BMW Museum, Munich

Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer designed the museum as part of a complex next to the Olympic Park. Upon its opening in 1973, the building was celebrated as an architectural masterpiece and has been a protected monument since 1999. The futuristic circular structure features an escalator leading to the top floor and has been connected to an adjacent building since 2008. This underground connection increased the exhibition space fivefold to a total of 5,000 square meters. While the permanent exhibition is now located in the new section, the circular building hosts temporary exhibitions along its spiral ramp. These currently include the Belle Macchine exhibition and a special display for the 50th anniversary of the BMW 6 Series.

Nationales Automuseum - The Loh Collection, Dietzhölztal

Since its opening in July 2023, the National Automobile Museum The Loh Collection has become one of the most important car collections in the world. More than 230,000 visitors have already traveled to the small town of Dietzhölztal-Ewersbach in central Hesse. In historic industrial halls covering 7,500 square meters, entrepreneur and passionate collector Friedhelm Loh displays around 160 vehicles from over 135 years of automotive history. The presentation is particularly impressive because it features an oversized display shelf and a spectacular banked curve. The many jewels of the collection include Michael Schumacher’s first championship Ferrari, cars driven by Niki Lauda, and various Le Mans classics. Visitors can also see the Maybach Exelero record vehicle, an 1895 Benz Victoria, and a Lincoln Continental once used by John F. Kennedy. Until March 2027, a new special exhibition titled "Time Travel on Asphalt, Gravel and Snow" showcases 35 rally legends. Among these famous cars is the Audi S1 driven by Walter Röhrl.

Porsche Museum, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen

The museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen was designed by the Viennese architectural firm DMAA and opened in late January 2009. It is considered an architectural highlight with a dominant main building supported by three columns. Because the structure appears to float above the ground, it has earned the nickname "The Flyer". Across approximately 5,600 square meters, visitors gain deep insights into the technical evolution and racing history of the brand through 95 cars and numerous smaller exhibits. The museum is designed with unique sightlines that converge and open in a conical fashion. Thanks to the concept of a rolling museum, vehicles from a stock of 800 units are swapped out almost every week. Slanted floors and a stylized banked curve show legendary racing cars in their natural habitat. One 956 even hangs upside down from the ceiling because its aerodynamics would theoretically allow it to drive there. In April, a special exhibition began featuring five variants of the 935, which dominated the world championships starting in 1976. This display includes the famous "Moby Dick" and the "Baby".

Mercedes-Benz-Museum, Stuttgart

The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt was designed by the Dutch architectural firm UNStudio and opened in 2006. It claims to be the only museum in the world that fully traces more than 140 years of automotive history. To achieve this, the museum uses 160 vehicles and over 1,500 exhibits spread across nine levels and 16,500 square meters. The complex double-helix structure of the building allows for two spiral-shaped tours through the interior. On the first tour, the Legend rooms tell the history of the brand chronologically. This journey starts with the pioneers in 1886 and moves through the Silver Arrows to the mobility of the future. The second tour features Collection rooms that display groups of vehicles sorted by theme. These include the Gallery of Voyagers, the Gallery of Helpers for emergency vehicles, and the Gallery of Names for celebrity cars such as the Popemobile. Until the end of May, the museum is hosting a special exhibition called "Youngtimer". This display features iconic models from the 1990s and 2000s, such as the 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II.

Automuseum Prototyp, Hamburg

The private museum opened in 2008 in Hamburg's HafenCity and specializes in rare racing and sports cars from the last 80 years. Many of the exhibits are truly unique or original prototypes. These include a 1939 pre-production VW, the original Porsche Type 64 known as the Berlin-Rome car, and the oldest existing Porsche from Zuffenhausen built in 1950. Visitors can also see Michael Schumacher's first Formula 1 car. As the finale of the three-part special exhibition The Italian Job, five outstanding spiders and convertibles from Italy are on display starting in April. A driving simulator and a miniature wind tunnel offer interactive experiences for guests. Those with enough time can visit a photo exhibition in the gallery, such as When the Beetle Learned to Run, or explore the life of motorsport idol Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips in the lounge. The collection is spread across 2,500 square meters and three floors. It is housed in a protected warehouse building that features plenty of industrial charm.

Audi Museum Mobile, Ingolstadt

The fully glazed facade of the 23-meter-high circular building is part of the Audi Forum and symbolizes duration and change by reflecting the rings of a tree trunk. Across approximately 6,000 square meters, visitors can discover more than 100 cars and motorcycles from the history of Audi and its former sister brands Wanderer, DKW, and Horch. The tour is completely barrier-free and begins on the top floor with the year 1899. From there, it leads downwards through the founding of Auto Union in 1932 and continues into the present day. In the technology gallery, hands-on exhibits invite guests to interact with the displays. Meanwhile, a historical paternoster elevator moves 14 changing exhibits constantly across all floors. The first level serves as a space for special exhibitions, such as the recent display titled "Grand Prix Legends" which celebrated Audi’s entry into Formula 1.

Autostadt, Wolfsburg

Opened on June 1, 2000, the Autostadt was based on an idea by the former Volkswagen Group Chairman Ferdinand Piëch. It was designed as an automotive theme park on a 28-hectare site located directly next to the VW plant. The pavilions are designed with a high level of architectural diversity and lead visitors into the brand worlds of Porsche, Lamborghini, Audi, Skoda, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and Volkswagen R. Currently, only Seat and Cupra do not have their own buildings here. The ZeitHaus is a multi-brand museum that presents between 60 and 70 exhibits in a rotating display from a collection of 300 cars. The three-story building is designed as a glass structure that allows views of the exhibits from the outside. A special exhibition open until November 2026 showcases milestones and prototypes from the premium brand Bugatti. Permanent exhibits include a replica of the 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic built with many original parts, as well as a Ford Model T, a Hanomag Kommissbrot, a early Citroën DS, an NSU Ro 80, and a Lotus Elite Series 2.

Photos: BMW Group, Nationales Automuseum the Loh Collection, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Automuseum PROTOTYP, Audi, Autostadt