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.
$365,125 (€298,000) | 1927 Planes-Voisin C11 Sedan "Code Chasing"
Artcurial | Lot 27 | Auction Description
Estimate: €250,000 to €350,000
$647,796 (€529,000) | 1928 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport
Bonhams | Lot 336 | Auction Description
Estimate: €300,000 to €400,000
As previously mentioned, an interesting contrast with a 1926 Type 40 which sold for less than half this price (€244,360) above. This 1928 model has a known ownership history from new, but most importantly, it fetched this price because it is outstandingly original. Authenticity is the cornerstone of the classic car auction market, and this car is blessed with far more than the usual share.
$657,225 (€536,400) | 1938 Delage D8 120 Chapron
Artcurial | Lot 10 | Auction Description
Estimate: €150,000 to €250,000
Authenticity is key, and this Chapron-bodied straight-eight cabriolet fetched more than double its estimate to set a record price for the model. Given the history of the car, it's not surprising. The car has been in the same family for 80 years having been purchased by the vendor's grandmother. It was sold with the original purchase order dated February 21, 1938, the warranty card from the manufacturer Delage, and the receipt for the full settlement of the car.
$739,332 (€603,750) | 1907 Minerva Type K Torpédo Limousine Transformable
Bonhams | Lot 317 | Auction Description
Estimate: €350,000 to €450,000
It may look restored but it isn't, being in extraordinarily well preserved but original condition. This 110-year-old convertible touring car has a powerful six cylinder engine and is a wonderful example of one of the most luxurious cars of its day. Sold with a detailed history from new.
No sale | Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost 'London-Edinburgh' Limousine
Bonhams | Lot 343 | Auction Description
Estimate: €450,000 to €550,000 ($551,055 to $673,512)
This car has had an interesting life, being commandeered for military service during WW1, once owned by John Ringling of circus fame, and it was also part of the Imperial Palace Casino Collection in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it was mistakenly described as "Czar Nicholas II's 1914 Rolls Royce."
It is one of the most sought-after variants of the "best car in the world," as explained by this excerpt from the auction description: After a successful 2,000-mile trial under RAC supervision, the factory demonstrator – chassis 60551, 'The Silver Ghost' – was entered in the Scottish Reliability Trial, completing the 15,000-mile run with flying colors to set a new World Record. From then on the car's reputation was assured, not the least in North America where the wide-open spaces placed a premium on reliability and comfort.
Another reliability trail resulted in the introduction of the improved 'London-Edinburgh' model, so called after a factory-modified car ('1701') was driven non-stop over a 400-mile course between those two cities using top gear only. '1701' returned a remarkable 24.32 miles per gallon and went on to achieve a top speed at Brooklands of 78.26 mph without the benefit of any adjustments. Fitted with streamlined coachwork, this same car later attained a top speed of 101.8 mph at the Surrey track.
No sale | 1966 Citroën DS 19 Cabriolet Chapron Palm Beach
Artcurial | Lot 74 | Auction Description
Estimate: €400,000 to €600,000
Another custom coachwork masterpiece by Chapron from the Richard Reinders collection, only 27 Palm Beach models were built, this one having been the recipient of an extensive restoration. Complete history from new when it was ordered by Baroness Sipkes-Moll van Charante.
$633,713 (€517,500) | 1970 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Spider Conversion
Bonhams | Lot 370 | Auction Description
Estimate: €500,000 to €600,000
Ferrari's production run of a 123 original Daytona Spyders left a hole in the marketplace that had to be filled, resulting in many 365 GTB/4 Coupes being cut and converted. Richard Straman Coachworks of Costa Mesa, California did the job on this one, and clearly from the price, did a good job.
$701,040 (€572,160) | 1997 RUF CTR-2
Artcurial | Lot 121 | Auction Description
Estimate: €480,000 to €620,000
World record auction price for this model.
$793,713 (€646,250) | 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 116 | Auction Description
Estimate: €625,000 to €675,000
While Mercedes-Benz is best known for its pre-war 540K Spezial Roadsters, which now sell at auction for more than $10 million apiece, and its post-war 300 SL roadsters and Gullwings, which despite mass production now sell for more than a million apiece, this for us, is the car which best encapsulates the spirit of both eras.
