Rétromobile has been running at Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles in Paris since 1976, when the most expensive car in the world cost less than $100,000 and long before the term retro had become fashionable. It is hence the center of the collector car universe and one of those places where auctions truly can throw up some remarkable objets d'automotive art. This year it did not disappoint.
Here's our pick of the 100 most interesting auction lots at the Paris Rétromobile auctions.
$2,156 (€1,760) | Ferrari F2008 Formula One Steering Wheel

Artcurial | Lot 51 | Auction Description
Estimates: €1,200 to €1,800
A limited edition (number 134 of 250) Ferrari F2008 Formula One steering wheel mounted on a red leather base, sold with a carrying case and a complete manual explaining the functions of the wheel. The F2008 designation indicates that this is identical to the steering wheels used in the Ferrari F2008 cars driven by Kimi Räikkönenand Felipe Massa during the 2008 season. The drivers championship was won by Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren, but the constructors title was taken by Ferrari that year.
$5,511 (€4,500) | World F1 Champion Coffee Table

Bonhams | Lot 186 | Auction Description
A piece of furniture with a compelling story, this coffee table (also advertised as a wine rack, we cannot attest as to whether wine bottles will fit in those bores) made from a Ford DFV 919 Formula One engine block. The engine was prepared by Nicholson McLaren Engines, and first used by motorcycle superstar turned car racer Mike Hailwood in the 1974 Belgian Grand Prix at Nivelles, where it finished seventh inside a McLaren M23.
If that's not enough, it was then used by Emerson Fittipaldi in winning the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, also inside a McLaren M23, but this time of far greater historical significance because this was the race in which Fittipaldi became World Formula One Drivers Champion. The engine was subsequently blown during a practice session and retired from active duty to become a coffee table.
$7,964 (€6,500) each | Original art by Jidéhem

Artcurial | Lots 54, 55, 56 & 57 | Auction Description 54, 55, 56, 57
Estimates: €5,000 to €8,000 each
If you live in the United States, or for that matter, outside of Europe, it may be difficult to comprehend the importance of matters automotive. In France, Germany and Great Britain, motor racing has for the last century been as much part of the daily conversation of the populace as the weather, and many automotive artifacts that are inconsequential in America, are of immense cultural importance in Europe.
This is one such example, where the tradition of narrative art in Europe and the publication of the weekly comic art Le Journal de Spirou resulted in a much loved series of automotive posters by Jean de Mesmaeker (Jidéhem). The original art of the posters which comprised the The Chronicle of Starter were up for grabs and they did not disappoint.
$16,899 (€13,800) | 1928 Bentley 4½-Liter Replica Child's Car

Bonhams | Lot 301 | Auction Description
Estimates: €5,000 to €7,000
This replica of a mid-1920s Bentley 4½-Liter racer was built in 2017 by a German enthusiast. The car is a 2/3 scale replica, and although a three meter length might seem large for children's car, the real 1920s Bentley 4½-liter is huge at 4.38 meters (172.4 in) in length. When it came time to choose a suitable prop alongside the main auction podium at Bonhams' Grand Palais auction, this car took pride of place. Full story
$19,134 (€15,625) | 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic model

Bonhams | Lot 192 | Auction Description
Number 12 of a limited edition of 99 one eighth scale models commissioned by Ralph Lauren, one of just three people in the world to own a real Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic, which just coincidentally, is a black one and can be seen here.
$31,857 (€26,000) | Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage Junior

Artcurial | Lot 33 | Auction Description
Estimate: €18,000 to €25,000
This scale model working Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage is built by Junior Dreamcars of Holland, a company that specializes in high end construction of children's cars.
The Birdcage, like the car it emulates, has a rigid and light steel tubular chassis, with a fiberglass body, 4 wheel disc brakes, alloy rims and wire wheels, Michelin tires, and power is supplied by a 110cc 4-stoke engine.
$39,821 (€32,500) | Ford GT40 Junior Evocation of Camera Car from Le Mans
Artcurial | Lot 70 | Auction Description
Estimate: €25,000 to €40,000
When Steve McQueen's Solar Productions was filming the 1971 film Le Mans, one of the camera cars was a Ford GT 40 in Gulf colors which was transformed into a "barchetta" and equipped with cameras. The car was subsequently transformed back into a complete GT40 and became the most expensive movie car ever to sell at auction (fetching US$11,000,000 at an RM Auctions sale at Pebble Beach in 2012) with a prominent spot in the top 100 most expensive cars of all time.

