Alex Reid
Driving is a privilege; driving a cool car, an even bigger privilege.
But the biggest privilege of all is having a swanky storage spot for your cool car, or better yet your multiple cool cars.
While most of us can only dream of garages this insane (or, perhaps, a garage at all) the owners and proprietors of these heavens-on-Earth haved turned their dreams into a reality.
In the case of these facilities, the cars inside can sometimes take a back seat to the structure itself.
Here are the five of some of the wildest garages anywhere:
Steve Plunkett’s Fleetwood Auto Salon (London, Ontario):
One of the most prolific Cadillac collectors in the world, Ontario’s own Steve Plunkett, counts in his fleet somewhere around 86 rare and beautiful vehicles from the marque, ranging from 1907 to circa 2000.
With a collection so prestigious, it’s only fitting he displays his vehicles in an extravagant manner.
The storage space for the pre-war half of Plunkett’s collection is a “garage” in name only. As a matter of fact, the Fleetwood Auto Salon, as he calls, is modeled after the interior of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, a throwback to the venue Cadillac would use to host its auto salons of the 1930s. Stepping inside helps you better imagine the then-new limousines being unveiled to rich and famous customers way back when, V16 Cadillacs parked upon Persian rugs.
Ralph Lauren’s immaculate car collection (Westchester County, New York):
A fashion mogul and a famous car collector, Ralph Lauren is known for more than just polo shirts. His incredible collection features some of the rarest and most beautiful examples of important vehicles from throughout history, including blower Bentleys, ’50s and ’60s Ferraris, and one-off race cars.
Lauren describes these vehicles as works of art, and he treats them as such. Each vehicle in his collection sits upon a white pedestal, perfectly lit up to highlight every gorgeous detail.
And if you think that these cars are just sitting there rotting, you’d be wrong. Lauren has a special car fluffer whose job it is to periodically start the vehicles and take them for test drives to keep from deteriorating.
Miles Nadal’s Dare to Dream Garage (Greater Toronto, Ontario):
Miles Nadal is a Canadian entrepreneur, and apart from his philanthropic ventures, has one of the most incredible garages in the world. With all of the important marques represented – including Bugatti, Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, and more – the collection is filled to the brim with expensive metal.
To keep the pristine white floors from being scuffed up by muddy sneakers, there are two machines that can either slip white boots over your shoes; or melt a plastic sheet around your soles, writers for Autostrada Forum Magazine found out upon taking a tour. (Nadal himself always has a fresh pair of indoor-only shoes on hand.)
Near the back of the wall is a 1:8-scale model collection of Ralph Lauren’s car collection, as a tribute to the man who inspired him to elevate his collecting to the next level.
The Homes by JoJo-designed space (Hamilton, Ontario):
Every part of this garage screams “man cave,” but, in fact, it was designed by a woman. Joanna Pietras of Homes by JoJo created this incredible garage and adorned it with everything the discerning car collector could want. The cars almost become a backdrop to the garage that houses them, despite the fact one wall is lined with Bentleys and Lamborghinis.
Three Ferrari-themed Harley Davidson motorcycles act as markers for the hot spots of the garage, which include a Ferrari-red piano, a wine rack, and a fully stocked bar. Couches and loveseats are Lamborghini- and Alfa-Romeo-themed, and there’s even a staircase made of driveshafts that display manufacturer’s nameplates.
Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage (Burbank, California):
This could be the most famous garage in the world, but that doesn’t make it any less wild. Straddled between the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and the hills of California, Jay Leno’s warehouse of automotive history is a wonder to behold.
Not many people can claim to own a garage that’s both a repair shop and an art gallery, but Leno manages to pull it off.
Much more than just a storage area for his vehicles, Leno has artfully arranged each vehicle by marque and adorned each area with memorabilia and artwork related to that manufacturer.
Like a true gallery owner, Leno has also placed artists-in-residence at the garage, who apply their art and talent to the vehicles with extreme precision to create an entire microcosm of car culture within its walls.