After WWII, this was the road car which Mercedes-Benz produced specifically in order to become the world's most expensive and exclusive automobile. Built in a time of austerity and rationing, this roadster was the last word in opulence and sophistication.
When launched at the Paris Salon in 1951, it cost twice as much as a Cadillac, and its modernized 540K styling attracted royal owners such as King Faruk of Egypt and the Aga Khan, and the most dashing male lead movie stars of the day in the form of Cary Grant and Gary Cooper. Much rarer (800 only) than a 300 SL and far more luxurious, three body styles were offered: a 2+2, coupé or the rarest roadster version.
No sale | 1986 Lancia Delta S4 Groupe B Rallye
Bonhams | Lot 410 | Auction Description
Estimate: €580,000 to €780,000
Lancia won the World Rally Championship for Makes 11 times between 1972 and 1992, with the Fulvia HF, Stratos, Rally 037, and the Delta family (S4, HF, and Integrale) among the most successful rally cars of all time.
Lancia had introduced the new 4WD Delta S4 WRC contender in 1985, bearing a skin deep resemblance to its front-wheel-drive road-going namesake when in actuality, the two-seater S4 had fully adjustable all-independent suspension, lightweight composite bodywork, all-wheel drive via central and remote differentials and a 400 hp Abarth-designed 1,759cc, 16-valve engine with both super- and turbo-charging to reduce the effects of "turbo lag" at low revs.
In use for only 13 months, the Lancia Delta S4 is one of the rarest of Group B rally cars. So rare is the S4 that there is considerable doubt that Lancia actually produced the 200 road cars required for homologation, with expert opinion being that fewer than 80 exist today. Genuine works cars are even rarer. This one didn't sell due to the high expectations of the vendor, but ... what a car!
No sale | 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spyder
Bonhams | Lot 373 | Auction Description
Estimate: €670,000 to €780,000
$774,065 (€631,760) | 1937 Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet
Artcurial | Lot 13 | Auction Description
Estimate: €600,000 to €800,000
Horch was the only serious domestic rival to Mercedes-Benz in the decade prior to WW2, with the brand eventually becoming Audi. Introduced in the 1936 season, the 4.9-liter Type 853 used an inline eight cylinder engine driving through a four-speed overdrive gearbox and with servo-assisted hydraulic brakes.
The Horch 853a Sportcabriolet is a masterpiece, and though 950 were built, only a handful survive. Surprisingly, two such cars were offered at auction in Paris, with this car original in every respect except for a paint job in the 1950s. It was presented at auction with an 80-page report by historian and Horchspecialist Karl Schack. Original with a meticulous history, it sold for $774,065 (€631,760).
No sale | 1939 Horch 853A Sport Cabriolet
Bonhams | Lot 338 | Auction Description
Estimate: €600,000 to €800,000
Very similar to the car directly above, and with an identical estimate, this car was fully restored by Horch Classic with work finishing in 2017. Estimated to sell for €600,000 to €800,000, it failed to make reserve.
No sale | Hispano-Suiza 1934 36-liter V12 Hydroplane
Bonhams | Lot 345 | Auction Description
Estimate: €600,000 to €800,000
One of the fastest boats in the world between the wars, this hydroplane has a fascinating provenance and can be heard for miles when its 36-liter Hispano-Suiza V12 engine fires up. The winner of events such as the 1938 Lyon-Marseille-Cannes race, and the 1936 President of the Republic prize at the Nautical Week in Cannes, where it averaged 90.34 km/h over the 12 km race distance.
The choice of an auction venue was quite appropriate as Rafale V was timed at 130 km/h on the nearby River Seine in the mid-1930s. Sadly, it did not find a new home.
$781,580 (€638,250) | 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio Coupe
Bonhams | Lot 366 | Auction Description
Estimate: €600,000 to €800,000
The Muira was a difficult act to follow, but the Lamborghini Countach LP400 Coupe that was first shown at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show was a milestone in automotive history. It garnered attention all over the world. This 1974 model is one of the first series in its original LP400 "periscopio" form. Only 157 were built between 1974 and 1977.
