Business F1 Top 20 Petrolheads: Evert Louwman, a Passion for Car History

From 1923, Evert Louwman's father's life was dedicated to the automobile. In those years he was selling Ford Model T cars and imported British-made motorbikes. A year later he started a relationship with Horace and John Dodge, who produced cars and Dodge trucks in Detroit, the latter being very popular in Holland, to become their importer. It marked the second milestone on a successful path to becoming the largest importer of cars in the Netherlands. Not only that, Louwman also became one of the largest sellers of cars in Europe while remaining a family business. The young Evert grew up surrounded by cars and gradually developed an appreciation for the design and construction of the cars his father sold. He also became deeply interested in the history of the global automotive industry, when knowledge was scarce in his country of birth. His knowledge base soon became part of his identity and shaped his life.

In 1964, encouraged by his son's daily encouragement, the father decided to turn his car collection into a museum in The Hague. The theme was the evolution of the automobile. So the pre-used cars that clients handed in when picking up a new car, were restored for the museum if they were interesting. Today the Louwman Museum comprises cars covering 100 years of history including racing models from all eras. As he grew older, Evert Louwman devoted more and more time and energy to the affairs of the Museum, which has become a place of pilgrimage for car enthusiasts. Built from scratch, with magnificent contemporary architecture, it now houses no less than 257 vintage road and racing cars, each with a unique history.