the same condition. A perfectly lovely 1952 Bentley R-Type standard steel sedan is also a $30,000 car, but the R-Type Continental, with its Mulliner aluminum 2 door body, is over $1M. In most cases there is little to no difference in the way the sportier cars drive, but there is a tremendous difference in the value.
Cars with four doors are what most people need, especially those with children. When we talk about the ‘Best Car In The World’, we are generally talking about a vehicle with some degree of practicality, usability, and durability. These cars are generally made in large production volumes, and don’t excite collectors - so they are affordable. The conclusion that I came to is that I could collect ‘The Best Cars In The World’ of a given era, not bankrupt myself, and could use them with my wife and kids. Perfect. So, what are then ‘The Best Cars In The World?’
The term comes from an automobile journalist’s description of the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Chassis number 551 of the type 40/50 specifically. This car was the 12th in a series of the first fifty-two 40/50’s, built shortly after Charles Rolls lent his social connections to Henry Royce's engineering talent. The car was built to conduct reliability trials, which were the main marketing venue of the day. As it was to be a ‘publicity car’ it was impressively finished with silver paint and silver plating on all the accessories, with a solid silver plaque on the dash. It was called the ‘Silver Ghost’ by Claude Johnson, the Managing Director.
In August of 1907 the 'Silver Ghost' completed a 15,000 mile reliability trial, including driving between London and Glasgow 27 times, with no mechanical repairs needed. The engine was disassembled and found to have suffered no wear. This was an astounding achievement for the day, and the ‘Silver Ghost’ name was then applied to all 40/50’s. It was legitimately referred to in advertisements and in the automotive press as ‘The Best Car In The World’. Rolls Royce has been leveraging this achievement ever since!
#551 is still going strong. It wound up owned by the VW-Audi Group, along with all the Rolls/Bentley assets (apart from the Rolls Royce trademark which went to BMW) and was later sold to Hong Kong Billionaire Sir Michael Kadoorie for an undisclosed price - something north of $50M for sure. As the car is classified as a British National Treasure, it can’t leave the UK.
Silver Ghosts had a long production run (1906-1926) and many saw service in WW1 as armoured cars - most famously by Lawrence of Arabia, who viewed them as indispensable. Rolls Royce continued the tradition of the Silver Ghost series with the Phantom 1, 2 and 3 which were in production up until WW2. During the war years many were converted to ambulances, troop carriers and even tow trucks. While Silver Ghosts can easily exceed $1M, many of Phantom series can sell for between $100,000 and $300,000 making them semi-attainable.
Pre-WW2 Rolls Royce just made chassis - the bodies were made to order by individual coachbuilders. The value of the cars today has much to do with what body the car has and its history. I would just like to have a Phantom chassis for display. Henry Royce was a perfectionist, and the beauty of the car - in my eyes - is in the engineering detail of the drivetrain. I’m hoping I can find one someday and have a place to put it.
|  | Rolls Royce Phantom 2 7.7 litre straight 6 engine | |
Post WW2 Rolls Royce and Bentley mostly went away from coachbuilt cars, and came up with series production vehicles. They could still make a claim to being ‘The Best Cars In The World’, although Mercedes-Benz could equally claim the title. The big difference between the companies was that Rolls Royce didn’t really invent anything - Henry Royce just took existing designs and made them better. Mercedes-Benz was an engineering company and pioneered much of what is in a modern motor car today, particularly safety-related advances.
Rolls Royces of the 1950’s and 1960’s had a lot of GM in them - in both parts (Hydramatic automatic transmission) and in suspension design. In the mid-1960’s they developed an all-new car - the Silver Shadow. It was extremely complex for the day with Citroen-licensed hydro-pneumatic systems for brakes and self-levelling rear suspension. As lovely as they were, these cars were troublesome and there were not too many people who considered them ‘The Best Cars In The World ‘ anymore. I'm not sure they could travel back and forth from London to Glasgow 27 times without trouble as the Silver Ghost did 60 years earlier.
As with all the British manufacturers, Rolls Royce/Bentley suffered from inadequate capital which meant that the cars became more and more antiquated as the years went on. They started selling in minuscule numbers. Eventually sold to the VW Group (Bentley) and BMW (Rolls Royce), the brands now have modern platforms - but in my opinion they are merely fancy, rather than being better than anything else.
At the time I attended the SCM seminar, I had a 1952 Bentley R-Type Standard Steel Saloon, and a couple of Mercedes 4-door sedans - a 1993 500E (W124) and a 1989 420 SEL (W126), which I still have. I had the coupe version of the W126, a 560 SEC, that I bought from Heinz Oldenthal in Banff, but sold it when Sarah and I were expecting our first child.
|  | Lawrence's 1952 Bentley R -Type Saloon | |
Subtract two doors, add $1M to the value...
this is the R Type Continental
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In fact, I have had a W124 or W126 Mercedes-Benz as a daily driver since I bought my first one, working for Hyatt Mercedes-Benz, in 2002. To carry around our first born, I looked for the best W126 sedan that I could find, figuring that the long wheel base model would give the boy lots of room! After a long search one came up on eBay from New Jersey with only 30,000 miles on it - it looked new. The seller was a guy named Dean Laumbach, who has made a name for himself on Bring A Trailer selling extremely low mileage older Mercedes. He is also one of the first guys to use Cryo-blasting to clean the undersides of vehicles, which is now commonplace.
