Ralph Lauren is famous for building a global fashion empire, but his passion for automotive design has also produced one of the world’s most remarkable private car collections. Estimated at around $350 million, the collection contains more than 70 automobiles, including rare Ferraris, Bugattis, Mercedes-Benzes, Jaguars, Bentleys, and McLarens. Many of these vehicles are prized not only for their scarcity but also for their racing records, distinctive designs, and restoration histories.
One of the collection’s most striking examples is a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that Lauren purchased in 1985 for $650,000. Comparable examples have since sold for tens of millions of dollars, although Lauren’s individual car has not been publicly auctioned and therefore has no confirmed current market value. His garage also includes a rare Bugatti Atlantic and one of only five customer-built McLaren F1 LMs, reflecting a collecting philosophy centered on craftsmanship and automotive history rather than price alone.
Lauren has described his approach to cars as an appreciation of design. In a 2004 interview accompanying a book about his collection, he said, “I’ve always seen cars as art. Moving art.” That philosophy has shaped a collection that has been displayed in major museums and has influenced his fashion and accessories designs.
THE FERRARI 250 GTO THAT BECAME A COLLECTOR’S DREAM
Lauren’s 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3987GT, is among the most recognizable vehicles in his collection. Ferrari produced only 36 original 250 GTOs between 1962 and 1964, making the model exceptionally rare. Lauren acquired his example for $650,000 in 1985 after it had already established a notable competition record, including victory at the 1962 Paris 1,000 Kilometers with Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez.
The car’s value today remains uncertain because Lauren has not offered it for public sale. However, a different Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $38.5 million at Mecum’s January 2026 Kissimmee auction, providing a recent indication of the market’s appetite for these historic racers. The sale price of another example cannot establish the value of Lauren’s car, but its racing history and provenance make it particularly significant.
Another centerpiece is Lauren’s 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, chassis 57591. Designed by Jean Bugatti, the Atlantic is famous for its dramatic bodywork and distinctive riveted seam running along the roof. Only four Atlantics were built, and Lauren’s example won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1990 after a restoration by Paul Russell. The event’s official historical records document the award.
Lauren also owns an orange McLaren F1 LM, one of just five customer examples built to celebrate McLaren’s 1995 Le Mans victory. The model features a more powerful engine and weight-saving measures compared with the standard road car. Its rarity makes it particularly difficult to value through public auction results, as sales of conventional McLaren F1s and racing F1 GTRs are not direct equivalents.
A PRIVATE MUSEUM THAT INSPIRES FASHION AND DESIGN
Lauren’s collection extends beyond individual cars to a carefully maintained private facility in Bedford Hills, New York. The garage includes display areas, restoration facilities, and vehicle documentation, reflecting his emphasis on preserving automotive history and keeping cars operational.
The collection has also reached international museum audiences. In 2005, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts presented Speed, Style, and Beauty: Cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection. In 2011, Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs hosted L’Art de l’Automobile, exhibiting the vehicles as examples of industrial design.
Lauren has also incorporated automotive influences into his fashion, watches, and other design work. His collection’s significance therefore extends beyond its estimated financial value. Its combination of rare engineering, racing heritage, and distinctive craftsmanship demonstrates why some automobiles are appreciated as works of art as well as collectible assets.
