Johann Rupert saved his father's car collection from oblivion and turned it into one of the Southern Hemisphere's finest museums

Johann Rupert did not set out to build one of the Southern Hemisphere's great car museums. He set out to save his father's collection from disappearing.

When British American Tobacco closed the Heidelberg Museum in 2003, the original collection that Dr. Anton Rupert had assembled since 1974 faced an uncertain future. Johann Rupert stepped in, acquired the entire collection and relocated it to L'Ormarins, his wine estate in Franschhoek in the Western Cape. On May 7, 2007, the Franschhoek Motor Museum opened its doors to the public, and what had been a private rescue mission became one of South Africa's most quietly extraordinary cultural attractions.

The museum spans four dehumidified buildings across roughly 2,700 square meters and houses more than 220 vehicles in total, with 80 on display at any given time. The collection rotates regularly, meaning repeat visitors rarely see the same configuration twice. The oldest piece in the collection dates to 1898, and the breadth of what sits between that 1898 Beeston motor tricycle and the modern supercars in the performance hall is genuinely difficult to compress into a single visit.

The early motoring section alone earns the trip. A 1903 Ford Model A, a 1915 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and a pair of Art Deco masterpieces, the 1936 Auburn Speedster and the 1936 Cord 810 Convertible, represent a sweep of automotive history that most museums outside Europe struggle to match.

The performance hall is where the collection shifts into a different register entirely. A Ferrari Enzo, a Ferrari F40 and a Ferrari F50 share floor space with a McLaren F1, a Pagani Huayra and a Porsche Carrera GT. Alongside them sits the 1974 Tyrrell-Ford 007, one of the most significant Formula One cars of its era, raced by Jody Scheckter during the season he finished third in the drivers' championship.

The museum has drawn visitors from across the world since opening, with Nelson Mandela among the notable names who have walked its halls. After the cars, visitors can eat at the on-site deli or take a tram ride to Anthonij Rupert Wines, the estate's winery, for a tasting.

Rupert, whose family wealth is built on Remgro and Richemont, has described the museum as a tribute to his father's vision rather than a personal project. Anton Rupert believed that preserving the history of the motor car was worth serious investment. His son made sure that investment survived, and gave it a home in one of the most scenic valleys in South Africa.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday.