The Thomas Sommer Superfinds Collection

Adapted from the book SuperFinds by Michael Kliebenstein

Although he is an accomplished businessman and has given his name in sponsorship to his local Bundesliga football stadium, Thomas Sommer tends otherwise to avoid the spotlight. He is the owner of one of the most spectacular private car collections in Europe but Thomas is not someone inclined to display his cars at every Concours d’Elegance, preferring instead to enjoy them quietly in his private museum in Fürth near Nuremberg.

Thomas Sommer pictured here in front of his beloved football club SpVgg Greuther Fürth.

He has always harboured a love for historic cars and their history and began his collection with the purchase of Rolls-Royces and several classic Ferraris. From that moment on, the more knowledge he gained about classic cars and their unique histories, the greater his interest and the deeper his knowledge became. Today he is the proud owner of over 500 cars, considering himself to be a custodian and caretaker of these treasures. His collection is truly amazing, featuring very early brass cars and numerous extremely rare and iconic cars of the ’20s and ’30s in addition to many significant racing cars of the immediate post-war era.

Inside the Thomas Sommer SuperFinds Collection: in the foreground (left to right) Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Cabriolet by Saoutchik, Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet Gangloff and Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster ‘Schwalbenschwanz’.

Especially remarkable are his 540 K Spezial Roadster Schwalbenschwanz, the unique Aston Martin DB4 Zagato 2 VEV works race car and the famous Alfa Romeo 2500 SS Competizione C46 by Touring – not to mention the many other breathtaking vehicles featuring such renowned automotive names as Hispano Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Austro Daimler, Veritas, BMW, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Talbot Lago, Ferrari, Delahaye, Bugatti, Delage, Porsche, Lagonda, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz and many more.

Racing icons: Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato ‘2 VEV’, ex-Jim Clark Le Mans car and Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Competizione Coupe C46 by Touring, an ex-Mille Miglia works car.

Amassed discreetly from private collections or on the international auction market, his assortment is arguably one of the world’s most complete collections of European automobile heritage. The rarer or more exclusive a car is, the more he finds himself getting fully immersed in its history. As both a devoted collector and authority, Mercedes-Benz, Veritas and Austro Daimler are among his personal favourites and he is rightfully proud to be the owner of some of the most iconic cars in the world manufactured by these marques.

In the front row: Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sports Open Tourer by Hooper ‘Maharaja of Jaipur’, Bentley 6½ litre Speed Six Touring Torpedo Tourer by Barker and Peugeot Type 184 22CV Torpedo Tourer.

To this day, he continues to seek new treasures to complement and complete his collection of automotive masterpieces, testimonials to the scale and grandeur of European automotive history.

A CanAm car for the road: McLaren M6 GT, Bruce’s personal car.

A glimpse into the Ferrari hall: low mileage is key.

The Aston Martin corner.

The Maserati Selection.

Thomas Sommer gave invaluable assistance in the creation of the book SuperFinds - a compendium of wonderful automotive treasure, as discovered in outbuildings, barns, or simply rotting away in scrapyards.