Inside Lowcountry GT: Bluffton’s Gallery of Automotive Art
Step inside what Steve Menzies is building at Lowcountry GT, and understand the craftsmanship behind the horsepower.
Story by Barry Kaufman
A New Luxury Automotive Gallery in Bluffton
Tucked away off a side street in Bluffton, beside a spur of Bluffton Parkway yet invisible from that busy thoroughfare, the building that houses Lowcountry GT was always intended to be a luxury goods showroom. With its bold skillion roofline soaring above walls of sparkling glass, it’s unmistakably modern and as daring as the extraordinary automobiles it holds.
It was created to showcase luxury. The gentleman inside, however, took a far more circuitous route.
“I never set out to be a car dealer,” said Steve Menzies, reclining amid the minimalist trappings of Lowcountry GT. “But this is an automotive ecosystem that I found very intriguing. I had a collection of cars, a good relationship with a restorer, and I could get things done.”
To hear him talk about cars is to understand the passion that fuels Menzies’ newest chapter in life. While building a 40-year career in transportation equipment leasing in Chicago, he amassed a collection of coach-built and grand touring automobiles, along with a deep appreciation for them. Anyone who has built such a collection knows you have to have a good restorer, and Menzies built a relationship with Park-Ward Motors in Illinois.
From a Lifelong Passion for Cars to a New Calling
The collection was more of a hobby until tragedy had Menzies reevaluating everything.
“Our son passed away in 2022, and aside from the obvious emotional hurt of that, it was a little bit of an awakening for me that maybe there’s a different calling,” he said. Establishing the SDM Rising Youth Athletics Foundation in his son’s memory, he was able to support athletic organizations working with underprivileged and underserved youth. “We’re very, very proud of it, and it’s something our entire family has been involved with.”
That led Menzies to the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival.
“There’s an adjunct to the Concours, and that’s a philanthropic mission,” Menzies said. “We’ve seen what other major events in this area can do for the community, and we want the Concours to do the same. After our son passed away, our family really leaned into legacy philanthropy, and partnering with the Hilton Head Island Concours gives us a platform to enhance that mission — to make a meaningful contribution here in Bluffton and Hilton Head, not just by showing cars, but by supporting causes that matter.”
Lowcountry GT & the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance
It also gives Lowcountry GT an immediate high profile among the types of buyers who share Menzies’ appreciation for handcrafted elegance and automotive artistry. As the presenting sponsor, Lowcountry GT enjoys prime real estate on every banner and sign at an event that has established itself among the top tier of motoring festivals.
Making the most of that visibility, however, took some quick thinking on Menzies’ part.
“The way things came together … kind of accelerated everything to make it work. It moved some of our plans up by as much as a year,” he said.
Rare Bentleys, Rolls-Royces & Collector Cars
Fortunately, he already had the space secured. Next came bringing in the collection. When he sat down with LOCAL Life, only three cars had arrived, all Bentleys. Among them was one representing the very last of the hand-built Bentleys, along with a SuperSport and W12 that ooze horsepower and sex appeal. Surrounding them, placards hint at what else you might expect to see.
Menzies’ collection will include coach-built Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, along with highlights such as a 1960 Bentley Flying Spur by Park Ward Mulliner, a 1962 Bentley S2 Drophead Coupé and a 1961 Bentley S2 Drophead Coupé originally built for Wilt Chamberlain.
“It’s more than just an automobile. There’s a story behind most of them,” he said. “The provenance is very important, and some of them have very interesting provenance.”
Along with the coach-built cars, Lowcountry GT will showcase heritage utility trucks — what Menzies calls “the fun collection” — like a 1971 Ford Bronco and a few Shelby trucks, as well as limited-production halo vehicles. Once they arrive, Menzies intends to display them in a way that lets serious collectors shop for their next must-have cars, or have cars from their own collection expertly restored and readied for sale.
More Than a Car Showroom
Essentially, it’s a high-end art gallery, with works crafted in a medium of steel, leather and engineering.
“That’s the concept. You sell art in an art gallery, and you change exhibits with touring artists rotating through,” he said. “When someone comes in, they’ll do so with the expectation that they’re going to see something they’ve never seen before.”
Explore the possibilities at lowcountrygt.com.
2026 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance
SAVE THE DATES
2026 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance
When: Oct. 29-Nov. 1
Where: Hilton Head Island
Details: The four-day celebration of automotive excellence includes the Lowcountry Driving Tour on Oct. 30, the Car Club Showcase on Oct. 31 and the signature Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance on Nov. 1. For a complete schedule of events, tickets and more information, visit hhiconcours.com.
