Billionaire Johann Rupert’s incredible car collection at his motor museum – Photos

The Franschhoek Motor Museum, located within the L’Ormarins Estate and owned by South Africa’s richest man, Johann Rupert, houses an incredible car collection.

Rupert’s father, Dr Anton Rupert, initially opened the Heidelberg Museum in the old Transvaal province in 1974, drawing local and international visitors, including Nelson Mandela, for over 20 years.

In 1999, British American Tobacco (BAT) took control of the Heidelberg Museum, but by 2003, the museum’s doors closed since it did not form part of BAT’s core business.

Upon hearing of the museum’s closure, Johann Rupert bought the collection his father started, relocating it to Franschhoek, where it can still be found today.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum (FMM) officially opened its doors to the public on 7 May 2007, and today showcases more than 140 years of automotive history with over 220 cars and motorcycles.

Not all of these are on display at the same time, with the museum rotating 80 exhibits at any one time, which can be found in four de-humidified halls.

These have a total floor area of 2,700 square meters and house the exhibited models in chronological order, starting with vehicles dating back to the 1860s, all the way up to, and including, modern cars.

Because vehicles are displayed on a rotating basis, visitors can view and experience new models each time they visit the museum.

Rupert’s one-of-a-kind collection portrays the evolution of the automobile, and includes vehicles built in South Africa and overseas.

Tourists, local families and motor enthusiasts visit the museum every year to access the unique and exciting collection of Victorian carriages, early vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and memorabilia.

For those looking to learn more about the evolution of motoring and automobiles, the museum sends out a newsletter that chronicles the history one model at a time.

A world-class car collection

As one of the premier vehicle collections in the world, and the best that South Africa has to offer, the Franschhoek Motor Museum features some of the world’s rarest and most sought-after models.

The exhibits include vehicles considered “antique”, meaning they were built before 31 December 1904.

These include a 1898 Beeston motor tricycle that the museum is particularly proud of, a Victorian carriage, a French stagecoach, and a 1903 Ford Model A, among others.

Early cars, considered “veteran”, since they were built between 1 January 1905 and 31 December 1918, include a 1910 Wolseley 12-16 Town Car, several Ford Model Ts, and a 1915 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, which are also on display.

Vintage cars, built between 1 January 1919 and 31 December 1930, include early American models like the 1925 Chevrolet Superior Series K Tourer, Buick Master Six, Chrysler Model 58, and Chevrolet Superior Pick Up, all from 1926.

Models considered “post-vintage” were built from 1 January 1931 to 31 December 1945, with Art Deco-style cars like the 1936 Auburn Speedster, 1936 Cord 810 Convertible, and the 1935 Austro-Daimler Bergmeister standing out.

Post-war, or “post-45” models, built until 31 December 1960 and on display, include early British sports cars from Jaguar, MG, and Morgan, while popular “post-60” models include the iconic VW Beetle, Morris Minor, and various Alfa Romeos.

The museum’s performance, racing, and exotics hall features many favourites, including both high-performance models and professional racing cars.

Notable racing cars in this section include the 1974 Tyrrell-Ford 007/1 and the 1978 March 78B.

Below are some of the models that were on display when our sister publication, Daily Investor, visited the museum earlier this month.

Johann Rupert’s cars at the Franschhoek Motor Museum