This year’s interns didn’t just learn about the history of mobility—they became part of it.

About the Internship

Thanks to our supporters who donate to the Bruce Meyer Scholarship Fund, the Petersen Internship Program offers students an immersive, hands-on experience at the world’s premier automotive museum. Over the course of 10 weeks, the 2025 cohort helped preserve the past and shape the future of car culture.

• 12 Interns

• 10 Departments

• 1 Unforgettable Summer

Meet the 2025 Interns

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Larry Chen — One of the Most Well-Known Automotive Photographers

Larry Chen is a world-renowned car culture and commercial automotive photographer from Los Angeles. Throughout the years he has established a strong relationship with Hoonigan and Ken Block in particular.

In this video, Larry visits the People's Champ exhibition, the impact of Ken Block and tell us the story behind some of his iconic Ken Block shots.

People's Champ: the Impact of Ken Block honors Block’s legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia like racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes, and Hoonigan merchandise from key moments in his career. It was curated in collaboration with 43 Institute. https://www.43i.org

See the Hoonicorn In-Person!

Visit People’s Champ: the Impact of Ken Block and walk through the story of Ken Block with some of the most iconic vehicles from the Gymkhana series. Featuring vehicles such as the Hoonicorn, Hoonitruck, Cossie V2, and the Ford Focus RS RX, this is your opportunity to see all these cars in one place.

People’s Champ Vehicle Spotlights

People’s Champ Exhibit Content

Brass Era Racecar That Pre-Dates The History of the Freeway

Today our magnificent tour guide Steven Milner will present you one of the jewels in the Driven to Win exhibition and one of the most treasured cars owned by the museum.

The Mercer Raceabout is considered one of the most legendary American automobiles of the Brass Era and one of the United States’ first sports cars. Its large four-cylinder T-head engine and well-balanced chassis combine to make the low-slung Raceabout a competent roadgoing automobile that was also successful at the race track, winning five of the six races that Mercer entered in 1911. This 1913 Mercer Type 35-J is believed to be one of the most original examples in existence and was formerly owned by American Formula One World Champion Phil Hill.

Driven To Win, and this video, are sponsored by Zero Petroleum which is led by an experienced team of former F1 engineers on a mission to decarbonize motorsport and transportation. Zero’s innovative solution creates 100% fossil-free, drop-in synthetic fuel using just air and water while delivering superior performance to traditional fuel.

See the Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout In-Person!

Visit Driven To Win: The Automobile in Competition and see the evolution of racecars over time before your very eyes. With some of the most iconic racing series, you’ll see all varieties of pinnacle performance in one exhibit.

Driven To Win Vehicle Spotlights

Driven to Win Exhibit Content

The Honda NSX Predecessor… Right?

The iconic Honda HP-X Concept, restored to its former glory, is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum. It has seen much since its debut at the 1984 Turin Auto Show. But it looks familiar, right? Designed by Pininfarina (the P in the nomenclature,) and meant to be displayed alongside the Ferrari Testarossa, it set the benchmark for the design philosophy Honda would have going forward for any supercar projects.

It was Honda’s first concept car and the predecessor to the iconic NSX supercar. The concept car pushed the boundaries of automotive design and technology, featuring advanced aero such as “ground effects” and innovative cooling solutions for its mid-mounted 2.0L V6 engine derived from Honda’s racing engine. Its futuristic design included a jet-fighter-style Perspex canopy, which also served as a driver-controlled air brake.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. It was never intended to be a production car, but one can dream.

Honda Vehicle Spotlights

Learn about the Hoonicorn from the Co-Founder of Hoonigan, Brian Scotto

Brian Scotto is one the most influential people in the automotive industry. Not only he is the co-founder of Hoonigan, for a long time the biggest and most influential YouTube channel and brand apparel, he was also the business partner of Ken Block and one of his closest friends.

He recently stopped by at the Petersen Automotive Museum to talk about Ken, and the impact of the people's champ. Today he will offer us an insight into one of Ken Block's most cherished and celebrated cars: the 1965 Ford RTR Mustang a.k.a. the Hoonicorn currently dressed in version 2.

Following its debut in Gymkhana SEVEN, it earned a reputation as one of the most iconic custom vehicles ever built. Its 845-hp, naturally aspirated “V1” setup was also used in Top Gear’s “Ken Block Drifts London” segment. The “V2” moniker marked the addition of twin-turbocharging and methanol fuel that boosted its output to 1,400 hp for Climbkhana, which saw Block slide the car up Pikes Peak, Colorado, to an altitude of 14,000 ft.

A big thank you to Mr. Scotto, the Block family and Hoonigan for making this video possible.