This is a tribute 2/3 scale junior car with real movie cameras and it fetched just short of $40,000 ... truth is stranger than fiction.
$38,268 (€31,250) | Tinted Amethyst Victory Mascot by Lalique

Bonhams | Lot 159 | Auction Description
Art deco elegance, this Lalique Victory mascot is 26 cm long, mounted on a silver plated radiator cap and suitable for a desk display.
$42,372 (€34,500) | 1977 BMW 633 CSi

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 143 | Auction Description
Estimate: €25,000 to €35,000
Purchased new at the height of the success of pop group Abba, this BMW 633 CSi was owned by Björn Ulvaeus, following the group on its European tour that year. Cars with celebrity provenance command a premium at auction, and such was the case here, though the premium in this case is commensurate with the average price of 40-year-old BMW. Abba's fame has subsided somewhat since these heady days. During the 1977 European tour, the booking office for a concert at the 5,000-seat Royal Albert Hall in London received 3.5 million ticket requests.
No Sale | 1963 Amphicar 770 Cabriolet

Bonhams | Lot 402| Auction Description
Estimate: €45,000 to €75,000
The Amphicar was until recently, the only non-military amphibious vehicle ever to go into mass production and it enjoyed quite some success in its day. Curiously, the eccentric nature of the Amphicar makes it a celebrity magnet with owners including former American Presidents Lyndon Bain "LBJ" Johnson (pictured) and Jimmy Carter, film director George Lucas, actor/singer Madonna, actor Dan Ackroyd, country singer Alan Jackson and spoon-bender (the hard way) Uri Geller.
The Amphicar has also starred in a Pepsi "Come Alive" TV commercial, The Simpsons TV show, music video clips for Madonna (Burning Up) and Alan Jackson (As She's Walking Away), and numbers dozens of movie credits including a role alongside Peter Sellers in Inspector Clouseau. They sold new for between US$2,800 and $3,300 between 1962 and 1967, and in 2011, one of the highly-prized German amphibious cars sold for $123,400. This one wasn't bid to a third of that amount.
$56,330 (€46,000) | 2017 Fiat 500 Jollycar

Bonhams | Lot 435 | Auction Description
Estimate: €45,000 to €55,000
An evocation of the 1950s beach car which became the plaything of the rich and famous, and although based on an original Fiat 500, regularly sells for $100,000. Last year we noted a 1958 Fiat 600 Jolly by Ghia that sold for $102,759 (€89,940) in Artcurial's Monaco sale, and the record for a Jolly at auction is held by Gooding & Co which sold a 1960 Fiat Jolly for $170,500 in Scottsdale in 2015.
So popular is the Jolly concept that an Italian specialist is now turning out limited editions of these cars based on the fabulous new Fiat 500, and it should be noted that this price is approximately four times a standard 500 price. Whatever it is about the Jolly configuration, it attracted the rich and famous with owners including President Lyndon B. Johnson, Mae West, Aristotle Onassis, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Grace Kelly, Henry Ford II, Mary Pickford, Gianni Agnelli, and James Inglis.
$60,555 (€49,450) | 1953 Inter Type 175 A Microcar

Bonhams | Lot 350 | Auction Description
Estimate: €50,000 to €70,000
In many respects, this rare 1950s French microcar was about 70 years ahead of its time. Apart from a 175cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine, it has many attributes which would make it more relevant today than in period.
The Inter "Auto Scooter" was first shown to the public at the Salon de l'Auto in 1953. Its aviation connections are obvious – it looks just like the cockpit and nose section of a contemporary light aircraft – while the tilting canopy was another feature it shared with the German Messerschmitt, as was the tandem seating arrangement for the two occupants.
The Inter's two front wheels could be folded up to reduce the body's width of 135 cm by around 45 cm, making it easier to store the vehicle. Only some 300 Inters were manufactured from 1954 to 1956, with an estimated 38 extant.
$71,882 (€58,667) | F2002 Ferrari Type 051 Formula One engine

