Malaga, Spain.

On our Mediterranean cruise, we stopped at Malaga, Spain. As someone with a keen interest in automobiles, I was drawn to a particular excursion – a visit to a distinctive car museum. This museum was inaugurated in 2010 and is situated in a building that was once a tobacco warehouse. It is home to an impressive collection of over 80 vintage cars, each a testament to the evolution of automobile design and technology. Though there were many American cars on display, there was a large contingent of antique cars of European design such as the Hispana Suiza touring car from 1923. Alongside the car is a manikin that includes an example of fashion in that period.

In 2021, the museum underwent a significant transformation. Recognizing that their visitors were not just car enthusiasts but also cruise passengers with varied interests, the curators decided to add a new dimension to the museum. They introduced displays of fashion items that were popular during the era in which each car was manufactured. 

This museum is the custodian of a collection belonging to Joao Magalhaes, a car enthusiast from Portugal. Valued at approximately 25 million euros, this museum is recognized globally as containing one of the most significant collections of vintage automobiles. Conversely, the museum’s exhibit titled “The Show Must Go On” is comprised of vintage pieces from renowned fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Balmain, and Prada. These items are intricately connected to notable women who have left their mark on recent history.

Of course, not all cars are European. There are many U.S.-made vehicles in the collection. The museum is organized into seven distinct sections, each representing a different era in automobile history. The journey begins with the Belle Epoque, showcasing the oldest car in the collection from 1898. As visitors progress, they traverse the evolution of automobiles, experiencing the Roaring 20s, the Art Deco vehicles popular in the 30s, and modern designer cars. The most recent addition to the collection is a 2011 prototype equipped with a compressed air engine.

This model Lancia Kappa is a redesign of earlier Lancia models, the first of the post-World War I Lancias. Notably, the Kappa became the best-selling Lancia at the time, surpassing its predecessor with over 1,810 units produced. This 1921 model even had an intercom for use by the passengers to communicate with the driver, high tech for its time. Note that in my online research, there are several references to this model being a 1919 version. However, I have a photograph of the placard by the vehicle that clearly notes the 1921 model year reference.

The American LaFrance Simplex was not a production car, but rather a custom-built vehicle using a Simplex chassis and a LaFrance engine. There is limited information about the exact number of LaFrance Simplex cars built, but it is estimated to be around 22, with only 2 known to be Speedster versions.

Ah, the vagueries of the Internet. I found a great description of this hearse on a Spanish website translated into English with Google’s translate function. I had to restart my computer, and do you think I could find that article again? Of course not. In any case, I have a special place in my heart for the 1959 Chevrolet Impala as it was one of the first cars I owned.

This beautiful model with gold accents on the face and gold vehicle color with a black hood is a stunning example of a funeral car. I did find in my search that the Chevrolet Impala was a popular platform for hearse conversions due to its spacious interior. Hearse conversions typically involve modifications to the rear cargo area to accommodate a casket. This often involves extending the roofline and lengthening the frame.

The John Lennon Rolls-Royce on display is not the musician’s original car, but rather a meticulously crafted replica. The original 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V was purchased by John Lennon and became an iconic symbol of the 1960s counterculture movement. Artist Oscar Rabin adorned the car with vibrant colors and psychedelic imagery.

The Malaga replica faithfully captures the design and artwork of the original, allowing visitors to experience the car’s visual impact and appreciate its cultural significance as a symbol of peace and social change during the 1960s.

The grounds where the museum resides are within a historically significant compound called La Tabacalera, meaning “the tobacco factory.” Originally built in the 1920s with a neoclassical design, La Tabacalera served as a major tobacco factory for decades before its closure in the early 2000s. Following a restoration and renovation project, the building reopened in 2010, housing the Malaga Car Museum alongside other cultural facilities. Today, La Tabacalera’s transformation from a factory to a cultural center not only preserves its historical character but also symbolizes Malaga’s dedication to cultural rejuvenation and serves as a landmark attracting visitors for both its architectural beauty and the museum’s collection.

There are so many cars to see and photograph that I only provided a glimpse of the collection. I have also left out the many exhibits dedicated to the cultural significance of the art and fashions presented. After all, I’m a “car guy”. I posted a few more images on my Flickr site here for you to view in 2K HD. Besides, if you choose to visit, you’ll be surprised by the many areas focusing on the culture and fashion of the eras. Admission to the museum is a reasonable €10 or less depending upon age as of this writing.

John Steiner