French renaissance within the classic car world

A 1922 Type C3S Strasbourg is among 16 exceptionally rare and valuable Voisin models owned by car collector Peter Mullin that are featured in an exhibit at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard through April. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Feb. 28, 2013 2 PM PT

Once relegated to the scrap heap of automotive history, the Voisin brand has undergone a renaissance. The cars are worth millions today. They were the creation of Gabriel Voisin, a colorful yet fastidious French architect and engineer who made a fortune selling airplanes during World War I.

Voisin Cars at the Mullin Automotive Museum

A 1922 Type C3S Strasbourg at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Voisin cars are some of the most elaborate and expensive cars produced in the post-World War I era. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

This navy blue and grey 1935 Voisin Type C25 Aerodyne won Best of Show at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, arguably the most prestigious prize in the classic car world. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

This C25 could be worth as much as $5 million, according to David Gooding, president and founder of the Gooding & Co. auction company. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The Mullin Automotive Museum houses dozens of gleaming prewar cars from French marques such as Bugatti, Delahaye, and the odd Talbot-Lago. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A one-of-a-kind 1938 Voisin Type C30 Cabriolet on display. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A 1934 Voisin Type C27 Grand Sport Cabriolet that was once the property of the shah of Persia is included in the Mullin Automotive Museum exhibit. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The interior of a 1934 Voisin Type C22 Aerosport Coupe Reconstruction at the museum. Most experts estimate there are 250 to 300 known Voisin autos. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)