This video is sponsored by Pennzoil. "Pennzoil is honored to have played a part in Ken Block's legendary legacy, fueling some of his most iconic vehicles and videos, including the Hoonicorn in Climbkhana and Gymkhana 10: World Tour. His passion, skill, and creativity continue to inspire us all. Learn more about Pennzoil at www.Pennzoil.com www.instagram.com/Pennzoil

People's Champ: the Impact of Ken Block honors Block’s legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia like racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes, and Hoonigan merchandise from key moments in his career. It was curated in collaboration with 43 Institute. https://www.43i.org

See the Hoonicorn In-Person!

Visit People’s Champ: the Impact of Ken Block and walk through the story of Ken Block with some of the most iconic vehicles from the Gymkhana series. Featuring vehicles such as the Hoonicorn, Hoonitruck, Cossie V2, and the Ford Focus RS RX, this is your opportunity to see all these cars in one place.

People’s Champ Vehicle Spotlights

People’s Champ Exhibit Content

Golf Cart-Inspired Microcar

In our fabulous Alternating Currents: the fall and rise of the Electric vehicles we have a newcomer. This is the Citicar, one the most successful electric vehicles in US history. Our Jonee Eisen is ready to take you on another journey into the fabulous world of Micro cars. 

The CitiCar was a car produced from 1974 to 1977 by Sebring, Florida–based Sebring-Vanguard, Inc. After being bought out by Commuter Vehicles, Inc, Sebring-Vanguard produced the similar Comuta-Car and Comuta-Van from 1979 to 1982. 

Designer Jim Muir was heavily inspired by the design of a Club Car golf cart, particularly its small, wedge-shaped profile, and was intended as a basic, minimal electric vehicle for short urban commutes. Its design and purpose was partly in response to the 1970s fuel crisis.

This exhibition is supported by BMW North America and Optima Batteries while this video is sponsored by BMW North America.

See Other Interesting EV City Cars and Microcars!

Our Alternating Currents exhibit explores the fascinating fall and rise of the EV (yes, first it fell!) in the United States. Though they may seem like novel or impractical cars by today’s standards, there has long since been a fascination with microcars and ultra-focused vehicles that serve to meet day-to-day practicality needs within the city.

In Pursuit of One-Upping Lamborghini

This Saturday meet Takashi Kikuchi, one of the most influential people in the lowriding scenes and instrumental in bringing to Los Angeles two of the finest samples of Japanese Lowrider for our Best In Low exhibition.

As the popularity of lowrider culture has grown in the United States and abroad, the skills involved in creating a lowrider vehicle have similarly advanced, with builders, painters, and metalworkers reaching new levels of artistry and craftsmanship. The Petersen Automotive Museum has celebrated this evolution since its first exhibition on lowriding in 2000 and continues to recognize the culture’s contributions to automotive history. With Best in Low, the Museum turns a lens on the creation of the car itself, as well as on the street and the show—spaces where the craft of lowriding is on full display.

Explore the Best in Low exhibit!

Learn more about the history and legacy of lowriders, as well as the arts and craftsmanship behind these cars by visiting in person!

Discover the Best in Low Exhibit Vehicle Spotlights!

It could be said that one cannot truly measure a man’s contribution to the world until he’s gone. Ken Block was one of those rare exceptions who lived so fearlessly that his greatness was recognized in real time. He is perhaps best known as a motorsport content creator for his Gymkhana series of YouTube videos, but has also been recognized and celebrated as a rally racer, shoe designer, and businessman. He was truly one-of-a-kind, building a legacy of success in everything he did.

A need for adrenaline drew a young Ken to hobbies involving speed and wheels. Growing up in Long Beach, California, Ken originally wanted to be a skateboarder, but upon moving with his family to San Diego, he started to mess around with dirt bikes. His knowledge of action-sports culture and insight into athletes’ preferences inspired him, along with designer Damon Way and Clayton Blehm, to found DC Shoes in 1994, specializing in skateboarding and snowboarding products. Marketing their high-quality line with a stable of sponsored athletes, the venture paid off in a big way.

This endeavor was such a success—with annual revenues north of $100 million—that in 2004, iconic surf brand Quiksilver bought it for $87 million. The windfall allowed Block to begin pursuing his true passion—rally racing—at age 37. Driving a 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI in Rally America, he conquered 126 miles of snow-covered terrain to finish seventh in his first event. With that start, it’s no wonder he was named Rookie of the Year in the Rally America Championship.

Block’s success continued at the X Games, where he won five rallycross medals over nine years. At X Games XIII in 2007, Block even managed to defeat his idol, Scottish rally legend Colin McRae.

With achievements and milestones piling up, Block left the Subaru Rally Team USA and his longtime teammate Travis Pastrana to join Ford, founding the Monster World Rally Team in 2010. Behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, his team got points, podiums, and wins. Soon after, in keeping with his talents as a marketer, the team was renamed “Hoonigan Racing Division” to match his blossoming new lifestyle and media brand.

In fact, it is as an influencer that Block may be most well known. He built a huge following with a series of Gymkhana videos that featured sequence drifting, tire burnouts, and stunts. The term gymkhana originally referred to displays of athletics and equestrian skills in an area similar to a racquetball court, or a “gedkhana” as it was called in 19th-century India.

