GLORY DAYS: Historic vehicles display timeless beauty
A STUNNING collection of important historic cars is presented by the Saratoga Automobile Museum at this year’s show. The centerpiece is a 1994 K-Mart/
Texaco Lola T9400 Indy car on loan from legendary driver Mario Andretti’s personal collection.
This car marked the culmination of Andretti’s 12 seasons with the Newman/ Haas Team and was presented to him by Paul Newman and Carl Haas as a retirement gift. Andretti claimed 26 pole positions and won the championship with Newman/Haas in 1984, his fourth Indy Car Championship.
A rare 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio cabriolet appearing at the show was once owned by Louis, Prince Napoléon, great grandson of Emperor Napoléon III and pretender to the Imperial Throne of France, as Napoléon VI. Its voluptuous bodywork was created by Georges Gangloff, one of the most important passenger-vehicle coachbuilders after World War I and a friend of company founder Ettore Bugatti. One of just six ever made, the 1967
Bizzarrini P538 was built for competitions such as CanAm and LeMans. Powered by a Lamborghini V-12 engine, with six dual Weber carburetors, producing 420 hp, its top speed is 250 mph. The P538 is the work of mechanical engineer Giotto Bizzarrini whose automotive pedigree includes developing the legendary 250 GTO Berlinetta for Ferrari. Other cars on show include a 1929 Packard Model 626 hillclimb and ovaltrack racer, and a 1971 Lamborghini
Miura P400 SV, frequently listed as one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
Visitors to the show will also be able to try one of Saratoga Automobile Museum’s distracted-driving simulators, which form part of the museum’s education program to promote safer driving.
Saratoga Automobile Museum, 110 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, 518-587-1935; SaratogaAutoMuseum.org. —