Dream Car Collection Clearance in Toronto

As we are seeing with the Mullin Automotive Museum’s assets being auctioned this year, on May 31 and June 1, RM/Sotheby’s will be conducting an auction of 144 classic and exotic automobiles and 40 motorcycles belonging to Canadian financier Miles Nadal. These will include a 1913 Baker Electric and various Ferraris, McLarens, Mercedes and Lamborghinis — with the entire selection estimated to bring in over $62 million US!

Why are we writing about it here? On January 30, 2023 Citroën Autoclub Canada members had the opportunity to visit Nadal’s ‘Dream Car Collection’ in Toronto. It’s the Canadian version of Jay Leno’s Garage – and then some…

Although there are no Citroëns in the collection, it is apply named as the massive 94,000 square-foot facility, with 17,000 square foot of exhibition space, is jaw-dropping not only for the over 160 automobiles and 40 motorcycles, that Nadal refers to as “mobile works of art” but for the racing artifacts, collectibles and antiques along with a $2 million dollar sneaker collection. The interior design alone could grace the pages of Architectural Digest.

Over the past 15 years, Miles Nadal has amassed more than 160 automobiles and 1,000 pairs of shoes. “I’m not in the business of collecting,” Nadal has said, “I’m in the passion of collecting.” Check out this video (and notice the presenter is wearing booties — at the Nadal’s insistence to keep the floor pristine):

Unlike the Mullin Automotive Museum’s assets being auctioned as a result of its founder, Peter Mullin’s passing, the Dream Car Collection collection is being sold to raise capital, in part, for a new major investment Nadal is involved with.  Plus he finds that the upkeep on all the cars no longer make sense.

Although the building will remain under Nadal’s ownership the display area will be reduced to showcasing about 30 automobiles that he will be retaining. Notable classics that will be sold include:

• 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 
• 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Cabriolet 
• 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster 
• 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti 
• 1965 Aston Martin DB5 
• 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti 
• 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti 

As for the sneaker collection, Nadal’s passion for sneakers originated with the acquisition of “The Ultimate Sneaker Collection” from Sotheby’s, which contained 100 of the most iconic sneakers of all time. Since acquiring that collection in 2019, Miles has gone on to add hundreds of more pairs, including the Nike Mag from Back to the Future II, the Nike SB Dunk “NYC Pigeon”, and a game-worn and autographed Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” PE from Michael Jordan’s rookie season in the NBA. Also in the collection are shoes signed by the likes of Tom Brady, Joel Embiid, and Steph Curry, along with a pair of Nike Moon Shoes that he paid $437,500 US for!

It would appear that Nadal has lost his collection passion. “I want someone to take care of all of this,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “I don’t want to have to think much about it.”

The Dare to Dream Collection will be sold in a 3-part sale series, beginning May 31^st.

·        Dare to Dream Collection – live auction in Toronto, Canada – May 31^st and June 1^st. View all lots here.

·        Dare to Dream | Online – online auction, bidding opens on May 31^st and closes on June 3^rd. View all lots here.

·        Dare to Dream | The Ultimate Sneaker Collection, bidding opens on May 31^st and closes on June 5^th. View all lots here.

UPDATE — June 6, 2024: The Dare to Dream auction pulled in $65.5m in the sale of automobiles and motorcycles, with a 100% sales rate. The top automotive sale was a 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV at $4.9m, which RM/Sotheby’s claims is a new auction record for the model. Full results can be found here.