Lot details

Make: Toad Car
Model: Wind In The Willows
Registration: n/a
Chassis No: n/a
Engine No: 151126768

• Starred in the movie The Wind In The Willows as Toad's car
• Has been on display at National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

Few fictional vehicles capture the spirit of early motoring quite like the car driven with manic enthusiasm by Mr Toad in The Wind in the Willows. Kenneth Grahame's tale immortalised the motorcar as a thrilling, if somewhat perilous, symbol of modernity though no specific model was ever named. In later interpretations, including Terry Jones' celebrated film adaptation, Toad's vehicle took the form of a flamboyant Edwardian open-top tourer, perfectly suited to its exuberant owner.
The example offered here is the very car created for that production. Built in 1995 at Shepperton Studios, it starred in Terry Jones' film (later retitled Mr Toad's Wild Ride), in which Jones himself took the title role alongside a distinguished ensemble cast. Designed to evoke the elegance and bravado of pre-First World War motoring, the car's bespoke Roi-de-Belges-style body, crafted over a steel frame and inspired by a 1910 Hotchkiss 20/30 achieves a strikingly authentic period appearance.
Beneath its theatrical coachwork lies a practical and robust foundation: a shortened Land Rover chassis complete with leaf-spring suspension and four-cylinder engine. This clever engineering choice provided durability and reliability during filming, while maintaining a convincingly vintage aesthetic. Following its time on screen, the car embarked on a varied and colourful post-production life. It was employed in promotional appearances, during which its wings were intentionally damaged to simulate one of Mr Toad's infamous crashes. Later, it was displayed suspended from the ceiling of a Planet Hollywood restaurant in Florida before being relegated to long-term storage in a shipping container.

Rediscovered in 2020 by a film vehicle specialist and repatriated to the UK, the car underwent an extensive restoration by the engineers of the National Motor Museum. The work included recommissioning the Land Rover engine, rectifying severe oil leaks, rebuilding the braking system, fitting new tyres, and returning the car to full working order. Today, it stands not only as a remarkable piece of film memorabilia but as a fully operational tribute to one of literature's most beloved motoring enthusiasts. Please note that this car is not registered, also, the registration you may see in the photos is not with the car and is not sold with the car and is not able to be driven on the road.

Now presented in restored condition, this charming and historically significant vehicle offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a unique intersection of cinematic history and Edwardian motoring fantasy. “Poop poop!” Consigned by James Good