Classic-Car Expert Simon Kidston on U.S. Tariffs, Collecting, and Why the Mille Miglia Beats Le Mans

Sometimes, no matter how smart, connected, and well-resourced you are, you simply need an expert—and not just any expert, but the rarefied insider whom other specialists call when they need help. Luckily, Robb Report has its own highly curated directory of heavy hitters across categories: the Masters of Luxury.

This month, we turn to Simon Kidston, arguably the leading authority on classic and exotic cars, who was born to the motoring lifestyle: His late uncle Glen Kidston was one of the famed Bentley Boys and winner of Le Mans in 1930. Through his own Geneva-based brokerage and consulting house, Kidston has facilitated such important sales as that of the record-setting $142 million Mercedes-Benz Uhlenhaut Coupé and is consigliere to the world’s preeminent collectors.

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The Expert

Name: Simon Kidston
Occupation: Classic-car collector, broker, and consultant
HQ: Geneva
Specialty: Finding homes for automotive unicorns

The Big Question

The current presidential administration in the United States has enacted a 25 percent tariff on foreign-made automobiles. What impact can we expect on the collector-car market stateside?

What are considered historic cars have long had reasonable import rates internationally, fostering a global and fairly fluid marketplace, according to Kidston. The recent tariffs imposed by the U.S., though reportedly excluding cars over 25 years old, have driven a few domestic buyers to purchase proactively, he notes. “In our own experience, that has prompted, or at least accelerated, a couple of relatively large transactions recently, where American collectors were buying cars located in Europe and wanted to get them to the States before any tariffs were imposed,” says Kidston. “You’re talking about 25 percent on a car worth double-digit millions.”

Although not quite at the eight-figure price yet, the Ferrari F40—introduced in 1987—is an example he points to that demonstrates how values may be affected. The U.S.-spec version has historically cost more than its Continental counterpart due to the fewer examples built. A tariff would likely alter that relationship.

“It’s given that America is the single most important player in the global collector-car market,” says Kidston. Though not a reality as of press time, if collector cars were subjected to such trade penalties, he believes they “would certainly have a dividing effect… where you would have America almost on its own.”

Speed Round

In your opinion, do U.S.-based collectors differ from others around the world, and if so, how? “Sweeping generalization, but [they] are more pragmatic. And there is more emphasis on showing cars at events and the trophies that go with such success. To most Europeans, the notion of spending a million dollars restoring something would leave them recoiling in horror.”

A client has $10 million to spend on cars. What do you advise? “Buy better and buy fewer. The enjoyment factor isn’t proportional to the amount of money that you spend. Knowing that you bought a great example of something that you can be proud of, and that makes you feel good—that should be the number one consideration.”

Is provenance a car’s key value indicator? “No. Originality, without question. If you distill everything down, what provenance helps you to gauge, hopefully, is the level of originality. But no, originality is still the buzzword in our market. By the way, originality is not the same as neglect.

If you could only own one collector car, what would it be? “I hate to say it, because it’s so cliché… it’s a Ferrari 250 GTO. I quite enjoy driving those cars, and the best thing is, there’s no odometer—so to hell with the mileage.”

Is there another car with the potential to be the next Ferrari 250 GTO in stature? Does the McLaren F1 have what it takes? “I had an F1 myself for years—drove my kids to school in it. I do believe the McLaren F1 is the GTO of its era. Many cars have tried, nothing has succeeded.”

Either | Or

“I work at both—one as judge, the other as master of ceremonies. But Villa d’Este, because a bartender is closer.”

“I’ve got a soft spot for Le Mans, obviously, as my uncle raced there a couple of times. But having grown up in Italy, and our farm was a kilometer from the Mille Miglia route, I’m going to say Mille Miglia.”