Gymkhana was more than just content for viewers; it showed the automotive industry what was possible through its daring and creativity. It also introduced the world to Ken’s skillful driving, insatiable passion, and affable personality in videos like the Top Gear segment called “Ken Block Drifts London,” where Ken gives host Matt LeBlanc a high-octane driving tour of the city. The Amazon Prime Original Series The Gymkhana Files, a documentary about the making of Gymkhana 10, has earned four Emmy nominations. At press time, the channel has amassed over 1.3 billion views. (That’s “billion” with a “b” as my old financial advisor would say.)

In 2014, Block conceived of his most recognizable car, the “Hoonicorn,” a heavily modified 1965 Mustang equipped with a methanol-injected 6.7-L twin-turbo V-8 making 1400 horsepower in its ‘V2’ configuration, sending it from 0-60 in 1.8 seconds. The car, along with a few other of Block's vehicles, became so iconic to the automotive community that Forza collaborated with Block to introduce it into their games.

Block rallied until 2022 after making 25 appearances in the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) World Rally Championship and retired as the 4th American to ever score points. His overall record includes wins in the European Rallycross Championship and Global Rallycross, and a podium finish in the World Rallycross Championship.

Sadly, Block died at age 55 in 2023 in a snowmobile accident near his home in Utah,  leaving such a large hole in the sport. His death stunned his peers and fans alike, but it’s what he left behind that will never be forgotten. “Such a talent that did so much for our sport,” said Jenson Button, 2009 Formula One world champion. The Petersen recognized as much when, in 2013, they honored Block with the Petersen Automotive Inspiration award at the Petersen’s Rock, Roll, Rally Gala.

Ken Block lived a life of adrenaline. He set the bar across a variety of vocations, but especially for those who seek speed behind the wheel. For a kid who started on a skateboard and became everything from an Emmy nominee to a successful entrepreneur to an X Games medalist, Ken Block cemented his mark on the world every step of the way. 

Visit The People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block Exhibit

Walk through the story of Ken Block in-person at the Petersen Automotive Museum

A motorsports icon and pioneer of automotive content in the age of online media, rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block utilized his marketing acumen, driving expertise, and automotive enthusiasm to create the enormously popular Gymkhana video series and Hoonigan, an automotive lifestyle brand and production company that has captivated audiences for over a decade.

This exhibit honors Block’s legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia like racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes, and Hoonigan merchandise from key moments in his career.

Explore People’s Champ Vehicle Spotlights

In Pursuit of One-Upping Lamborghini

The Cizeta-Moroder V16T was the brainchild of former Lamborghini test driver Claudio Zampolli and his business partner, composer Giorgio Moroder. The two sought to build an even more audacious supercar than Lamborghini, and Zampolli called on some of his former Lamborghini colleagues to make it happen.

The design was a collaboration between Marcello Gandini, who had penned the Countach, and Zampolli himself. The aluminum body was mounted to a tube chassis and fitted with one of the more ambitious engine designs of any automotive startup. Based on Lamborghini V-8 architecture, a cast-aluminum V-16 block used four cylinder heads, eight cams, and displaced a rather modest 6.0 liters.

Still, the output was an impressive 540 hp at 8000 rpm. Mounted transversely with a five-speed transaxle, the engine made for a wide bay. Considering the power on tap, however, a wide body was required to fit over the V16T’s ample tires.

See the Cizeta Moroder in-person!

See the 1988 Cizeta Moroder V16T among other unique and one-off cars throughout history in The Vault! With a collection of 250+ vehicles, you won’t wanna miss it.

Gymkhana Practice: The Video That Started It All

A motorsports icon and pioneer of automotive content in the age of online media, rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block utilized his marketing acumen, driving expertise, and automotive enthusiasm to create the enormously popular Gymkhana video series and Hoonigan, an automotive lifestyle brand and production company that has captivated audiences for over a decade.

In this video Steven Milner and Michael McCardle will preview the car that start it all, the 2005 Subaru WRX STI featured in Gymkhana Practice a.k.a. Gymkhana 1.

This exhibit opens on February 15 and will honor Block’s legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia like racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes, and Hoonigan merchandise from key moments in his career.

See the Ken Block Exhibit In-Person!

Learn more about People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block in our newest exhibit featuring the Gymkhana, WRC, and custom one-offs from Ken Block’s career.

The Magnificent Losers: The Jaguar XJ220 and Bugatti EB110

Straight from the Petersen Automotive Museum's Vault our Shervin is bringing you a tale of failure and good intentions gone wrong. But whatever happened 32 years ago is vindicated by two of the best legacies in the automotive world.

Today we bring you part 2 of comparison we had fun making between the 1993 Bugatti EB110 and the 1993 Jaguar XJ220.

