Become a Godfather or Godmother of One of Our Cars
AN INVITATION TO PASSION
Become a godparent of an exceptional car and help preserve a unique piece of automotive heritage. Each vehicle at Autoworld tells a story — one of innovation, style, and craftsmanship. By joining our godparent program, you actively contribute to passing on this passion and heritage to future generations.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME A GODPARENT?
Becoming a godparent means symbolically adopting one of the jewels in our collection. Your contribution directly supports the car’s maintenance, restoration, and presentation within the museum.
In return, your name will be displayed on the museum’s dynamic screens, you will receive an official certificate, exclusive event invitations, and regular updates about the collection. It’s a personal and meaningful way to connect with the fascinating world of Autoworld.
WHY IT MATTERS
Autoworld is not a static museum, but a living space where automotive passion comes to life every day. Thanks to your support, we can preserve and restore historic vehicles, inspire future generations, and keep our collection vibrant and evolving. Every godparent helps sustain the story and beauty of these iconic cars.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
It’s simple: choose the car that captures your heart, fill out the godparent form, or contact our team. You’ll receive your official certificate and become part of the Autoworld godparent community. The godparent program is valid for one year and can be renewed annually.
JOIN THE ADVENTURE
Become part of Autoworld’s story and help keep the passion for automobiles alive. Become a godparent today and help us preserve this heritage for generations to come.
THE CARS FROM OUR COLLECTION YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM
AMPHICAR 770 - 1971
The most famous amphibious vehicle for private use. Two propellers provide propulsion in the water, while the front wheels act as a rudder. As such, the car is not particularly responsive on water, nor is its road handling impeccable. The rear-mounted engine is that of a Triumph Herald, paired with a Porsche-developed gearbox. A total of 3,878 units were produced between 1961 and 1968.
BELGA RISE BR8 - 1934
The French manufacturer Sizaire Frères ceased production in 1928, after which the SEPA company, based in Haren (Brussels), acquired the patents. In 1929, they launched a new car that adopted the French marque’s independent front suspension and chassis. The engines were sourced from various suppliers, including Talbot in this case. The name Belga Rise appeared in 1932. Its radiator grille and mascot earned it the nickname ‘the Belgian Rolls-Royce’. Most of the 1936–37 production (39 units) was delivered to the Belgian army as staff cars. The coachwork was by Vesters & Neirinckx (Brussels).
BENTLEY 3L - 4,5L - 1928
This Bentley 3-litre chassis, fitted with Vanden Plas ‘Speed Model’ bodywork, was equipped with a 4.5-litre four-cylinder engine by a British specialist for competition purposes. This iconic model is similar to the cars raced by the ‘Bentley Boys’, who claimed victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930. Countless replicas have been—and continue to be—produced.
CADILLAC SERIES 62 ‘STATE LIMOUSINE’ - 1954
Ordered by the Belgian Royal Family and used as an official ‘parade car’, it features several unique elements, including a split front bench and a handle on the windscreen frame. It took part in most state occasions in the second half of the fifties, such as the wedding of Prince Albert and Paola on 2 July 1959. It is, however, especially famous as the wedding car of the royal couple Baudouin and Fabiola on 15 December 1960. For this occasion, a special plexiglass top was manufactured by coachbuilder Vesters & Neirinckx in Brussels.
CADILLAC SERIES 6200 CONVERTIBLE - 1959
The 1959 Cadillac is known for its iconic tail fins with twin bullet-shaped taillights. It also got a new grille pattern that was meant to reference jewellery. For 1959, the Series 62 became the Series 6200. Standard equipment was extensive: power brakes, power steering, automatic transmission, reverse lights, two-speed wipers and a make-up mirror. The convertible model had electric windows and a two-way adjustable seat. Elvis Presley already sang about a ‘pink Cadillac’, and when he went touring in his dream car, a Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60, in 1954, he painted it in pink. Since then, a pink Cadillac has been invariably associated with ‘The King’.
CITROËN C3 5HP - 1924
The basic model out of the Citroën range: presented in 1921, available for the price of a cyclecar and weighing a mere 550 kg. The construction is very basic. In those days all the Citroën models were only fitted with brakes on the rear wheels: the brake pedal activates a drum brake on the transmission and a hand brake actuates two small drum brakes on the rear wheels. In 1924, 28,450 units of this model were built.
DARMONT DS SPÉCIAL - 1927
Produced under licence from the renowned British Morgan three-wheeler. While Morgan fitted JAP or Matchless air-cooled engines, the sportier Darmont version, as displayed here, was equipped with of a water-cooled twin-cylinder Blackburne unit with twin ignition. However, the car is not fitted with a reverse gear.
DE DION BOUTON TYPE G VIS-À-VIS - 1901
Introduced in 1898, this model was the first car fitted with reverse gear, and more especially with a 'de Dion' rear axle, still used to this day. Some 2,970 models were produced, and the one exhibited here is the personal property of Count de Dion. It boasts a luxurious Rothchild coachwork, one of the most expensive of that time.
