“The Art of the Automobile,” at the Museum of Decorative Arts, is one art blockbuster that won’t travel beyond Paris. What is its draw? The “art” is 17 rare, iconic cars on loan from designer (and car collector) Ralph Lauren. Taken together, they offer a history of auto luxury via prestigious names such as Bentley, Jaguar, Porsche and Ferrari.

These cars offer a window into a rarefied world: one of the ultimate in technical expertise and design. Arranged in a chronology that moves from 1929 (a massive Bentley Blower) up to 1996 (a Formula One McLaren), it offers a fab combination of the racetrack with the grandest of tourism. What may startle us girls is just how gorgeous they look. Boys aren’t the only ones scoping out these elegant lines—or breathing deeply the scent of their expensive leathers.
>more