In 1989, Italian industrialist Romano Artioli acquired the Bugatti name and constructed a facility in Italy to produce a mid-engine supercar that would evoke the mystique of the original. The car debuted in 1991 and was called the EB110 after the founder of the mark, Ettore Bugatti, who would have been 110 years old that year. Unfortunately, production of the EB110 coincided with a dramatic decline in the supercar market during the 1990s, and just 126 were produced. The Bugatti factory was later closed, and the name was sold to Volkswagen.

The XJ220 held so much promise that company executives elected to put it into production. The fastest of any production vehicle produced by Jaguar at the time, the XJ220’s twin-turbocharged V-6 engine produced outstanding performance, despite a large number of potential buyers who cancelled their orders because it was not equipped with a V-12 as originally prototyped. Amid engine disputes, and a declining demand for supercars during the 1990s, Jaguar ended up producing less than the already low 350 originally intended.

Missed Part One? Watch it here!

Watch part 1 of the video here!

See other incredible cars in The Vault!

The Vault is home to many awe-inspiring vehicles from all kinds of makes and models, including oddball one-offs, hot rods, race cars, and brilliant custom cars.

He was called “Billy” to his friends, “Pops” to his daughter, and “The Man” throughout Flint, Michigan. William Crapo (pronounced Cray-po) Durant was also considered by many to be “the greatest salesman there ever was.” An avid checkers player, Durant seemed to approach business in much the same way: as a challenge and something to be won. That’s how the 49-year-old Durant saw the situation in 1910 when, due to financial difficulties across General Motors’ overflowing portfolio of automotive concerns, he was forced to concede control to bankers who bailed out the young consolidation. Being removed from the presidency and relegated to one meager seat on the Board of Directors did not sit well with Durant, who saw GM stripped down to its bare essentials–Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Oakland (later Pontiac, for the town where it was founded), and Buick, among a few other brands. Durant resolved to regain control of his “baby.” Though a millionaire many times over at that point, he was still the “little guy” when contrasted with the major financial institutions he would be challenging. It would be like David versus Goliath. Together with his son-in-law—the former physician turned close confidante and advisor Dr. Edwin Campbell—Durant hatched a plan to retake General Motors in an American automotive version of The Count of Monte Cristo. This plan was contingent on the fact that there would be a conglomerate of Durant’s own, and integral to that conglomerate was a company that could rival Ford. Thus, Chevrolet was born.

In order to tell the story of Chevrolet, we must first understand the context of its inception and the backstory of the man who orchestrated this masterstroke. Durant was a financial wizard, irresponsible gambler, incurable optimist, and visionary with an eye on the future. A journalist once wrote that Durant thought a million was the basic unit of US currency. His career in vehicles started as co-founder of the Durant-Dort Wagon Company along with J. Dallas Dort. The endeavor was very successful; it was one of the best-selling carriage makers in the game, and it set Durant up financially.

He was so well off that he became bored. He frequently traveled to New York City to spend time studying and investing in the stock market. If his beloved hometown of Flint was not in danger of losing its moniker as “the Vehicle City,” Durant may not have stepped in at the request of his friend Ben Briscoe to purchase the struggling Buick brand in 1904, thus launching a second act for Durant, this time in the automotive industry.

Fast forward to 1908, when Briscoe approached him again with a one-word proposition: consolidation. The automotive industry at that time remained very speculative, with several hundred companies incorporating for the purpose of producing and selling cars and still dozens actually doing it. No one knew which brands would survive. Consolidation of the most powerful and successful companies would help ensure longevity. 

Durant loved the excitement of new acquisitions, but control of them disinterested him. Between 1909 and 1910, he bought up whatever company he thought had potential. Cadillac was a Dewars Award winner multiple times; Oakland won a hill climb; Welch had an overhead-cam engine; Cartercar used a friction-drive system. Durant bought them using GM stock certificates, though he did personally buy Elmore Motor Car Company and its two-stroke engine for $550,000, later selling it to GM for a profit of $50,000. He also bought parts manufacturers and suppliers. 

(Fun fact: Durant twice approached Ford about selling to General Motors. Both times, Ford agreed. But the bankers squashed the deal both times, once balking at the number, saying, “Ford is not worth EIGHT million dollars.” Hindsight, as they say. . .)

But not all companies did well. And some doors had to be shuttered. In the interest of saving jobs, Durant sought the help of bankers. Those bankers, led by James Storrow, agreed to put up $19 million and sign a five-year trust agreement, effectively neutralizing Durant’s power. This was September 16, 1910, two years after General Motors was initially incorporated.

With bankers trimming companies left and right from General Motors, Durant knew it would mean many people would be out of work, and he hated to see that happen. Flint was at risk of again finding itself left behind other manufacturing cities. Durant saw another challenge in front of him and resolved to regain control of the company he had built. 

For the first phase of Durant’s plan, he enlisted his deep reservoir of talented industry professionals. William Little, Buick’s former general superintendent, was charged with creating a light 4-cylinder car called the Little Motor Car. Former Buick engineer Arthur Mason was to help with the engine and design of the Little Fours. A. B. C. Hardy, former manager of a Durant-Dort subsidiary, was hired as production manager. And a former Buick race car driver originally from Switzerland was given a marque of his own to design. That race car driver was Louis Chevrolet. 