No sale | 1963 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Vignale
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 127 | Auction Description
Estimate: €700,000 to €800,000
$869,707 (€708,125) | 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Spyder by Ghia
RM-Sotheby's Lot 129 | Auction Description
Estimate: €700,000 to €800,000
$859,034 (€701,500) | 1926 Bentley 3-litre 'Red Label' Speed Model Tourer
Bonhams | Lot 337 | Auction Description
Estimate: €650,000 to €850,000
No doubt purchased with Bentley's 100th anniversary celebrations in 2019 in mind, this 1926 Bentley 3-liter "Red Label" Speed Model Tourer is one of just 513 Speed Models built, but with the much rarer incidence of original aluminum body panels.
The tale of this car, not just the faultless condition in which it went to auction, are what really set it apart. The extraordinary thoroughness of the accompanying documentation includes a letter from the original owner, a full and detailed history, a book which details the £475,000 Graham Moss rotisserie restoration to which the car was subjected, and the Class Award it won at Pebble Beach in 2015. Truly outstanding in every respect!
No sale | 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring Coupe
Bonhams | Lot 361 | Auction Description
Estimate: €650,000 to €850,000
$904,249 (€736,250) | 1967 Maserati Mistral 4.0 Spyder by Frua
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 128 | Auction Description
Estimate: €750,000 to €850,000
$788,670 (€643,680) | 1937 Hispano-Suiza J12 Gurney Nutting
Artcurial | Lot 28 | Auction Description
Estimate: €600,000 to €900,000
No sale | Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet Vanvooren
Artcurial | Lot 16 | Auction Description
Estimate: €650,000 to €950,000
$873,116 (€713,000) | 1904 Fiat Type 24/32 Tonneau
Bonhams | Lot 347 | Auction Description
Estimate: €750,000 to €950,000
$873,116 (€713,000) | 1935 Bugatti Type 57 3.3 Liter Tourist Trophy Torpédo
Bonhams | Lot 309 | Auction Description
Estimate: €780,000 to €1,300,000
The ex-Earl Howe, ex-Pierre Levegh 1935 Bugatti Type 57T surprisingly sold well below its estimate. The car was built for influential British racing driver Earl Howe, who was President of the British Racing Drivers Club from 1929 to 1964.
This car made its debut at the Ulster TT race in 1935 driven by Howe before being purchased by the talented young French racing driver, Pierre Bouillin, better known as Pierre Levegh after he changed his name to emulate his pioneering motor-racing uncle. Levegh is best known as the first driver killed in the tragedy at the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hour Race which saw 83 die.
$898,208 (€733,080) | 1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1300
Artcurial | Lot 105 | Auction Description
Estimate: €440,000 to €520,000
$973,335 (€792,500) | 1954 OSCA 2000 S by Morelli
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 165 | Auction Description
Estimate: €875,000 to €975,000
It's a Maserati by another name. Officina Specializzate Costruzione Automobili built its first car in 1948. With the Orsi family retaining the Maserati name, the Fratelli Maserati (Maserati brothers) dropped the "FM" from the title of their new company, leaving the acronym OSCA.
A new car was born, and this 2000 S sports car is essentially a Formula 3 car with a straight-six engine breathing through triple Weber carbs. Only five cars were built in total, and just three of them with Barchetta bodies by Morelli. This car had an extensive race history in period, winning the 1954 12 Hours of Messina and having raced in the 1,000 km Buenos Aires.
$1,146,048 (€933,125) | 1992 Ferrari F40
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 123 | Auction Description
Estimate: €850,000 to €950,000
$1,168,401 (€953,600) | 1990 Ferrari F40
Artcurial | Lot 86 | Auction Description
Estimate: €750,000 to €1,000,000
$1,419,173 (€1,158,270) | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
Artcurial | Lot 44 | Auction Description
Estimate: €800,000 to €1,000,000
$1,415,480 (€1,152,500) | 1993 Bugatti EB 110 Super Sport Prototype
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 150 | Auction Description
Estimate: €850,000 to €1,100,000
This 1993 Bugatti EB110 SS Prototype is the first of 36 built, and with several bidders on the floor in Paris, the price kept going all the way to set a new record for the model. Amazingly, the 25-year-old car has covered just 3,300 km from new.
