A Car Collector's Dream

Fashion mogul Ralph Lauren is well-known for his Polo label, a brand that coveys the inner American Dream of money, acceptance, and an overall opulent way of life.  What Ralph Lauren is not as well-known for is his incredible car collection.  He opens the doors on his own vintage automobile collection in Speed, Style and Beauty: The Ralph Lauren Car Collection, a one-hour programme airing on the Discovery Channel.

The 29 cars that Lauren lays claim to include the 1929 Blower Bentley, 1930 Mercedes-Benz "Count Trossi" SSK, 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe, 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia, 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, 1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 61 Spyder Fantuzzi, and the 2005 McLaren F1LM.

""I've always admired timelessness, and some of the cars that I have started to collect have that message of timeless beauty," Lauren says in the show.

Director Peter Schnall, the producer and cinematographer who won six Emmy awards for National Geographic, brings Speed, Style and Beauty: The Ralph Lauren Car Collection to the small screen.  His interview subjects include experts Doug Nye, Winston Goodfellow, and Gordon Murray, Boston Museum of Fine Arts director Malcolm Rogers, and BMFA curator Darcy Kuronen.  The BMFA recently displayed Lauren's collection.

Speed, Style and Beauty premiers October 6th on Discovery in the U.S. at 8pm Eastern and Pacific. 

Press Release

DISCOVERY CHANNEL PRESENTS SOME OF THE MOST EXQUISITE AUTOMOBILES EVER ASSEMBLED WITH “SPEED, STYLE AND BEAUTY: THE RALPH LAUREN CAR COLLECTION”

-- One-Hour Special Defines the Essence of Classic Car Designs on
Saturday, October 6 at 8 PM (ET/PT) --

(Silver Spring, Md.) – There is no other car collection like it in the world. Each is hand-crafted, some of them one-of-a-kind, others with unmatched racing pedigrees. Like Ralph Lauren’s extraordinary designs, this collection is classic… timeless… enduring. Each car has a unique story to tell, and through the histories of these cars, the discovery of an unwavering dedication to design is revealed.

On Saturday, October 6, at 8PM (ET/PT), Discovery Channel will air SPEED, STYLE AND BEAUTY: THE RALPH LAUREN CAR COLLECTION, a one-hour world premiere special shot entirely in high definition, giving viewers a definitive first look into the car collection of one of the world’s leading designers and fashion visionaries.

“Cars have always been a source of design inspiration for me. The cars I collect have a message of timeless beauty.” -Ralph Lauren

SPEED, STYLE AND BEAUTY: THE RALPH LAUREN CAR COLLECTION brings to life the stories of seven remarkable automobiles – some of the finest ever built – and their intersection from the raceway and the runway. These cars, including Bentley, Bugatti, Mercedes, and McLaren, encapsulate the vision of the designer and his quest for beauty, authenticity, and simplicity.

One story element follows a race to meticulously restore a legendary Alfa Romeo as it is brought back to its original glory, with every detail true to its original design. The program weaves the incredible histories of these cars and creators such as Enzo Ferrari and Ettore Bugatti, with a rarely seen look at the man behind this extraordinary collection – a man whose vision, style, creativity and insight have influenced the very essence of American culture.

Ralph Lauren’s keen eye and discerning sense of design has guided his passion not only on the runway, but also in the collection of one of the most important groups of vintage sports and touring cars in the world. His cars transcend time with designs that make them not just automobiles, but visceral, mechanical sculpture. Featured cars include:

1929 Blower Bentley:

The brutish Blower Bentley is one of the most thrilling Bentleys ever built. The car was designed by W.O. Bentley, but it was Sir Henry Birkin, one of the storied Bentley Boys – a group of rich British gentlemen who drove fast cars and lived fast lives – who pushed Bentley to include a supercharger, or the “blower” element. Almost tank like, with its heavy body and British flag decoration, the Bentley Blower was created for one purpose – to win races. It is not surprising that this was the automobile Ian Fleming chose for James Bond/007 in his early novels.

1930 Mercedes-Benz “Count Trossi” SSK:

This rakish Mercedes-Benz was designed by its flamboyant owner, the aristocratic Italian racecar driver Count Carlo Felice Trossi. The car has a swept-back Art Nouveau style with a long hood enveloping over half of its body.

1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe:

One of only three models ever built (and two left in existence,) this fantastic car is almost sinister looking, with its exposed seams and button head rivets running down the spine and around the fenders of its body.

1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia:

Known as a very fast car in its day, the design accentuates its speed, with perfect symmetry in the sweep of the body panels, the teardrop-shaped fenders and tapering tail.

1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa:

This car bears the stamp of Sergio Scaglietti, one of Ferrari’s most talented coachbuilders. The Testa Rossa (translated: “red head”), which derives its name from the red cylinder heads of its V12 engine, has the signature Scaglietti traits – a long, torpedo-like body, tapered headrest and sleek covered headlights.

1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 61 Spyder Fantuzzi:

This racer’s seductive lines were conceived by automotive designer Medardo Fantuzzi. The one on view in the exhibition was owned by Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata, founder of the Venice Film Festival.

2005 McLaren F1LM:

Assembled completely by hand, this is the world’s fastest production car. Race car simplicity becomes beauty inside the F1LM. Exposed carbon fiber, unique instrument panels and racing gearshift make it one of the fastest cars on the road, with a top speed of 225 miles per hour. As with a Formula One racecar, the driver sits in the center, flanked by his passengers. One of the newest cars in Mr. Lauren’s collection, and one of five ever built, the McLaren F1LM continues the traditions of great automotive design.

Directed by six-time Emmy award-winning producer and cinematographer Peter Schnall, SPEED, STYLE AND BEAUTY: THE RALPH LAUREN CAR COLLECTION includes commentaries from leading car experts such as Doug Nye, Winston Goodfellow, and Gordon Murray, as well as Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts director Malcolm Rogers and curator Darcy Kuronen. Christo Doyle is the executive producer for the Discovery Channel.

For a more in depth look into Ralph Lauren’s collection, check out Speed, Style and Beauty – the first book on cars to focus specifically on the car as an art object.

About Discovery Communications Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery's 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and Discovery HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.