Durant set up the Republic Motor Company as a holding company and included the Sterling Motor Company, which manufactured 6-cylinder engines for the Little.

Ironically, Louis and Durant did not see eye to eye on a lot of things. Durant understood that the greatness of the Ford Model T was its accessibility to the buying public. It was cheap and relatively reliable. In 1908, Buick was only 20% behind Ford in sales. By 1912, Buick was selling fewer than one-sixth the number of Fords after the bankers eliminated a variety of Buick models. Therefore, Durant wanted a direct competitor to Ford’s “Tin Lizzie.” Conversely, Louis was focused on building luxury cars, a strategy that didn’t fit Durant’s plan.

Also, Louis smoked cigarettes, the butt hanging from his bottom lip most of the time. Conversely, Durant was a cigar man, having sold them when he was younger. Durant chided Louis that, as an executive, a cigar was the more suitable accessory. That derision, coupled with the fact that Louis was designing luxury cars instead of what Durant wanted, caused Louis to resign from the company that bore his name. 

Ironically, Durant now owned the right to the Chevrolet name (which he loved), so Louis would not be able to use it. Around this time, Hardy advised Durant that the Little Car name did not connote a great image, so a Chevrolet (or Chevy, as it was abbreviated) nameplate was put over all Little cars. 

Chevy’s first production car was the mildly innovative Classic Six in 1912, a 4-door, 5-passenger vehicle with top, boot, and running boards. Chevy was now cooking with gas. But there was much work to be done in order to compete with General Motors, let alone Ford. With the help of A.T. Stuart, who engineered chassis for Buick and was moonlighting for Chevy, the new marque continued to make headway.

At the New York Auto Show in 1914, the H-3 Amesbury Special debuted. The production Specials were the first Chevys to sport the famous bow-tie insignia (reportedly inspired by the wallpaper in a French hotel and jotted down on a napkin by Durant). There was the 5-passenger H-4 touring car called the Baby Grand, which retailed at $875, and the sportier H-2 roadster or Royal Mail, which went for $750. (You can see an example of the 1914 Royal Mail in The Vault here at the Petersen.)

After being hired full-time at Chevy, Stuart unveiled his plans for a new, smaller 4-cylinder car to compete with Ford: the Chevy 490. (It was really just a junior version of the Baby Grand.) Durant had a sense of humor and chose the name 490 because it was the price point of Ford’s Model T. With Ford’s large profit margin, they were able to lower the price to $440, while the 490 cost $550, a difference of $110. The 490, however, offered an option of colors, standard-issue self-starter, headlight dimmers, speedometer, and electric horn—quite the classy upgrade. At last, Durant had his prize.

The prototype was shown in New York in January of 1915 with production to begin in May. Now with five different models of Chevys priced from $690 to $2,510 and the less expensive 490 on the way, Durant had maneuvered enough pieces on the checkerboard to make his move. With the deadline of the trust quickly approaching, the net was ready to be cast. 

While quietly buying up shares of General Motors, the shrewd Durant also offered up five shares of Chevrolet stock at $18 for one share of General Motors stock at $80. But to take on the financial whales (bankers), he would need a whale of his own, and he got one—Pierre S. du Pont of du Pont gunpowder fame. As Durant’s ally, du Pont also bought up shares of General Motors. 

On September 16, 1915, seven years to the day that Durant first incorporated General Motors, the GM directors met only to be interrupted by Durant, who dumped stock certificates on the table as he declared, “Gentlemen, I now own more than 50% of this company!” Though it took several months to sort out, ultimately, Durant took over, and Chevrolet Motor Company, the single brand, actually absorbed all of the conglomerate that was General Motors (Chevy actually owned 54.5% of all GM shares). The banker Storrow was kicked out, and Durant was once again the hero, making Chevrolet a name to be reckoned with for over a century. 

The Count of Monte Cristo had his revenge, and his creation Chevrolet was about to outsell the Ford Model T on its way to helping GM become the largest automotive manufacturer in the world. 

See Historic Cars from the early 1900’s in The Vault!

Visit The Vault, and lay eyes on the history of the automobile.

Walk through automotive history as you explore the secrets held within our Vault collection! Recently opened to the public, it’s your opportunity to visit and see all the cars we have tucked away for preservation and future exhibits.

Explore Chevrolet Vehicle Spotlights

The Magnificent Losers: The Jaguar XJ220 and Bugatti EB110

Straight from the Petersen Automotive Museum's Vault our Shervin is bringing you a tale of failure and good intentions gone wrong. But whatever happened 32 years ago is vindicated by two of the best legacies in the automotive world.

Today we bring you part 1 of comparison we had fun making between the 1993 Bugatti EB110 and the 1993 Jaguar XJ220.

