Among the many qualities that confer value upon a collector car, none is as important — or open to dispute — as provenance. The term refers to evidence that a vehicle is what a seller claims it is, and that any notable history of the car can be proven to a reasonable standard. Provenance may also provide assurance that the car has not been modified substantially and can even extend to maintenance history.
Provenance can take many forms. The older the vehicle, the more this tends to be true: Photographic records, documentation of ownership history, even paint and evidence of prior repairs can help establish a car’s authenticity. But one of the better ways to establish provenance is an inspection by experts from the company that made the car in the first place. An official blessing from the factory that recognizes its own work and the correctness of a collectible vehicle can be a golden ticket for both seller and buyer in a high-value transaction.
Many automakers offer inspection and certification in one form or another. The companies have experts in their own history, as well as original documentation. In some cases, they even have mint examples on hand for comparison.
How it works
Generally speaking, these programs all operate the same way. You bring the car to the automaker’s shop and its experts take a close look at it (or sometimes they will come to you). The factory will usually provide you with a certificate as well as original and current data about your car, including anything that needs remediation.
The carmakers all charge for the service, but they don’t usually advertise the amount. Much depends on the car being evaluated and where that evaluation takes place. If you have to fly an expert over from Italy to issue a verdict, or transport the car back to Europe, you can imagine the bill you’ll receive.
At the low end, Porsche generally starts at $500 for its Porsche Classic Technical Certificate, assuming that nothing needs to be done to the car. Ferrari Classiche, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated — and expensive.
“The certification process can range in price based on the vehicle, the inspection and assessment time, and what repairs or changes need to be performed,” explains Shaun Ryan, Service Manager at Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo, the Ferrari dealership near Portland. “As a baseline, a completely stock 360 Spider that needs nothing would cost roughly $5,345, while a stock [2005] Superamerica would cost close to $11,186. Completing the certification process can take as little as a few weeks or could take several years depending on the condition of the vehicle.”
It’s important to note that these certifications are different from a “birth certificate” document that gives you build dates, original colors, options, and so on. Those are available from Alfa Romeo, the British Motor Heritage Trust and several other sources.
There are many factory programs available for collector cars. Here is an overview on each.
Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia
Fiat Chrysler (now called Stellantis) established its Heritage department in 2015. It covers the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia brands, and has a fleet of 600 example cars for reference. An inspection and certification service is available in Italy at the Officine Classiche in Turin, the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, or at the brands’ studios in Rome, Palermo and Milan. Alternatively, they will come to you. As the Heritage website says, “The cost of the service varies depending on the car concerned and the location.”
Aston Martin
Aston also got into the certification business in 2015 with its Assured Provenance Certified program. Inspections take place at the Aston Martin Works, its heritage division located in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, U.K. There, Aston will go over every inch of a car, even digitally scanning every vehicle.
Aston also has a more convenient Assured Provenance program whereby a vehicle can be inspected at any Aston Martin dealer. Findings are then sent to the factory, which issues a report and certificate.
BMW
The BMW Vehicle Certificate attests that a given BMW’s components, assemblies and materials have been inspected for authenticity using “state-of-the-art testing and measurement methods,” according to the factory. The inspection can be done at a dealership, but the company also has staff from its Historical Documentation Center to help create a vehicle history for the car.
Bugatti
Bugatti offers a service that applies to the company’s new cars as well as the originals. Because so many of the early cars were hand-built and rebodied, the factory’s ability to know what’s really original may be limited. As the factory states, “They often are connected to an unconventional narrative and to extraordinary bodyworks and configurations.”
Predictably, Bugatti also has the best name for its program, calling it “La Maison Pur Sang,” or “The Thoroughbred House.” Bugatti’s program “ascertains and preserves the credentials of historic and contemporary models.” The inspections are carried out at Molsheim in France, and the program also offers a range of restoration and reconfiguration options.
Ferrari/Maserati Classiche
Perhaps the best-known program is Ferrari Classiche. It offers a Certificate of Authenticity for all Ferrari road cars over 20 years old, as well as Ferrari F1 and factory racing cars of any age. The certification is available only from Maranello in Italy, but U.S. dealers can perform the hands-on part of the service.
During the inspection process, technicians perform a photo conformity check, the metal and dimensions are examined, plus a car questionnaire is completed. The inspection covers the chassis, engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, wheels, bodywork and interior.
Once these inspections are complete, that information is uploaded in an app and submitted to Ferrari Classiche for inspection. It then reviews the car and either approves Classiche status or advises the owner of the repairs needed for the vehicle to move forward with approval.
Ferrari’s sibling brand Maserati began a similar Classiche service of its own in 2021. It’s mainly for cars 20 years and older, except for certain special models.
Jaguar Land Rover
For vintage Jags and Land Rovers, the company’s Classic division in Coventry, U.K., offers half-day and full-day “Historical Check” inspections with a report, but no certificate of correctness per se. The report is just as complete, however, and includes a full assessment of mechanical and physical issues, rather than simply certifying that the original equipment is all there.
Lamborghini
Polo Storico is the center dedicated to classic Lamborghinis and historical preservation, located at Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, of course. It has been certifying the company’s classic products since 2015.
In classic Italian style, it has a Comitato dei Saggi (Experts Committee) to issue the Certification of Authenticity. Like most of the other services, if something’s amiss with your car, an on-site restoration shop can fix it for you.
McLaren
McLaren offers a certification for the 106 examples of the F1 made between 1993 and 1998. These are issued only by McLaren Automotive in the U.K. The certificate authenticates each car’s provenance, originality, service life, road/race history, and current condition. Owners also receive an illustrated book documenting the history of their car.
Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, CA, (there is also one in Germany) performs certification services during comprehensive vehicle evaluations. This includes checking the authenticity of the vehicle as well as its technical condition. The center issues a report documenting any deviations from as-delivered condition and configuration.
You won’t find any reference to this service on the Classic Center website, and at this time there isn’t even a formal name for the service in the U.S., but in Germany it’s called “Expertise.”
Porsche
The Porsche Classic Technical Certificate is available for any Porsche from the 356 to the Carrera GT. It includes an inspection report as well as historical information and technical specifications for the specific vehicle. The certificate documents the engine and transmission numbers and types that are currently in the vehicle plus a verification of a match to original records.
A detailed summary of the inspection from the Porsche Classic-trained technician is also included. A Porsche Classic Technical Certificate can be obtained at a Porsche Classic Partner or any authorized dealer.
American cars
You probably noticed a lack of domestic brands in this list. American carmakers haven’t really done this kind of thing, but there are non-factory certifications out there, such as those from the Classic Car Club of America, and Bloomington Gold and the National Corvette Restorers Society for Corvettes. Although those are rigorous, they’re not officially recognized by the automakers. Some marque clubs also offer inspection-based certificates, such as the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club certification. We’ll take a look at these next month.♦