Fullerton, CA — A $10 million European sports car collection donated by Nicholas and Lee Begovich to California State University Fullerton in February was sold this week to the Audrain Automobile Museum for future display at the museum in Newport, Rhode Island.

The museum now has the 14 postwar sports and grand touring cars gathered by Nicholas Begovich, a retired engineering executive who died earlier this month at the age of 98. In return, the university received $10 million for its Center for Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astronomy to support creation of a state-of-the-art laboratory, an upgrade of computational resources, and research in both gravitational-wave physics and sustainable energy.

Begovich purchased many of his cars new and directly from the factories, including a 1969 Lamborghini Miura. The collection also features a 1956 Porsche 356 Speedster; one of six existing ATS 2500 GTS coupes, and a rarer competition model; and 1953 and 1954 Pegaso coupes — of which only 84 were made.

“We are so grateful to be able to share Nick Begovich’s wonderful and historic cars with our visitors in Newport and through our digital initiatives with the world,” said Donald Osborne, Audrain’s CEO. “The collection includes some of the most important, rare and desirable cars in the world.”

The museum is planning a special exhibition featuring the cars of the Begovich collection.