Artcurial | Lot 63 | Auction Description
Estimate: €35,000 to €45,000
It isn't often that you get the opportunity to purchase something of this ilk. The Ferrari F2002 was one of the most successful Formula One cars of all time. Designed by Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Paolo Martinelli, it won 15 Grands Prix, from 19 starts, driven by the pairing of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Bariccello, and claimed both the 2002 drivers and constructors titles.
This is a race-used 835 hp, V10 engine from the F2002, set on a Ferrari red stand. Only the McLaren MP4/4 and recent Mercedes-Benz F1 cars have been more successful than this car and you will not find one of those engines available to put in your man cave, regardless of price. This is a symbol of excellence and great value at the selling price.
$73,520(€60,000) | 2010 Harley-Davidson FLHXXX Street Glide Trike

RM-Sothebys | Lot 184 | Auction Description
Estimate: €60,000 to €85,000
Formerly the property of the French Elvis, Johnny Hallyday, this custom Harley-Davidson Trike had less than 6,000 miles on the clock and sold with imagery of Hallyday riding it with his wife, Laeticia.
No Sale | Picnic Set and & Games Table

Bonhams | Lot 185 | Auction Description
Estimate: €40,000 to €45,000 ($48,983 to $61,228)
With the advent of the automobile, one of the primary ploys for "pitching woo" was the invitation of the subject of one's affections on a picnic. Hence, the above was the sort of thing that might be carried in the trunk of a car for a day in the countryside a century ago.
This picnic set for four is combined with a playing table for games, and was built by Drew & Sons of Piccadilly circa 1909. The picnic set failed to meet reserve, but there were a half dozen others that ranged from $1,000 to $2,000, one that didn't sell at $30,000 and several others that are still available heading ever upmarket.
$84,709 (€69,136) | 1942 NSU HK 101 (SdKfz 2) "Kettenkrad"

Artcurial | Lot 3 | Auction Description
NSU's part-motorcycle, part-tank Kettenkrad was initially built for German airborn troops in WW2 but with its 1,478 cc 4-cylinder Opel engine and all that traction, it quickly found usage in any difficult terrain, gaining a fine reputation as an all-purpose tractor, and it was manufactured until 1948 in post-war Europe due to its versatility.
$98,578 (€80,500) | 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster

Bonhams | Lot 352 | Auction Description
This 1961 Corvette roadster was purchased at a charity auction organized by Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio in Saint-Tropez in 2015. The vendor paid €400,000 for the car which was autographed by DiCaprio and 19 other Hollywood celebrities (Ben Affleck,
Christian Bale, Orlando Bloom, Adrien Brody, Matt Damon, Benicio Del Toro, Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hardy, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Tatum Channing, Charlise Theron, Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon). You can see the dashboard of the car at top right in the image.
$99,321(€81,056) | 1931 Majestic 350

Artcurial | Lot 250 | Auction Description
Estimate: €30,000to €60,000
Georges Roy is one of the great unacclaimed motorcycle designers, and two of his designs went to auction in Paris, being this 1931 Majestic 350 and a 1928 New Motocycle 500. Paul d'Orleans at The Vintagent did an extensive road test on a 1930 Majestic, which explains in detail just how far ahead of the game Roy was 90 years ago.
From that Vintagent road test: When Georges Roy set out to combine the best qualities of an automobile with the thrills of a motorcycle, he created a remarkable machine – the Majestic. It's the ultimate French Art Deco motorcycle, as his design enabled a free hand to create stylish, stunning bodywork over a radical chassis. The Majestic was revolutionary in 1929, and the ideas Georges Roy made into metal are still being explored by motorcycle designers.
$102,242(€83,440) | c.1906 Anzani three-cylinder racer