In the 1980’s Mercedes-Benz made four types of car; the SL roadster, the 190 series (W201) small car, 280/300 E class (W124), and the 380/420/560 S Class (W126). They each had a long production run of between 11 and 18 (!) years. They were designed by engineers, and priced by accountants, and then sold by the marketing team - in that order. They cost about 30% more than comparable luxury cars, and were worth it. Mercedes-Benz of that era had the highest safety ratings, were the most reliable, had the highest resale and the greatest owner retention. You got what you paid for.
If I had to nominate ‘The Best Car In The World’ it would go to the W126 Mercedes-Benz. It is literally a bank vault on wheels, and feels like it will last forever. I remember once with my first 560 SEL I forgot to put it in park and it rolled out of my garage, across the lane, and crashed into the neighbours garage. It hit the corner and buckled the 4x4 post with a mighty CRACK. There were wood chips and splinters all over the place including covering the rear of the car. I dusted it off. The bumper had a mark on it - that’s all. Another time I was sitting at an intersection in the winter. A little Japanese car came careening toward me out of control on summer tires. WHACK! He piled more or less straight into me. His car was a mess with front wheel bent in, fender crunched, coolant leaking out. My car? Another mark on the bumper. I don’t even think my coffee spilled. When you drive a W126 S Class, you feel sorry for anybody who hits you.
I remember the long-term Mercedes customers at Hyatt getting so mad at having to pay $1,500 for a new bumper cover for their ML SUV’s which would crack if you leaned on them the wrong way. When they came out with the B Class in the mid 2000’s we had to replace a lot of windshields when the cars were new. If you let the windscreen wipers snap back against the glass when it was cold you would break the windshield! Now Mercedes-Benz has more than 20 models, each with a 4 or 5 year lifespan, and they are priced to be competitive in every segment. They are still decent cars, and still very safe and well designed, but with the entry-level ones at least, they are not ‘built for life’ like they were in the 1980s.
My 420 has just over 100,000km, all of its original paint, original windshield and still looks good after more than 30 years. Remarkable, since the last 9 of them have been ferrying kids around. Sarah still prefers to drive it over the all the fancy cars I have brought home over the years. It’s not the most efficient thing in the world, but the fuel consumption is partially offset by its service life, which will outlast me.
I later saw Miles Collier walking around the paddock of the Monterey Historic races, and wanted to go tell him that I enjoyed his symposium and how I interpreted it - but ran out of nerve. I’m pretty sure he would have been happy to hear my story though - inspiring people to think of the automobile as more than the simple utility they offer is why he started Revs.
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Top: Romanosky-Sheen Kid Mobile - 1989 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL | |
2005 MERCEDES-BENZ CL 65 AMG
43k, Tuned by Reg Reimer from RCTS incl. Eisenmann exhaust, 620hp Dyno, $240k+ spent. Car looks new. One owner, bought new at Lone Star. Full History. Name another 600+hp, 300km/hr, V12 luxury coupe for less than $100,000.
Scheduled to be auctioned on Bring-A-Trailer, Nov 2021
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2014 PORSCHE 911 C4S COUPE PDK
5,800km only, Aerokit Cup w/Sport Design, Sport Chrono, Sport Exhaust, Full Black-Tan Leather, as new. $160k MRSP, replacement $200k and 12 month wait.
$125,000
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1949 WILLYS JEEPSTER
One owner last 30 years, restored 20 years ago, recommissioned, 6 cylinder Lightning engine.
$25,000
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1959 LAND ROVER SERIES 2A 109
Body off, nut and bolt refurbishment. Galvanized frame and bulkhead, 3/4 Exmoor Canvas Tilt, Elephant Hyde (pattern) Upholstery
$60,000
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1961 Land Rover Series 2 88"
Extremely original and complete. Recommissioned for road use.
$25,000
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1963 MERCEDES-BENZ UNIMOG 404
Re-paint by Cosmos, Mechanical overhaul by Concept-1, ready to transport 1,500kg overland and through rivers.
$30,000
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2009 PORSCHE CARRERA 4S CABRIOLET PDK
One owner since 2010, recent engine out $7k service by PCC, 73,000km.
$78,500
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1968 Ford Mustang GT/CS California Special
Concours Restoration, Extremely rare specification. Inquire.
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2014 Porsche Cayenne GTS
124k mileage, $121,000 MRSP. Clean CARFAX, no paintwork, one owner, bought and serviced at Porsche Calgary. Normally aspirated 400hp V8 engine w/Sport Exhaust, roof rack, trailer hitch. Mostly highway km.
Conditionally Sold
| 2007 PORSCHE 997.1 TURBO - SOLD | 2007 PORSCHE 996 GT3 - SOLD | |