In 1989, Italian industrialist Romano Artioli acquired the Bugatti name and constructed a facility in Italy to produce a mid-engine supercar that would evoke the mystique of the original. The car debuted in 1991 and was called the EB110 after the founder of the mark, Ettore Bugatti, who would have been 110 years old that year. Unfortunately, production of the EB110 coincided with a dramatic decline in the supercar market during the 1990s, and just 126 were produced. The Bugatti factory was later closed, and the name was sold to Volkswagen.

The XJ220 held so much promise that company executives elected to put it into production. The fastest of any production vehicle produced by Jaguar at the time, the XJ220’s twin-turbocharged V-6 engine produced outstanding performance, despite a large number of potential buyers who cancelled their orders because it was not equipped with a V-12 as originally prototyped. Amid engine disputes, and a declining demand for supercars during the 1990s, Jaguar ended up producing less than the already low 350 originally intended.

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK ON FEBRUARY 11 FOR PART 2!

See other incredible cars in The Vault!

The Vault is home to many awe-inspiring vehicles from all kinds of makes and models, including oddball one-offs, hot rods, race cars, and brilliant custom cars.

The One-of-One Celica Speedster Concept Car!

The Toyota Celica is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word coelica meaning heavenly or celestial.

The fifth-generation Celica was introduced in September 1989 for the 1990 model year. The Celica received new Super Round organic styling, upgraded wheels and tires, more powerful GT-Four (All-Trac Turbo in the U.S.) with better cooling system, and for the Japanese market only, the four-wheel steering (4WS) models. Toyota engineers claimed that the round styling and lack of straight edges increased strength without adding weight.

What our award winning presenter Shervin Nakhjavani is showcasing today it's the 1990 Toyota Celica tsunami by ASC. This is a speedster version of the 5th generation Celica by the American Sunroof Corporation who made the official convertible version of the car. The Tsunami features a removable panel behind the front seats that tuned it into an open 4-seater though with the roof in place it only seated the driver and front passenger.

This is Shervin's debut video on our channel after winning the 2024 BaT video of the year award with this -    • How I Rescued a RARE Bell System Tele...   More to come!

This video is brought to you by Vredestein tires.

The 1990 Toyota Celica Tsunami by ASC sports Vredestein Hypertrac 215/45/R17

https://www.vredestein.com/car-suv-ti...

See other incredible cars in The Vault!

The Vault is home to many awe-inspiring vehicles from all kinds of makes and models, including oddball one-offs, hot rods, race cars, and brilliant custom cars.

"It's hard to be bad," Mike Denkers replied when asked how he was doing. As I conversed with the head of War Chest Partners, a real estate and construction company, and an Eccles Foundation trustee, I quickly understood what the 29-year-old Utah resident meant. Mike and his dad Steve are, among other endeavors, car enthusiasts. They are also CF200 members and fans of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

It’s not too much of a secret that the Petersen provides not only cars but also a sense of community for those who appreciate all aspects of the automobile. And Mike can appreciate that. “The car community," he says, "is very unique and amazing. It’s something I definitely take for granted because when I have a non-car friend who sees the connections and things I gotta go do just because I love cars, they’re like, ‘Why the hell am I not into cars?'" And with a neverending sense of duty to provide for those less fortunate, the Petersen Foundation and the esteemed Eccles family, of which Mike and Steve are descendants, are a match of altruistic synergy.

Mike's family has been a fixture in philanthropic work ever since ancestor David came over from Scotland in the mid-1800s and began thriving as a serial entrepreneur. The seeds he planted have since grown to form one of Utah's most recognizable families. Mike is the great-grandson of Willard Eccles and if you've spent any time in Utah, you're no doubt familiar with the name from buildings and landmarks. The Eccles Foundation supports a variety of noble causes through grants including education, environment, social services, basic science, and healthcare for the underserved. 

Having been members of The Petersen for several years, it is through their philanthropic efforts that Mike championed the non-profit 43 Institute—the Ken Block Foundation on which Mike serves as an advisory board member to the Museum. With Ken Block’s passing, Mike was worried that Block's memory would pass as well. But with exhibitions like the one at the Petersen introducing the legendary rally racer, businessman, and YouTube sensation to new fans daily, Mike is confident that Ken Block’s influence on automotive culture will be felt for years to come.

Mike’s own love of automobiles grew from what Block did. Though Mike and Steve have many favorites to drive—Land Rovers and Audi—they are, at their core, Porsche fans, which Mike calls "the best worst idea you ever had." Though he relents when considering all the fun adventures his cars have provided. "At times you’ll wonder why you ever did it. And then at the end of it, you’ll be very happy." 

