Motoring
Cars in the Rotunda
The work to exhibit each gem of automotive creation is an ongoing process, with the Motoring Team constantly assessing possible candidates and negotiating with museums, collections, manufacturers and sometimes private owners.
Porsche 718 RSK
The sensational 1959 Porsche 718 RSK was proudly displayed in the rotunda in January 2024. With victories at Targa Florio, Daytona, and Sebring, the 718 is one of Porsche’s most successful purpose-built racing cars and helmed by motorsport legends including Sir Stirling Moss and Graham Hill.
Mercedes-Benz W194
The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was described by Sir Stirling Moss as ‘probably the greatest sports car ever built by anybody any time.’ The legendary British driver won the 1955 Mille Miglia – on public roads – at the wheel of this car at an average speed of 98mph, a record that remains today.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
One of the most uncompromising road cars ever produced, the radical Aston Martin Valkyrie comes from an iconic British marque and the mind of Adrian Newey, arguably Formula 1’s greatest British designer. The Valkyrie first broke cover in 2016 under the codename AM-RB 001, spending the next five years in thorough development before production finally began in 2021.
Renault 5 and 1903
Founded in 1899 by the Renault brothers, the French manufacturer has since grown to become one of the most endearing and enduring marques in motoring history. Covering everything from pioneering motor vehicles – like this 1903 two-cylinder edition – to cult city runabouts like this Renault 5, and mighty Formula 1 machines, Renault has achieved incredible success. This duo of cars was displayed in the rotunda in 2024 in celebration of the marque’s 125-year anniversary.
McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23
Having narrowly missed out on the World Drivers’ Championship in 2007, fortune favoured Sir Lewis Hamilton the following year, after a famous overtake on the final corner of the final lap was enough to snatch the championship title by a single point. This is the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23 that was used by Sir Lewis during that historic season.
Aston Martin DB5
The definitive James Bond film for many fans, Goldfinger was a smash-hit, propelling the DB5 and Aston Martin to new heights of popularity, with the screen-used DB5 christened ‘The Most Famous Car in the World’ after the film’s release. The car displayed in the rotunda in 2024 is one of two DB5s fitted with gadgets to promote Goldfinger upon its release. The gadgets are all functional except for the ejector seat, and the car is indeed road-legal.
Bristol 400
This is the first Bristol 400 prototype, built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1946. Originally displayed at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show, the car won Best in Show and RM Sotheby’s Chairman’s Choice at the Club’s 2024 Midsummer Drive-In at Woodcote Park. Presented in wonderfully original condition, it is a remarkable testament to Bristol’s impeccable standards.
Fiat 130 HP
Originally created as one of three team ‘Corsa’ race cars in 1904, the Fiat 130HP reached its zenith in 1907 when its ace driver Felice Nazzaro won all three of Europe’s most prestigious road races driving it. First, he won the fabled Targa Florio in Sicily; then the Kaiserpries set on the tortuous 73-mile Taunus mountain track in Germany; and finally, most importantly, the French Grand Prix in Dieppe, where Fiat sensationally defeated the hitherto dominant French on their home soil.