Manufactured in early 1993, it was used in April 1993 for homologation testing in two-wheel drive configuration and fitted with engine number 009. It was then used for fuel consumption homologation testing, then fitted with the four-wheel drive system and Super Sport engine no. 0026, the unit previously fitted to the prototype C7 that was used to set the EB110's world speed record in 1992 at 342.7 km/h.
No sale | 1963 Porsche 356 B Carrera 2 GT
Artcurial | Lot 36 | Auction Description
Estimate: €800,000 to €1,200,000
Expected to set price records but it didn't reach reserve in the end and was passed in. This extremely rare car is the sports version of the 356 that took its name from the brand's success in the Carrera Panamericana.
It has a special DOHC-per-cylinder-bank engine, twin-spark ignition, two twin-choke downdraft carburetors, dry sump lubrication and though initially available in a 1.5-liter version, then 1.6-liter, this is the ultimate 2-liter version and it has been treated to a lifetime of expert mechanical refurbishment and produces in excess of 140 hp, so it is still a car of exceptional power and speed.
No sale | 1959 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1600 GS convertible
Artcurial | Lot 37 | Auction Description
Estimate: €800,000 to €1,200,000
$774,538 (€632,500) | 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Bonhams | Lot 367 | Auction Description
Estimate: €900,000 to €1,200,000
No sale | 1942-46 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Pinin Farina Speziale
Artcurial | Lot 61 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,000,000 to €1,300,000
This car has a great story behind it, with 14 having been built and delivered to Pinin Farina in 1942, but production was discontinued due to the war. Commissioned by Milanese socialite Giuliana Tortolli-Cuccioli, this car was created in 1946 and loaned to Pinin Farina by its owner, so he could make a tour of the first post-war automotive exhibitions including the Geneva Motor Show.
Italian auto makers were excluded from the 1946 Salon de Paris for political reasons, but this car was driven to Paris by Pinin Farina himself, and parked directly in front of the show's entrance, creating his own motor show alongside a Lancia Aprilia that had been driven to Paris by Sergio Farina.
The story gets better because at a later date Pinin Fraina buys the car back to use as his own personal vehicle, then when he sells it, it is purchased by Britain's Austin Motor Company and used as the basis of the design of the Austin A90 Atlantic. There is so much more to this car's story, all of it in the auction description.
No sale | 1952 Gordini Type 16 Formula 1
Artcurial | Lot 99 | Auction Description
Estimate: €900,000 to €1,400,000
A winning Formula One car from the early 1950s with an incredible provenance, having been driven by Jean Behra, Maurice Trintignant, Harry Schell, Prince Bira, and many more. It failed to find a new home.
No sale | 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S Coupe
Bonhams | Lot 378 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,200,000 to €1,400,000
No sale | 1985 Porsche 962 C
Artcurial | Lot 122 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,300,000 to €1,600,000
$2,295,633 (€1,873,600) | 1964 Porsche 904 GTS
Artcurial | Lot 35 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,400,000 to €1,800,000
This 1964 Porsche 904 GTS has a transparent and continuous history from new when it was one of the 50 examples built in 1964 to allow homologation for sports car racing. It raced extensively in period, competing in 24 events between 1964 and 1969, winning outright five times, first in class twice and finishing second in the US Cup in 1969 at Montlhéry and sixth overall in the 1964 Tour de France Automobile.
Subsequently part of the collection of Jean-Claude Miloé, from 1999 onwards it again competed extensively, usually finishing at the front of the field.
$2,182,327 (€1,776,875) | 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 134 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,600,000 to €1,800,000
No sale | 2014 McLaren P1
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 148 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,700,000 to €2,000,000
No sale | 2007 Ferrari Enzo
Artcurial | Lot 92 | Auction Description
Estimate: €1,800,000 to €2,200,000
$2,458,668 (€2,001,875) | 2005 Maserati MC12
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 124 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,000,000 to €2,500,000
No sale | 1955 Maserati A6G / 2000 Berlinetta Germany / Zagato
Artcurial | Lot 100 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,500,000 to €2,700,000
No sale | 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy by Scaglietti
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 120 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,400,000 to €2,800,000
No sale | 1965 Iso Grifo A3/C
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 142 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,500,000 to €3,000,000
This is essentially a race car for the road, with just 10 riveted Iso Grifo A3/Cs built and class wins in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in both 1964 and 1965 as part of the heritage (plus 14th and 9th place outright). This car is one of the very desirable "riveted" A3/Cs, made by Carrozzeria Sports Cars of Piero Drogo in Modena.