FN 1500 S SPORT - 1925
For the first time, in 1925, FN competed in car races with a works team. That year, the marque claimed the ‘Coupe du Roi’ at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, with an average speed of 85 km/h, as well as a third place in the Rallye Monte-Carlo with Lamarche. They built 200 units of this sporty 1500, featuring a modified body and a more powerful engine. The first owner of this car always claimed that it was one of the team’s actual winning cars from 1925.
FERRARI TESTAROSSA - 1991
Successor to the 512. Designed by Pininfarina and a sensation as from its introduction. The model became an icon of the ‘80s, thanks in part to its presence in three seasons of the popular American TV series 'Miami Vice'. Apart from minor alterations it remained in production from 1984 up to 1996: some 9,959 models were built, which is a large number for a Ferrari. 85% of the production was red with a beige interior.
FIAT 500 D - 1965
In the summer, of 1957 Fiat introduced the New 500, destined to repeat the success of the Topolino. The new model used the latest design techniques, such as an integral body structure, all round independent suspension and an air cooled rear engine, the first ever employed by Fiat. In 1960, about a month after the introduction of the 600 D in, the upgraded 500 D was introduced. Power was increased by about 1 HP. Between 1960-1965 over 640,000 500 D's were produced.
FIAT 509 GASTON LAGAFFE - 1929
Replica of the famous car of Gaston Lagaffe, a comic book character created in 1957 by Belgian illustrator André Franquin. Gaston is the ultimate anti-hero and the undisputed king of blunders, dressed in a green turtleneck sweater, rolled-up black jeans, and espadrilles. He gets around in an old, run-down yellow and black jalopy. Franquin is said to have been inspired by the Fiat 509. The car is the source of numerous gags, either due to its dilapidated state (constant breakdowns, slowness, pollution…) or because of the improvements Gaston tries to make. These mechanical inventions—like so many of Lagaffe’s creations—often end in disaster. The exhibited car has participated in two international comic book exhibitions.
FONDU CF - 1906
Charles Fondu built railroad equipment in Vilvoorde, and launched into car production in 1906. This is one of the first models (chassis n°4). The bodywork is made of pitch pine, by Victor Decunsel based in Molenbeek. A luxurious finish with chased glass and ivory accessories. Fondu granted a production licence to Russo-Baltique, a company based in Riga, Latvia, at that time a member of the Russian Empire.
FORD CAPRI GROUP 2 - 1971
Prepared by Ford Motorsport Köln in accordance with FIA Group 2 rules. Accumulated an impressive racing record in the 1971 and 1972 seasons in the hand of Gérard Larousse, Jochen Mass, Dieter Glemser and Carlos Soler-Roig with victories at Salzburgring 1971, Paul Ricard 24 h 1971, Madrid 4 h Jarama (1971 and 1972) and Barcelona (Montjuich) 1972. But the most impressive result was the victory of Glemser/Soler-Roig in the Spa 24 Hours of 1971, beating the Mercedes AMG 300 SEL 6.9 “Rote Sau”. A bit like David and Goliath…
LÉON BOLLÉE VOITURETTE - 1896
Léon was a descendant of the renowned Amédée Bollée père et fils, French pioneers of steam propulsion. He began building tricycles from 1895 onwards, giving them the name ‘voiturette’, a term that would later become generic for small cars. This three-wheeler was nicknamed ‘la tue Belle-mère’ (‘mother-in-law killer’), as the passenger was seated at the front. With no suspension but capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 km/h, it was both fast and dangerous. It claimed first and second places in the very first London–Brighton Run in 1896. Note the small steering wheel, an innovation at the time.
MAZDA COSMO SERIES II - 1970
The Cosmo was, along with the NSU Ro80, one of the first production cars to feature a 2-rotor Wankel engine. A prototype was presented at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, one month before the introduction of the NSU Spider Wankel. Full production began in May 1967. A 2nd series was produced from 1968 till 1972. They were built by hand at a rate of about one per day, for a total of 1,176 (343 Series I and 833 Series II cars). In 1968, two Cosmos participated in one of the most gruelling races, to prove the reliability of the rotary engine: the 84-hour “Marathon de la Route” at the Nürburgring. One retired with axle damage in the 82nd hour. The other car, driven by the Belgians JP. Ackermans, Y. Deprez and L. Last, completed the race in fourth overall.
MINERVA TYPE OO - 1921
This model, with Belgian Vanden Plas ‘Tulipe’ bodywork, was the personal car of King Albert I. At the time, it was the most expensive model in the Minerva range. The radiator already featured a rounded, aerodynamic shape. The Minerva radiator cap represents the head of the goddess of war, Minerva, and, in all its variants, is made according to a design by the sculptor Pieter de Soete.
