As Mercedes-Benz marks 140 years since Carl Benz patented the world's first automobile, few locations feel more fitting to celebrate this milestone than the Fox Classic Car Collection. This iconic Melbourne car museum recently became the site for one of the largest gatherings of Mercedes-Benz vehicles ever assembled in Australia.

Housed within the historic Queen's Warehouse precinct in Melbourne's Docklands, the museum has long been one of Australia's most significant automotive destinations. Since opening to the public in 1998, the collection – assembled by Lindsay Fox – has offered enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience some of the world's most important automobiles and legendary classics under one roof.

As part of our '140 Years. 140 Places.' journey covering 50,000kms through six continents, a convoy of new Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles arrived at the museum. They joined an extraordinary display of 140 Mercedes-Benz vehicles spanning generations, brought together by members of the Mercedes-Benz Club Victoria for a landmark exhibition.

All ticket sale proceeds were donated to Brainwave Australia, a charity supporting young Australians living with neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries.

Fox Classic Car Collection: a museum built around automotive passion

 

Stepping inside the Fox Classic Car Collection is an experience unlike any other. The red-brick heritage building, originally constructed in the late 19th century, provides a dramatic setting for the more than 50 rare and exotic vehicles currently in their collection.

 

While the collection includes everything from Bentleys and Ferraris to Rolls-Royces and race cars, Mercedes-Benz occupies a special place within the museum.

 

The most recognisable of all is undoubtedly the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’. With its iconic upward-opening doors, innovative fuel-injected six-cylinder engine and enduring status as one of the world's most desirable classic cars, it remains a centrepiece of the collection – and a magnet for visitors.

Beyond the Gullwing, the collection includes elegant saloons, rare sporting models and cultural icons like the majestic Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser, charting the evolution of Mercedes-Benz from post-war recovery to modern-day technological leadership. It tells a story not simply about automobiles, but about innovation, engineering and the pursuit of excellence that has defined Mercedes-Benz for 140 years.

 

"A lot of the cars [Lindsay] collects are based off relationships,” says his granddaughter Hannah. “It's very much based off his personal taste... and he definitely loves German-made cars. Mercedes is in line with quality and the [designs are] absolutely beautiful."

 

When asked for her personal favourite from this collection of cool classic cars, Hannah couldn’t go past one of the centrepieces. 

 

“It’d be the Gullwing – the 300 SL,” she smiles. “It's such an iconic and beautiful car. A lot of the cars have different memories and connections to them. There are a lot of favourites but if I was to take any, it'd be the Gullwing.”
The Fox Classic Car Collection is a place where automotive history remains alive, where stories are shared, and where future generations can understand the innovations that have shaped modern motoring.

Celebrating 140 years of Mercedes-Benz innovation 

The museum was transformed into a living timeline of Mercedes-Benz history, frompre-war classics through to some of the most technologically advanced road carsever to wear the three-pointed star.

 

Mercedes-AMG performance machines stood in vivid contrast to the classics on display. Vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro showcased our modern performance capabilities, while a rare vehicle from Lindsay’s collection – the Formula 1®-inspired Mercedes-AMG ONE – was a standout example of cutting-edge automotive engineering. 

The new S-Class formed part of the landmark display, presented alongside a lineage of S-Class vehicles spanning generations. Together, they demonstrated how the flagship has continuously evolved while remaining true to its core purpose: delivering innovation, comfort and elegance. Visitors could trace that evolution from stately classics through to today's digitally connected saloon.

The people behind the steering wheels 

Members of the Mercedes-Benz Club Victoria travelled from around the state to participate in the exhibition, proudly presenting vehicles that had, in many cases, been cared for and cherished over decades. In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of the exhibition was not only the cars, but the stories from those who drive, admire and restore them.

One attendee, Nick, was proud to be showing off his 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SE (W 116) finished in ‘Brilliant Red Metallic’ paint.

“I've owned it since 2018,” he explains. “I paid $1200 for her as she was going off to the wreckers. And the interior was nice and I thought, ‘Oh well, I'll do a restoration'. And 170 hours later, after rust repairs, I repainted it and that's what you see today. The interior is pretty much original, but everything else has been patched up. It's an amazing car, for 1979, the level of comfort and power is just amazing.”

John brought his 2010 Mercedes-AMG SLS to the exhibition, which goes with a Mercedes-Benz 380 SL and Mercedes-AMG C 63 S back home. 

“I was getting close to retiring and I was intending to get one of the old 300 SL Gullwings,” he said. “I thought, ‘I'm not getting any younger, might as well have something that starts and goes and stops and everything.’ I went and looked at [the SLS], sat in one and I was very happy. So I ordered it. That was in 2010... and it still looks magic.”

 It was while riding his bike as a schoolboy that Dirk first spotted his dream car, the 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’. I thought, ‘What a cool car... one day, maybe I can afford to buy one.’ [When] my mum passed away many years later and left me a bit of money, my family said, ‘You've been rabbiting on about these Pagodas for so many years, why don't you just use that money to buy it?’ So we found this car almost 20 years ago. 

“We haven't done much with it. We had the engine rebuilt, and new carpet put in, but basically just maintenance and looking after it. It's a driver's car, not a show car.” 

Throughout the event, visitors were able to admire everything from a beautifully preserved 1955 Mercedes-Benz 180 through to a striking white 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250 SE Coupé. Rare Australian-delivered examples added further interest, including a 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 220 Cabriolet finished in ‘Azurite Blue’ – one of only 210 examples sold locally.

A gold 1989 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL, presented in near-showroom condition with just 70,000 kilometres recorded, attracted considerable attention from enthusiasts familiar with the legendary W126 generation. Nearby, a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL finished in ‘Pagoda Red’ demonstrated why the R 107 remains one of the most beloved Mercedes-Benz roadsters ever produced.

Owners, collectors and visitors exchanged stories, compared restoration journeys and reflected on the role Mercedes-Benz has played across generations of Australian motoring.

As the '140 Years. 140 Places.' journey continues around the globe, this exhibition is a reminder that great automotive heritage is not measured simply by age, but by the people, stories and innovations that continue to inspire long after the vehicles themselves are built.