Artcurial | Lot 249 | Auction Description
Estimate: €20,000to €30,000
Alessandro Anzani is Italy's answer to Glen Curtiss, with both men riding motorcycles of their own manufacture in competition before going on to build massive companies around their engineering expertise. Anzani even made spare parts for Curtiss engines for many years.
The engine in this motorcycle is not much different to the Anzani engine used by Louis Blériot to make the first flight across the English Channel in 1909. While Anzani was initially known for his 3-cylinder fan engines like the one above, he went on to make 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 10-, 14- and 20-cylinder engines in his factories in England, France and Italy, providing them to motorcycle manufacturers such as McEvoy, Montgomery, Cotton, and Greeves, while cars that used Anzani's engines included Morgan, AC, and Frazer-Nash.
Though the Anzani fetched nearly three times its estimate, another motorcycle on offer at Artcurial's official Retromobile auction with a three-cylinder fan layout caused a lot of interest, because the crankcase is clearly stamped as a Buchet, yet it is near identical to the Anzani and predates it by a year. The Buchet sold for €56,024 ($68,648), more than double its estimate.
$109,462 (€89,125) | 2005 Magnate P708 Barchetta

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 183 | Auction Description
Estimate: €300,000 to €500,000
Our pick for the steal of the week. This car is all that is left from an attempt to build a new supercar based on the Bizzarini P538 racing car. The Magnate cost $3.5 million to develop and uses a 7-liter LS7 V8 mated to a six-speed CIMA manual transmission. The body is carbon fiber and was built by Siam Intermagnate of Thailand.
This is the only car completed and is by all reports a genuine supercar whose owner lost interest in the project. Great value for a truly unique sportscar, though the registration headaches no doubt depressed the final price.
$112,993 (€92,000) | 1966 Porsche 912

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 133 | Auction Description
Estimate: €40,000 to €70,000
A barn-find, or something quite similar, this Porsche 912 was recently discovered in the Netherlands where it had been stored for 30 years. The car has had just two owners and is in highly original condition, with just 50,137 km on the odometer.
$116,840 (€95,360) | 1981 Citroën CX 2400 Prestige Landaulet Chapron

Artcurial | Lot 66 | Auction Description
Estimate: €80,000 to €120,000
Another astonishingly modest figure for an exceptional vehicle, despite the fact it is a record for the model. That's because Henri Chapron showed a very luxurious landaulet at the 1980 Paris motor show which had been built for the Algerian president. This resulted in an order from Citroen so that it could lend the car to VIP's for special events. A string of royalty and VIPs used the car (detailed in the auction description), it has just had €30,000 spent on it returning it to near new, and has only ever seen 10,000 km.
$126,743 (€103,500) | 2001 "Scuderia Ferrari" Iveco transporter

Bonhams | Lot 423| Auction Description
Estimate: €125,000 to €150,000
This UK-registered 2001 Iveco bus was the official Scuderia Ferrari team bus from 2001 to 2005, used extensively by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. It was subsequently converted into a luxury motor home.
$129,942 (€105,800) | 1933 Mercedes-Benz 200 Lang Cabriolet

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 105 | Auction Description
Estimate: €70,000 to €90,000
A rare long-wheelbase Cabriolet B that had been comprehensively restored in the mid-1990s.
$138,757(€113,240) | 1929 Brough Superior SS680

Artcurial| Lot 248| Auction Description
Estimate: €80,000 to €120,000
One of around 550 SS680 Brough Superiors built, this bike runs a 647cc V-twin JAP engine with overhead valves and reached a top speed of approximately 130 km/h. The bike was previously part of the Rigoni Collection.
$167,969(€137,080) | c.1899 Renaux Tricycle

