Incredible automobiles:

Masterpieces of Ralph Lauren’s legendary car collection on display in Paris

Starting today seventeen of the world’s finest classic sports cars from Ralph Lauren’s legendary personal collection will be on show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. ‘The Art of the Automobile’ features select cars from the designer’s prolific stockpiles, one of the most extensive in the world.

Acting as a visual timeline of the evolution of European automobile design through the 20th Century, the cars on display—among them Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari—are among the most exceptional in the world and have been infrequently shown to the public. Each one, all created between the 1930s and the 1990s, stands as a masterpiece of both technological innovation and impeccable design.

The result is a show of some of the rarest and most beautiful cars by the greatest names in automobiles, including four (a ’31 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300; a Jaguar XKSS from 1956/1958; a ’60 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti and a ’64 Ferrari 250 LM) that have never been exhibited before.

To commemorate the exhibition, a limited run book features each car, its historical and technical significance and an explanation by Lauren himself on what guides his passion for car collection. The book will also showcase many of the same images seen here, all exceptionally shot by renowned automobile photographer Michael Furman.

The show runs through 28 August 2011 and is open to the public for a small fee of €9.

(Via Cool Hunting.)