The Loh Collection is truly an incredible experience

Germany is known for its car museums. This is made possible by manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche and Mercedes, to name just a few. But while you usually get to see the company's own portfolio there, a trip to the provinces is worthwhile. Because there are truly incredible collections to be seen there that show almost the entire history of the automobile.

One example is the "National Car Museum - The Loh Collection" in Dietzhölztal-Ewersbach in central Hesse near Wetzlar, Gießen and Siegen.

Gallery: National Auto Museum - The Loh Collection

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Source: Motor1.com

Since opening, the museum has already welcomed more than 85,000 visitors from all over the world (despite being closed during the winter) - proof of the unbroken fascination that the topic of cars exerts on people of all ages. The museum has also established itself as a popular starting point, stopover or destination for classic car rallies, orienteering trips and club meetings.

150 vehicles to look at

As one of the most exciting car collections in the world, The Loh Collection displays around 150 spectacular vehicles from 1886 to the present day (the collection itself is somewhat larger). The exhibition, which has been open to the public since July 2023, covers 7,500 square metres in a network of eleven halls and museum rooms on a former industrial site.

It displays numerous individual pieces, prototypes and highlights of automotive history from the collection of museum founder Prof Dr Friedhelm Loh. The aim is to document the historical, technical and economic development of the automobile and to awaken a fascination for it.

New: Opel anniversary exhibition with 15 vehicles

The museum is ringing in the second year of its existence with an exhibition celebrating 125 years of automobile construction at Opel. From 1 August to 17 November, the special show integrated into the permanent exhibition will present a total of 15 vehicle highlights from the eventful history of the Rüsselsheim-based brand, including the first Opel automobile, the Patent Motor Car from 1899. Other treasures from the classic section include the 4/12 PS "Tree Frog" from 1924, with which Opel introduced assembly line production in German automobile manufacturing, the luxurious Opel Admiral from 1939 and the Commodore GS/E, with which Opel approached a 200 km/h (124 mph) top speed in 1970.

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The brand's motorsport history is documented by the 12 PS racing car from 1903, the Safari Rally Ascona from 1983 and the legendary Cliff Calibra, which won the International Touring Car Championship (ITC) in 1996. The Corsa Moon from 1997 adds a touch of space, while the GT Concept from 2016 and Corsa-e Rally Concept from 2019 represent the most recent era.

The large special exhibition "Ferrari - Masterpieces for the racetrack and road" runs in parallel and will remain open until spring 2025. We were able to view all the exhibitions at our leisure: A great selection of sometimes very rare vehicles, mostly with a special history. There is also a good mix of classic cars and motorsport legends, as well as a nice ambience with a cinema and more. Some people may miss a few popular models or small cars. But what isn't there yet can still come. 

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Highest honour in the classic car scene

Not only the pure visitor numbers, but also the feedback from guests shows that the overall concept of museum, catering, entertainment and shop has been well received. The National Motor Museum also caused quite a stir among experts. The international significance of the collection of around 150 selected vehicles with exhibits from 1885 to the present day is demonstrated by the honour of the FIA Founding Members' Club Heritage Cup in December 2023. In the classic car scene, this is the highest international award that a museum can receive.

Spectacular Ferrari portfolio

It was not only the museum's impressive permanent exhibition that attracted a great deal of public interest. The two special exhibitions, which are unique in their quality worldwide, have also played a major role in this since the opening. The first was "100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans - the myth, the heroes, the cars" with 21 original Le Mans racing cars from 1928 to the present day.

The Loh Collection

The follow-up exhibition"Ferrari - Masterpieces for the racetrack and road" opened in March 2024. It presents high-class vehicles from the Italian dream car brand from eight decades, including two Formula 1 world champion cars driven by Michael Schumacher and the hypercar quintet of 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari, now known as the "Ferrari Big Five". Unique winning cars from historic road races such as the Targa Florio, Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana are also on display.

The museum as a university campus

Unique in Germany: since the winter semester of 2023, the National Motor Museum has also functioned as a university campus for the Faculty of Business and Law at Nürtingen-Geislingen University (HfWU). Prof Dr Jochen Buck, Professor of Forensic Expert Witnessing at the HfWU, welcomed the first students to Dietzhölztal-Ewersbach during the winter break. In a one-semester certificate course, students train to become Certified Experts for Historic Cars (CEHC), i.e. experts for classic vehicles.

Classic cars on the move:

On the road in the Mini Cooper 1.3i (2000): The real go-kart

Mercedes 280 TE (1977-1985) driving report: The first king estate

The Certified Expert for Car Design (CECD) course also started in November 2023 under the academic direction of Prof. Wolfgang Henseler from the Faculty of Design at Pforzheim University. It is aimed at all interested parties who have always wanted to take a closer look at the topic of automotive design.