Artcurial| Lot 218| Auction Description
Estimate: €25,000 to €45,000
Yet another motorcycle developed by a pioneer of aviation. Indeed, Eugène Renaux was well known as a pioneer bicycle racer, pioneer motorcycle racer (winner of the 1899 Paris - St Malo race on a 500cc liquid-cooled tricycle exactly like this one, averaging 52 km/h for the 372 km race distance), pioneer car racer (winner of the 1906 Mercedes Cup, a 6,000 km stage car race across France), pioneer airplane racer, and a pioneer balloonist as well.
Renaux' exploits are larger than life, and as an aviator, his greatest feat was winning the Michelin Grand Prix. Launched on March 7, 1908, the Michelin Grand Prix was worth 100,000 francs, and all that was required was to leave Paris, pass over the Arc de Triomphe, to fly over the spires of the cathedral in Clermont-Ferrand, and to land without crashing on the puy de Dome, with a passenger, inside six hours.
With the regulations thus framed, it was thought that it would not be possible for many years. Three years later, Renaux achieved the feat in 5 hours and 10 minutes!
$180,256 (€147,200) | 1948 Delahaye 148 Convertible

Bonhams | Lot 310 | Auction Description
Estimate: €90,000 to €120,000
A beautiful 1948 Delahaye 148 Drophead Coupe with coachwork by Pennock, this car is mechanically closely related to the winner of the 1937 and 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans. Speed, poise, elegance, at a relatively reasonable price.
$197,737 (€161,000) | 1995 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 173 | Auction Description
Estimate: €90,000 to €120,000
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione is the last and best homologation special for the Delta Integrale, which won six consecutive World Rally Championships from 1987 to 1992. As one of the most successful rally cars ever built, it spawned many limited edition road cars such as the Martini 5, Martini 6, Verde York, Blu Lagos, Giallo Ginestra and the last, the rarest (just 180) and most highly sought-after series, the famous Dealer's Collection.
$197,737 (€161,000) | 1942 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet F

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 101 | Auction Description
Estimate: €110,000 to €130,000
A rare seven-passenger Cabriolet F model, with the desirable later chassis and the largest 3.4 liter engine available.
$197,737 (€161,000) | 1958 Triumph TR3A Works Monte Carlo Rally car

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 130 | Auction Description
Estimate: €160,000 to€180,000
The new record holder for the model, this TR3A was one of four entered by the Triumph Works Team in the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally (it was disqualified), placing second overall in the 1958 Tour of Ireland Rally and first in class in the 1958 Tulip Rally. Impeccably presented with competition hardtop in its original colors of Apple Green over brown leather.
$207,391 (€169,264 ) | 1969 Lamborghini Espada Series 1

Artcurial | Lot 112 | Auction Description
Estimate: €150,000 to €200,000
Flushed with the success of the Miura, Lamborghini began work on a four-seat sportscar, aiming to combine sportiness and roominess. The first sign of this attempt appeared at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show with the Marzal, and at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show, the Espada was shown for the first time.
This car is a first series that has just had a complete €40,000 restoration, returning it to its stunning best, both in terms of presentation and performance from the extraordinary 3.9 L V12 that the car shares with the Miura.
$211,773 (€172,840) | 1977 Alpine Renault 1600 SX

Artcurial | Lot 123 | Auction Description
Estimate: €60,000 to €80,000
Only 387 units were built and this car is original in every respect other than a repaint a few years ago. The interior, radio, ... everything is original and the 68,325 miles are also original. Originality being the key, this car is now the price record holder for the model.
$224,932(€ 183,568) | c.1920 Janoir Type A 261

Artcurial| Lot 231| Auction Description
Estimate: €40,000to €60,000
An astonishing price for a motorcycle that so few people have heard of, but the Janoir is quite simply a tour de force of technological progress. This motorcycle was built just after WWI in the same factory that fighter planes had been manufactured, and with the advent of peace, the technologies that had developed during wartime were being applied to cars and motorcycles. The chassis is stamped metal sheet, the 965 cc horizontally-opposed twin-cylinder engine is fitted lengthways in the frame, and the cylinders are aluminum.
$226,378 (€184,760) | 1966 Ford Mustang GT 289