But, the primary motive for Mike and Steve in buying cars is to drive them. And they drive them a LOT. Between the two of them, the Denkers put around 100,000 miles a year on their vehicles. It was this that spurred Mike to sell what he calls "the prettiest, cutest car we ever had." One-of-four 1993 Porsche 911 RS Americas in the world that was “paint-sample fly yellow” was simply not long for their purposes—they put fewer than 6000 miles on it in three years. For that reason, they swapped it out for a brand new Porsche 911 (992) Dakar. "You know a lot of these cars, you sort of kick yourself and say, 'Oh my God, I should have never sold that,'” he says with a chuckle. Though he acknowledges that for every one sold comes a new love. 

Regardless of what car they're in, time behind the wheel has created a lifetime of memories for Mike and his dad. One such experience was in a 1994 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EVO II which they took on the Annual Delta Snowdon through the Snowdon Pass in North Wales in 2023.

The Lancia remains the owner of Mike's "favorite story of any car we've ever had." But it was certainly not an inexpensive one. Bought off the Bring a Trailer website as a consignment auction, the import process—from Japan to the U.S.— began in 2019 and wasn’t completed until 2021. Then the real fun began due to, as Mike put it, “a catastrophic engine failure.” He highlights the primary concern with maintaining beautiful, little Italian cars is "project creep" where one fix inevitably leads to one tending to every other part of the car. Such was the case with a 15-month restoration process at Delta expert Tanc Barrett’s shop two hours north of London. 

Still, that did not stop Mike and Steve from meeting up with 50 other Delta EVOs (maybe 10% of all running EVOs in the world, by his estimation) for four days while rallying across the fantastic roads of Wales. (The Snowdon Pass itself sits on the highest mountain in Wales with an elevation of 3560 feet above sea level.) Part of the joy for Mike was watching "every single dude in a utility van hanging out of their car giving us a thumbs up" as their Lancia passed. Mike called it “the most incredible fun event that we could have done.” 

But an embarrassment of riches leaves the Denkers with choices and it was the Porsche 911 Dakar that was Steve’s machine of choice for this year’s Petersen Rally—the annual pilgrimage made from the Museum up the coast to Monterey Car Week. Chiming into our conversation, Steve mused, “It was funny because I was in the Dakar and there were other guys in Porsches and Lambos and I think four or five of the guys got flat tires or curbed their tires" on the dirt roads of the vineyard. Such is the benefit of having a car that's “rough and ready.” 

The episode speaks to Ken Block's penchant for such vehicles and the inspiration he was to the Denkers. “What he [Block] did inspired me to do more interesting and different things than others are doing. So that’s something I’ve never seen replicated before, the way he did it, so… It’s amazing, it’s unique, and it started multiple different industries.” 

One new avenue of entrepreneurship for rally cars is in content creation. It led Mike to "perhaps the most fun we've had"—a “Safari Party” down in Southern Utah hosted by his friend and talented photographer Tanner Seymour. (For those not in the know, a Porsche Safari is a modified Porsche 911 that's been adapted for off-roading, a tradition that began in the 1960s.) The event allowed the Denkers to combine some of their favorite things—Porsches, off-road adventures, stunning landscapes, and community. It was originally the brainchild of Seymour and Brock Keen, a fellow content creator.

Before the Safari Party, Tanner took a couple of other Porsches to Knolls, Utah in the Great Salt Lake Desert to shoot some videos. "The sand is fun in these cars—slippery and you don’t need a ton of power," according to Mike. They shot some fun videos without any real plan, and Seymour put them on Instagram. (The three videos Seymour posted of the day have eclipsed ten million views at the current tally.)

Later, Seymour and Keen put out Instagram and Facebook posts saying, “Hey, we’re putting together a Porsche rally in Southern UT.” The plan was to bring a ton of videographers and photographers and have some fun. It was also an opportunity for all those who showed up to advertise through sponsorship. Though others doubted its success, including organizers of other Porsche events worldwide, no one expected it to blow up online as much as it did. At the end of October 2024, there had to be 35-40 other cars and maybe an equal number of cameras. 

This was heaven to the Denkers—Mike in his '83 Safari and Steve in his 992 Dakar. It was a diverse group from all walks of life, and not necessarily of only Porches. The postings brought all sorts together including a 944, a Cayenne, and even a crazy lifted E-class Mercedes. "Out of all the events I've ever done, it was the only event that everybody felt totally comfortable being around everybody else. There were no conversations of ‘How much was your car?’ or ‘What else do you have in your collection?’ but rather, ‘I can’t wait to get out tomorrow and see what the dunes are gonna be like and the different landscapes we’re gonna see.’ And one funny thing was how a bunch of air-cooled 911s that were never made to go off-road went down to Southern Utah beat themselves up and not one of them broke.”

The highlight that stuck the most with Mike is how "two random guys from Utah with a couple of fun cars threw their cars in the dunes with a bunch of other car enthusiasts from all walks of life." Mike's theme comes through loud and clear without him saying it directly—Be a part of it. Live a little. All are welcome!

The Denkers recognize that. The Petersen Museum recognizes that. And we know that visitors unaware of Ken Block's legacy at the Museum will soon recognize that. What Block did to bring fun to the mainstream will live on. So many who come to the Museum are met with a community who believe that there is something truly special about the automobile. It is indeed, to paraphrase Mike, hard to be “doing bad” when you are a part of something special that the car community provides.