MINERVA SP FIRE TRUCK - 1934
In 1930, the name Auto-Traction disappeared from Minerva trucks. In 1934, the company went bankrupt, but truck production resumed in 1935. This is one of the last chassis built before the bankruptcy. The adapted bodywork was made by Plas & Mestagh, based in Brussels. For many years, this fire truck was in service with the Schaerbeek fire brigade, one of the 19 communes of Brussels.
PORSCHE 911 SC POLICE - 1976
In 1976, the Belgian Gendarmerie ordered twenty 911 Targa models with a narrow body, fitted with the then ultra-modern 210 bhp Carrera RS engine. Each had its own chassis number sequence, making them unique. Special equipment, apart from the flashing lights and siren, included a CB radio and a ‘STOP’ signal. Due to the car’s power, officers were required to follow a driving course; nevertheless, there were a few serious accidents. Today, only two of these models are still registered.
RENAULT 16 TX - 1978
When it was released in 1965, the R16 revolutionized the world of sedans with its two-volume 5-door body and a rear hatch. The original design is by Philippe Charbonneaux, who created Renault’s first styling department in 1960 with the launch of the R8. The initial model was followed by the TS in 1973 and by the TX in 1976, featuring a five-speed gearbox, four iodine headlights, a rear wiper, central locking, and more. The R16 remained in production from 1965 to 1980, resulting in 1,851,502 cars produced.
RENAULT R5 AUTOMATIC - 1983
Presented in 1972 as one of the first ‘super-minis’. Based on the Renault 4 underpinnings. The first car with enveloping polyester bumpers. Equally at ease in the city as on the motorways. This particular car was built in Vilvoorde (Belgium), where Renault produced cars from 1935 until 1997. It is in fact the millionth R5 ever produced, and is still brand new with only delivery mileage. Production years: 1972 – 1996; 7,3 million produced.
TALBOT-MATRA MURENA 1.6 - 1981
As the successor to the Matra Bagheera, it retained certain typical characteristics, such as the central mounted engine and the three seats. It was the first car with a galvanised chassis. Bodywork made out of fibreglass reinforced with polyester. However, it did not achieve the hoped-for success and was only produced from 1980 until 1983. Through the collaboration with PSA the car was sold under the name of Talbot-Matra. The engines, 1.6- or 2.2-liter units, originated from Simca.
VANCLEE BUGGY - 1970
In Belgium, it wasn’t just Apal or Ritter building buggies. In Roeselare, Eric Vandewalle, together with Georges Cleerinckx, also built Vanclee buggies from the late 1960s onward. The name was derived from their surnames. The concept was the same: a Beetle chassis—shortened or not—served as the base, with a polyester body on top. The Vanclee buggies were of high quality, and with a price around 250,000 BEF, not really cheap. However, for the more hands-on enthusiasts, they were also available as kits. In 1977, a small utility vehicle was added: the Emmet or Mungo, based on a Citroën AX chassis. The buggy craze faded, and by the late 1980s, the company ceased operations.
VIVINUS 'DUC' - 1900
Alexis Vivinus was based in Brussels and started building bicycles around 1890. Not long after, he became an importer of Benz automobiles. In 1895, he began manufacturing his own cars in Schaerbeek. His first car was equipped with a single-cylinder engine, but this was soon replaced by a more powerful two-cylinder engine. In 1907, one of his four-cylinder engines was used in the Aéroplanes Voisin biplane. The Vivinus shown here was gifted by King Leopold II to Baroness de Vaughan. The bodywork was made by D’Ieteren Frères. Power is transmitted via a belt to the rear wheels. The car has two forward gears but no reverse.
WILLYS MB JEEP - 1944
The Willys MB Jeep, also produced as the nearly identical Ford GPW, is a small off-road vehicle used by the Allies during the Second World War. It was produced in large numbers (around 640,000 units) by the United States from 1941 to 1945. The name 'Jeep' is believed to come from the term 'General Purpose', abbreviated as GP (pronounced 'jeep'). After the war, many Jeeps were sold at auction and used around the world for a wide variety of tasks. This red example appears in the Tintin album ‘Land of Black Gold’. In the album ‘Destination Moon’, it is a blue version.
J.P.W. PROTOTYPE - 1946
Jean-Pierre Wimille was a renowned French racing driver. He won several Grands Prix as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937 and 1939. After having been a member of the French Resistance, he built this small car for the post-war era together with engineer M. Viel. The design was created by Ph. Charbonneaux, and the bodywork was built by Chapron on a tubular chassis with four independent wheels. The driver sits centrally, with space for a passenger on either side. The engine is positioned centrally at the rear. The aerodynamic shape, featuring a large plexiglass windscreen and a small rear window, is striking. The car on display is the first of three built between 1946 and 1948. Wimille was killed in 1949 while driving a Simca-Gordini during practice for the Argentine Grand Prix.