1935 Voisin Type C25 Aérodyne Wins Amelia Concours Best of Show
The Mullin Automotive Museum’s 1935 Voisin Type C25 Aérodyne was awarded “Best of Show” at the 28th Annual Amelia Concours D’Elegance, held at The Golf Club of Amelia Island, the museum announced.
Merle Mullin, director of the Mullin Automotive Museum and wife of car collector Peter Mullin, was present to receive the award after the Aérodyne also won Best in Class, Pre-War French Coachwork.
One of just six made and only four known to exist today, the Aérodyne showcases airplane pioneer and manufacturer Gabriel Voisin’s focus on weight reduction with alloy touches such as the headlight trim, fender lights and door handles made specifically for this car, museum historians said. Prior to this weekend, the vehicle was well-known for winning “Best of Show” at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance and remains one of only a handful of four-door cars to secure the honor.
“Winning here at this amazing venue on this beautiful day on Amelia Island has been an A-plus experience for us,” says Merle Mullin. “We were up against some serious contenders, so I am very honored that the judges chose us to win.”
Epitomizing the Art Deco movement of the 1930s with its blue-and-grey painted exterior, automated retractable roof, wraparound fenders and high beltline, the 1935 Voisin Type C25 Aérodyne was a culmination of Gabriel Voisin’s experience with aeronautics and was proclaimed his “car of the future,” Mullin Museum representatives said. Purchased by the Mullins in the early 2000s, the Voisin underwent a comprehensive three-year restoration. During the restoration, the fabric company that originally produced the materials for the interior was identified, and miraculously, the design remained in the company’s archives. The original looms and two of the craftsmen from the 1930s were also located. The end result is an interior that is impeccably close to the original, the museum said.
“It’s amazing to see the Voisin Aérodyne stand the test of time and delight assorted generations of automotive enthusiasts over the last two decades,” said Peter Mullin, founder and CEO of the Mullin Automotive Museum. “Its restoration was a highly methodical process, but one that was ultimately worthwhile.”