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Alan Cocconi the man behind AC Propulsion and a pioneer of the EV world stopped by the Petersen Automotive Museum to share with Associate Curator Autumn Nyiri the memories and secrets of two of his most famous and groundbreaking projects. The GM Impact and the AC Propulsion T-Zero can be seen as part of Alternating Currents - an exhibition sponsored by BMW North America and Optima Batteries.

This video is sponsored by BMW North America.

General Motors introduced its Impact concept at the 1990 LA Auto Show, marking the beginning of an industry-wide effort to decrease emissions and reduce fossil fuel dependency. The Impact drew on technical and design research done by GM for its SunRaycer solar electric race car, and its aerodynamic form increased efficiency by reducing wind resistance. Though the Impact did not enter wide-scale production, and GM ultimately destroyed the 50 additional cars that were built, the vehicle served as the basis for the GM EV1 later in the decade.

Credited as the inspiration for Tesla’s first vehicles, the tzero was developed by engineer and AC Propulsion founder Alan Cocconi, who previously worked on the prototype for the GM EV1. AC Propulsion, a Southern California-based manufacturer of electric drive systems, built three of these electric sports cars between 1994 and 1998. The design combined a stylish silhouette with a high-performance electric drivetrain and used technology the company was already supplying to automakers like BMW and Toyota. The experimental replacement of this car’s original lead-acid batteries with lithium-ion batteries in 2003 helped prove the viability of the latter for automobile use.

Learn More About The Alternating Currents Exhibit In-Person!

Learn more about the history of the electric vehicle, as well as BMW’s ongoing story in creating their own path of electrification starting over 50 years ago!

Vehicle Spotlights: Alternating Currents

A glimpse into the life and craft of Bobby Garza, a low rider and automobile artist from Texas.

Bobby Garza’s Chevrolet Bel Air “Double Trouble” won Lowrider’s coveted Lowrider of the Year award three times—in 2018, 2019, and 2021—the maximum number of times allowed. And that is exactly what the car was designed to do. Some lowrider car owners want to cruise the boulevard in their vehicles and show them off at community events; Garza’s motivation was to have a car that was worthy of the highest honors in lowrider competition.

“Double Trouble” is displayed at the musuem in its full show setup, with a matching pedal car and stroller.

See “Double Trouble” in-person!

See every intricate detail and piece of artwork on the car for yourself, as well as all of our other exhibit vehicles in Best in Low!

Vehicle Spotlight: Double Trouble

The Bizzarrini 5300 Corsa Revival, a Le Mans Legend continued.

We were lucky enough to spend the day at the iconic Willow Springs circuit and drive the car around for a few laps.

Luna's stint in the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival lasted considerably less than 24 hours, but there’s no doubt that the Bizzarrini 5300GT Corsa Revival recreates the rawness that takes you back of several decades all the way to Le Mans in 1965.

Visit the Vault to see Historic Race Cars In Person!

Learn more about other Le Mans legends, Indy 500 dominators, Can-Am monsters, and F1 royalty today in the Vault!

Part One

Part Two

Exhibit Tour with Jonee Eisen!

This week Jonee Eisen takes us on a gripping journey into the history of car tires with How We Roll, an exhibition presented by Vredestein.

As the only components of an automobile that come into contact with the road, tires play a vital role in most aspects of a car's performance. They help a car handle better, stop quicker, perform more safely and economically, and enhance its looks. Tires have also shaped how people travel, influenced automobile engineering, and impacted global economies. From rudimentary metal or leather rings placed on wooden wheels to protect them from damage to today's computer-designed pneumatic tires made with advanced synthetic materials, their history is a journey of innovation and technological development. Often overlooked or taken for granted, and despite its basic appearance, the tire is a sophisticated piece of equipment that is the product of over a hundred years of evolution.

See This Exhibit In-Person!

Tour over a hundred years of tire history with one of the world’s oldest tire manufacturers, Vredestein!

The Cybercab featuring Chief Tesla Designer, Franz von Holzhausen

This self-driving Cybercab was one of 20 fully functional, pre-production robotaxis unveiled at Tesla’s “We, Robot” event held in October 2024 at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA, where attendees were able to take rides autonomously.

In this Deep Dive Video Franz von Holzhausen, head of Design at Tesla will walk us through the stylistic choices and reasoning behind this revolutionary project.

The car seats two passengers, has dihedral doors that open automatically, and features a hatchback for cargo. It employs the same computer and sensing suite used in Tesla’s existing fleet of vehicles but does not require any pedals or a steering wheel to operate. Cybercab is one component of Tesla’s plan for “democratizing transportation” with autonomous vehicles and robots.

See the Vehicle Spotlight for the Cybercab!

Learn more about the Tesla Cybercab Protoype, on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum until January 2nd, 2025.