Ralph Lauren's Garage - Vanity Fair

Those cars are amazing!

Let's face it, if RL was letting the paint fall off of them and leaving them untouched (call it patina for the believers) ... many would be calling for his head on a platter. RL can't win in his situation. He loves his cars and has compared them to children, in the sense he wouldn't sell them at any price.

Additionally, RL has a unique, classical american style (that I wouldn't call "flash" or "sexy"), a philanthropic nature (he has given away, many times what he spent on the cars) and a superlative understanding and appreciation of great cars and their history. Who cares about how or what he paints them?

With the time it would take to maintain so many beautiful things, it's amazing RL has time to manage his conglomerate and maintain his family obligations, much less drive & show the cars and attend gatherings of owners. Can you imaging attending events relative to 20+ cars every 5 years?

Renaissance man, period.

Best, David

 

Exactly!! Not sexy or flashy.... LOL.....why not post his bloody woody wagon while you're at it!!

 

His GTO was on display at a past Cavallino, sans paint, and a few parts.

 

The 365P was at Pebble in 1994 or 1997, can't remember which.
This is a photo I took of it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30264045@N04/3000331010/in/set-72157608626922027/

 

When his cars have been on display it has often seen as a courtesy to the restorer. Letting him show off his work before the cars go to Long Island.

 

Before he moved his cars to Westchester, we used to be able to catch glimpses of some of them at his place on Old Montauk Highway on Long Island. They were on the north side of the road, across the road from the ocean side, not too far from Gurney's, and you sometimes could see one or two out in front of the garage if you knew where to look.

I might even have a picture or two (not digital) stored away in a box somewhere.

 

His 288GTO was at the 2004 Ferrari French Quarter Classic in New Orleans....I stood behind him for drinks and knew he looked 'vaguely familiar".....LOL!

 

I kinda like the woody wagon.

 

Everybody needs one (I'm sure he has a place on the beach)

Huge collection of them was broken up last year......

 

Not to detract from RL but he also has a full time team of 4 employees just for his cars. One of them is responsible just for creating files or archives on each car. RL does participate in restoring and showing his cars but he definitely doesn't do it all on his own, he has a lot of help.

 

Agree with you John. RL is a custodian & decision maker that pays the bills. Every time his collection is brought up, there are comments regarding over-restoration discussed on this forum. For the experts here, did RL really mess up the GTO/TR/LM/et al? If so, what did he do that cannot be undone? I doubt that RL is the type to throw away valuable art, but I am willing to listen & learn from opinions & facts discussed here. Interesting subject matter, for sure. Thanks, David

Couldn't resist Big Tex : ) RL agrees with you: Everyone needs a "perfect" woody to impress!! Best, David

 

How else you gonna chase Gidget with five or six of these?????
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That 10' 6" Velzy just wouldn't look the same, on a current Mercedes station wagon.....

 

But even many McLaren F1s have been repainted in new colours, or had LM kits fitted, or many other customizations to their owner's desire... What point would one restore an F1 to in, say, 40 years?

My guess is most would either do what ever they preferred with it, or return it to as-new condition... what's the difference with RL's cars?

 

Want to know when the smoke clears what the real world is??

view and weep.

Bravo Hugh - you got it right without the pony.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEa0YR03OIs[/ame]

 

From the Fairfield Concours in CT about 3 years ago. Displayed his TR. Was beautiful!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

any pix of ralphs garage?

 

Apart from Hugh,who obviously got IT right,I,m so glad to see the youngish presenter
so enthusiastic.

 

That "youngish presenter" is none other than Leigh Keno, a true collector and enthusiast!

 

I'm not sure how his expertise in antique furniture translates to the world of collector cars.
In his world refinishing can cut an object's value in half. As can any replacement parts.

 

He has been into and collected cars his whole life.

Both he and his brother are very knowledgeable enthusiasts.

 

I think Ralph's high level of fit and finish suits his brand/lifestyle/museum quite well, but it's the character of a car that shows it age which is much more interesting to look at.

Would you rather see an original interior as fitted by Scaglietti, or some modern interpretation?

 

Ralph is not the only person out there applying ego and business into a theme of character assassination of important cars in their collection. I met him many decades ago when he painted his GULLWING gold and installed a 5 speed in it - I cringed but it's just a personal choice, not a reflection of bad or good. He really has some fine cars carefully assembled and chosen with great care. That's a good thing. His collection does have a formula of despite all the red and black paint jobs. Paul Russell is a master perfectionist and he saw that all the work was to Ralph's level , far above the original level of correctness. Slowly that is changing and collectors are being aware of their custodian role , which commands more respect as it's void of the ego of the collector. I just have one question - does he get oil on his socks and if he does, does he grin at it ?

 

I did not know that.

 

I'm on record here as someone who strongly favors a patinated car over a recreated one.
I do think that Ralph's getting piled on here unfairly though. The high profile of both him and his cars makes him the Poster Boy for a lot of other collectors' abuses. Some of the complaints seem to be a bit too "personal" for my taste.