Artcurial | Lot 124 | Auction Description
Estimate: €100,000 to €150,000
Huh ???? A $226,000 Ford Mustang? Yes, but there's much more to this one than immediately meets the eye. The car was built specifically for Henry Ford II to use during his stays in France during the 1960s when Ford was beginning to focus on the World Sportscar Championship and in particular its crown jewel, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car was built with special paint, a high performance "code K" 289 engine, leather upholstery and was the car driven by Henry Ford II just prior to the beginning of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 – the year of Ford's first famous 1-2-3 victory over Ferrari, headed by the driver pairing of McLaren founder Bruce McLarenand Chris Amon. It proved itself on the auction block to be one of the most desirable Mustangs ever, with a world record price for the model.
$285,245 (€232,250) | 1938 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 103 | Auction Description
Estimate: €140,000 to €180,000
Mercedes-Benz built some remarkably attractive 1930s cars other than its headliner Spezial Roadster, and this 1938 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D is one such car, being a four-door convertible with elegance, performance and a price tag one fiftieth the size.
$296,299 (€241,250) | 1970 Porsche 914/6 GT

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 131 | Auction Description
Estimate: €220,000 to €260,000
Overshadowed by Porsche's first outright win in the important 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970, a new 914/6 GT finished sixth outright, winning the 2-liter GT class from 45th place on the grid. This particular car has an extensive period racing history.
$299,403 (€244,360) | 1926 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport

Artcurial | Lot 23 | Auction Description
Estimate: €200,000 to €260,000
An interesting contrast with the other Type 40 Grand Sport to go to auction during the Retromobile auctions (appearing later in this listing, a 1928 model having sold for more than double this price at €529,000), this Type 40 Grand Sport was constructed from mainly original parts, yet still fetched $300,000.
$321,310 (€262,240) | 1965 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Dandy

Artcurial | Lot 69 | Auction Description
Estimate: €250,000 to €350,000
The sale of the Richard Reinders collection was one of the features of Retromobile this year and it contained quite a few coachbuilt Chapron Citroens. Henri Chapron had built many bodies for such well known French brands as Delahaye and Delage, so the Citroen DS created many opportunities for the craftsman.
This Chapron DS 21 Dandy Coupe was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1965. Less than 50 Le Dandy Coupes were built between 1960-68, with this car being the more powerful DS21 version, and now the most valuable ever sold, as the $321,310 (€262,240) represents a new record for the model.
$323,898 (€264,500) | 1935 BMW 315 in the style of a Veritas 2000 RS

Bonhams | Lot 349 | Auction Description
Estimate: €300,000 to €400,000
$335,915 (€274,160) | 1932 Delage D8S Chapron

Artcurial | Lot 9 | Auction Description
Estimate: €140,000 to €220,000
The Delage D8 was first presented at the 1929 Paris Salon and served as the company's top-of-the-range luxury car for a decade, invariably bodied by one of the coachbuilders of the day. In this case, Chapron created the body, which was thoroughly restored some 20 years ago. The car has been inactive for many years at the time of its sale in Paris, and was sold in need of recommissioning but still managed to attract the highest price ever fetched for the model.
$350,532 (€286,250) | 1972 De Tomaso Mangusta

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 110 | Auction Description
Estimate: €190,000 to €240,000
$357,823 (€292,040) | 1965 De Tomaso Vallelunga Competizione

Artcurial | Lot 52 | Auction Description
Estimate: €200,000 to €280,000
$359,104 (€293,250) | 1957 Porsche 356 A 1600 Speedster

Bonhams | Lot 377 | Auction Description
Estimate: €260,000 to €340,000
One of 1,166 Porsche 356A Speedsters produced in 1957, this was delivered to the USA, where it resided until it was recently purchased and taken to Belgium. There it was re-sprayed to its original Meissen Blue color, while the upholstery was re-trimmed in the correct red and a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity sought and issued.
The Speedster has a non-matching 1600 Super engine of the same year that produces 75 horsepower instead of 60 horsepower, making it even more enjoyable to drive, while the electrical system has been upgraded to 12 volts for improved reliability. Coupé seats are sometimes fitted to Speedsters, but this one has the Speedster type preferred by most enthusiasts.
$359,104 (€293,250) | 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Coupe Sport

