The more time passes by, the more we tend to appreciate pre-war cars of the Art Deco era. Modern car designers today are restricted by fuel efficiency and safety ratings that a product needs to adhere to if it is to be approved for sale. Back then, you could create any design that may have sprung to your mind if you had the necessary tools and finances to put it together.

Before World War II, one of the most prestigious regions of car making was France, where manufacturers like Bugatti were competing against other bespoke brands, most of which are no longer around today. The Guggenheim Museum in Spain wants to pay tribute to this iconic period with a new exhibition that will showcase some of the most exotic and rare French creations.

The Mullin Automotive Museum based in Oxnard, California will be contributing two of its cars to the "Motion. Autos, Arts, Architecture" exhibition from April 5-October 1, 2022. The first example will be the Bugatti Chiron's ancestor, the iconic and highly valued 1936 Type 57SC Atlantic. The Atlantic is only one of two models that exist today and is considered to be Jean Bugatti's masterpiece and this very example was the recipient of the "J.B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car" at last year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The second representative is the lesser-known 1939 Delahaye Type 165, which was was the representative for France at the New York World's Fair in 1939, just before the start of the devastating world war. It was powered by a 4.5-liter V12 with a single carburetor, but just look at it! This thing could be powered by farts and still be a class act.

"The Atlantic and Type 165 are from a period when French automotive design was at its peak," says Mullin Automotive Museum Founder Peter W. Mullin. "Cars of that era were more about expressions of design, individuality, and art than strictly function. Having them at the Guggenheim is an honor and a recognition of the influence of automotive design on other artistic and creative forms. We are excited for European car and design enthusiasts to experience them firsthand."

Shipping classic cars that are worth millions of dollars can't be an easy task. We just pray that they make their voyage to and from their destination much safer than those that were victims of the Felicity Ace.