Five exceptional cars to be added to the Țiriac Collection will be previewed at the 2015 Auto Moto Show

At this year's edition of the Auto Moto Show (SAM), which will take place from April 1-5, 2015, in Bucharest's Constitution Square, nine classic cars will be displayed. These vehicles will become part of the expanded Țiriac Collection starting in May. Five of them will be unveiled to the Romanian public for the first time. Car enthusiasts will have the opportunity to admire rare and even unique models at the 2015 edition of SAM.

Țiriac Collection, the only personal car collection in Romania open to the public, currently features 70 impressive cars and motorcycles manufactured since 1899. It is currently undergoing an expansion, which will double its exhibition space to approximately 4,300 m². The gallery will reopen in May of this year.

The cars from the Țiriac Collection displayed at the 2015 Auto Moto Show include:

• Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Berline Convertible (1930)
• Pierce Arrow Model B (1930)
• Chrysler Imperial (1933)
• Rolls Royce Phantom III Sports Saloon (1937)
• Cord 812 Custom Beverly (1937)
• Bugatti Type 57 Coach Ventoux (1938)
• Porsche 356B (1961)
• Maserati Ghibli (1968)
• Aston Martin Vantage (1981)

The Duesenberg Model J was designed as an American alternative to prestigious European brands like Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini, and Mercedes-Benz. The Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Berline Convertible exhibited at the show is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, being presented to the Romanian public for the first time. Notable owners of the Model J include the Duke of Windsor, Prince Nicholas of Romania (who bought three and raced one at Le Mans), abstract artist Rudolf Bauer, industrialist Howard Hughes, gangster Al Capone, Evalyn Walsh McLean, media mogul William Randolph Hearst, and the Mars, Whitney, and Wrigley families. Duesenberg was also the first automaker to arrange the pedals in the familiar layout used today: clutch, brake, and accelerator.

The Pierce Arrow Model B is synonymous with luxury and opulence, standing alongside brands like Cadillac, Packard, and Rolls-Royce. This model was owned by royalty, heads of state, and numerous celebrities, including Emperor Hirohito of Japan, the Shah of Persia, and U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John D. Rockefeller. This is the first time the car is being showcased in Romania.

The 1933 Chrysler Imperial convertible, exhibited in Bucharest for the first time from April 1-5, 2015, is one of only five remaining from a limited series of nine units produced with the Red Head Straight Eight engine. This classic automobile is distinguished by its V-shaped split windshield, external rear bench seat, and side-mounted spare wheels.

The Rolls Royce Phantom III Sports Saloon is part of the only private collection worldwide that includes all six Rolls Royce Phantom models produced before 1972, owned by Mr. Ion Țiriac. This car was fully restored by the engineers at the Țiriac Collection, and in 2014 it received the special jury award for restoration at the annual Concours d’Elegance held in Sinaia.

The 1937 Cord 812 Custom Beverly is an icon of American automotive design, a truly special and nearly unique vehicle in automotive history. The unit showcased in Bucharest for the first time holds an A.C.D. Certified Category 1 Original certificate, signifying that all its components are original to the 812 Cord model.

The Bugatti Type 57 Coach Ventoux displayed in Constitution Square is one of the last ten units ever produced. After the Paris Auto Show in October 1938, Bugatti ceased production of the Ventoux model, which featured a 2-door, 4-seat body.

The Porsche 356B, painted in its original Aetna Blue color, has a certificate of authenticity issued by Porsche and is the 229th cabriolet out of 1,008 bodied by Reutter in 1961. The car was restored according to original mechanical and bodywork specifications by Hamilton Classics in Martindale, Texas, with the restoration completed in late 2011. This is the first time the car is being presented in Romania.

The Maserati Ghibli is still considered the most beautiful car ever produced by the Italian manufacturer. The Ghibli model remained in production until 1973, with 1,150 coupe versions and 125 Spyder convertibles manufactured. It won the award for the best Italian sports car at the Concours d’Elegance in Greenwich. This particular Ghibli was once owned by the famous artist Sammy Davis Jr.

James Bond fans will also have the chance to admire the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which boasts 380 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds. A similar model was driven by Agent 007, played by Timothy Dalton, in the 1987 film “The Living Daylights.”