A Pilgrimage Through Automotive History
Few cities in the world can claim to have shaped the motor car in quite the same way as Stuttgart. It’s the spiritual home of two of the most important automotive marques in history: Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. And so, with reverence and anticipation, the Vault Europe team made our way to this energetic, modern, and deeply welcoming German city for a weekend of discovery, inspiration, and automotive enlightenment.
Mercedes-Benz Museum: From Invention to Legacy
Our journey began with a step back into the origins of the motor car - to Carl Benz’s 1886 Patent-Motorwagen, the world’s first automobile. But Stuttgart doesn’t just celebrate the familiar headlines. It dives into the parallel innovations of Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, whose groundbreaking “grandfather clock engine ”didn’t just power motorcars - it found its way into boats, railcars, motorcycles, and even early aircraft. It’s a reminder that automotive history is as much about versatility and vision as it is about speed and design.
Mercedes-Benz delivers more than a mechanical timeline. Its museum weaves 140 years of innovation into the fabric of social, political, and cultural history - confronting, with dignity, the company’s wartime roles and post-war rebirth. The sheer range of vehicles was astonishing: ambulances, school buses, race cars, limousines, coaches, trucks, and concepts - all contributing to a legacy that stretches far beyond personal transport.
For us, the museum’s emotional crescendo came in the form of two icons of the highest order:
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, one of only two in existence - a reminder of the €135 million record-breaking private sale and a masterpiece of design and rarity.
And perhaps most powerfully, 300 SLR ‘722’, driven by Stirling Moss and Denis to Mille Miglia victory in 1955. For those of us fortunate enough to have seen Stirling at the wheel of this car at Goodwood before his passing, standing before it again was nothing short of a sacred experience.
Porsche Museum: Purity of Purpose, Unbroken Lineage
From the stately grandeur of Mercedes, we crossed Stuttgart to the minimalist brilliance of the Porsche Museum - a study in engineering purity and design clarity. Here, we encountered the brand’s very first car to wear the Porsche badge, the 356 from 1948, a delicate and quietly revolutionary machine.
But the journey from that modest beginning to the Le Mans-winning 917 in Gulf livery, or to the most extreme expressions of Porsche performance and elegance today, is told with precision and flair. Standing beside the oldest known 911 felt like meeting the ancestor of every sports car we’ve ever loved. From motorsport legends to road-going perfection, this was a brand that never lost its way - only refined its message.
Stuttgart: A City That Breathes Engineering
Away from the museums, Stuttgart itself is a city of vigour, charm, and generous spirit. From friendly conversations to excellent food and hospitality, it was clear that this is a place that not only builds cars - it lives them. It understands the passion, the purpose, and the story behind every vehicle. And in that, we found kinship.
Carrying the Inspiration Forward
What we brought back to Vault Europe wasn’t just a camera roll of beautiful machines - though we certainly have that. We returned with a renewed sense of why we do what we do: protect icons, enhance their potential, and love every inch of them.
The journey from the first motorised carriage to today’s timeless sports cars is still unfolding - and we’re proud to be a small but passionate part of that story.