Bonhams | Lot 342 | Auction Description
Estimate: €280,000 to €340,000
$365,125 (€298,000) | 1912 Panhard Levassor X14 Vanvooren

Artcurial | Lot 11 | Auction Description
Estimate: €180,000 to €260,000
$406,835 (€331,250) | 1991 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 135 | Auction Description
Estimate: €250,000 to €300,000
Best known these days for the cars bearing his own name, Horacio Pagani was tasked with updating the iconic Gandini-penned bodywork for the Lamborghini Countach's 25th Anniversary edition. The car was unveiled 1988 Grand Prix at Monza and although it retained the same visual panache and performance of the existing 5000QV, it boasted nearly 500 subtle updates intended to improve aesthetics and passenger comfort.
Most importantly, the Countach's relatively spartan appointments were upgraded to include all-new power windows, power seats and a more powerful air conditioning system capable of coping with all that glass in a warm climate. A sign of the rarified atmosphere encountered by truly collectible cars is this car's total of just 3,465 km since it was new.
$408,393 (€333,500) | 1925 Hispano Suiza H6B 32CV Coupé de Ville

Bonhams | Lot 312 | Auction Description
Estimate: €350,000 to €450,000
There was no more premium brand between the wars than Hispano Suiza, when it was a direct competitor for Rolls-Royce. Like Rolls-Royce, the exceptional quality of the engineering led it into aeronautical engineering, and Hispano Suiza's V12 aero engine earned the respect of all those who worked on or near it during WW1. This 1925 Hispano-Suiza H6B 32CV Coupé de Ville with coachwork by Carrosserie Kellner is superb in every respect.

The H6 six cylinder engine, in this case a 6,597 cc straight six, was designed by Marc Birkigt, being essentially half of the V12 aero engine. The seven-bearing crankshaft in this engine was milled from a 600 lb (272 kg) steel billet, while the block used screwed-in steel liners, and the water passages were enameled to prevent corrosion. This is what quality automotive engineering looked like 95 years ago.

The car sold for $408,393 (€333,500) but sold for a similar amount a decade ago, indicating how an automobile of extreme quality can be easy and frugal to live with, despite appearances to the opposite. Take a look through the imagery in both of Bonhams' auctions (2018 and 2008) and you'll understand the esteem in which the marque is held.
$422,476 (€345,000) | Alta 2-Liter Sports

1936 Bonhams | Lot 308 | Auction Description
Estimate: €250,000 to €300,000
As the celebrated Denis Jenkinson wrote in Motor Sport magazine, "The name of Alta may not have the aura of ERA, Maserati, Bugatti or Alfa Romeo, but nonetheless it holds an important niche in the history of British motor racing and was the result of the endeavors of one man."
That man was Geoffrey Taylor who designed and built every part of the Alta sports and competition models, including the superchargers. Very few Altas were made, but this one, a survivor of the 19 built, is in fine fettle, and is well known on the British racing scene, competing in most "pre-War" races between 2008 and 2017. It sold above estimate, no doubt due to its competitiveness in classic racing and its eligibility for the most prestigious historic events such as the Goodwood MM and Revival, and the Monaco Historic GP.
$427,561 (€348,125) | 1989 RUF CTR Clubsport

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 108 | Auction Description
Estimate: €275,000 to €325,000
$475,921 (€387,500) | 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix

RM-Sotheby's | Lot 149 | Auction Description
Estimate: €500,000 to €700,000
Given that the Type 35 was only introduced at the Grand Prix of Lyon on August 3, 1924, this particular car must have been ordered very early, as it was completed and invoiced to the splendidly-named Lord Rocksavage, the future Lord Cholmondeley, on January 3, 1925. Images in the auction description gallery show Lady Sybil Cholmondeley with Sir Malcolm Campbell and this car, and but there is a huge gap in the car's history from the late 1920s until the late 1980s.
Though thoroughly restored, it is clear that the car is no longer entirely original, which accounts for the rather modest price expectation. Bugatti T35s routinely sell for more than a million dollars, with the record price of $3.3 million set by Gooding & Company at Scottsdale in January 2017.