The bodies were made in avional, a special alloy of aluminum, copper and magnesium that is very light and elastic but difficult to weld, meaning it needed to be riveted. The car has a spectacular provenance including Johnny Hallyday, 15 years in Michel Hommell's Manoir de l'Automobile museum and an appearance at the 2017 Chantilly Concours. Great hopes were held for the car (hence its appearance on the catalog cover with Hallyday).
RM-Sotheby's Sabatié-Garat commented, The offering of a riveted Iso Grifo A3/C is extraordinarily rare in its own right. Add to that its exceptional French provenance and former ownership by the late, and much loved, Johnny Hallyday, and you have a once-in-a-generation opportunity for collectors. We're tremendously honored to bring an important car owned by such a cherished French icon to public auction for the very first time.
On the day, the bidding reached €1,975,000 but there was no fairytale ending.
$3,276,815 (€2,674,400) | 2006 Ferrari FXX
Artcurial | Lot 91 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,600,000 to €3,200,000
Just 38 Ferrari FXX cars were built, and they were racetrack only cars, with one of the most powerful Ferrari engines ever built – a 6,262 cc 800 hp V12 engine. Each car was sold with a complete racetrack program as part of the purchase package.
This car was delivered new to a collector who decided not to take part in the program, hence the car was sold with less than 100 km from new. Not surprisingly, it set a world record auction price for the model, fetching €2,674,400.
$2,996,477 (€2,445,600) | 1954 Maserati A6 GCS / 53 Spyder by Fiandri & Malagoli
Artcurial | Lot 103 | Auction Description
Estimate: €2,800,000 to €3,600,000
This 1954 Maserati A6 GCS/53 Spyder Fiandri & Malagoni came with an impressive racing provenance both in period and in recent historic events which is extensively documented in the auction description. This car raced in the original Mille Miglia, plus six times in the Mille Miglia historic. It changed hands for €2,445,600 to set a new world record for the model.
$3,557,153 (€2 903 200) | 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe Atalante
Artcurial | Lot 29 | Auction Description
Estimate: €3,000,000 to €3,500,000
This 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe Atalante is a superb example of one of the most iconic Bugatti models in the most desirable configurations. Every aspect of the car's history, from being finished just six days prior to the important Geneva Motor Show and shipped unsold, it's purchase in Switzerland and every single important event in its life is documented, including accidents, restoration and a return to Bugatti's Molsheim headquarters for the fitting of the factory turbocharger and upgrading to SC specification.
Though the buyer paid more than $3.5 million for the privilege, he or she became no more than the next custodian of a piece of automotive history.
$4,082,171 (€3,323,750) | 2017 Bugatti Chiron
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 151 | Auction Description
Estimate: €3,200,000 to €3,600,000
As featured in a separate article, this Bugatti did what Bugatti's do – the outrageous, the impossible, the preposterous. It topped a "Grand Slam" classic car auction week when it was still a current model. It had never been done before.
No sale | 1953 Ferrari 166 MM Spider
RM-Sotheby's | Lot 172 | Auction Description
Estimate: €3,700,000 to €4,500,000
The fifth of 13 166 MMs built in 1953, this car features unique spider coachwork of unknown construction. Most historians believe that it was designed by Aurelio Lampredi and is thought to have been built by Ferrari itself. One of 0272 M's earliest track outings was at the 1953 Mille Miglia, driven by the pairing of the original owner (Dr. Alberico Cacciari) and Bill Mason (father of Pink Floyd drummer and noted Ferrari collector Nick Mason).
During this time, the car was also used in the production of the 1953 Shell movie about the Mille Miglia, directed by Bill Mason himself. Fabulous provenance, but no cigar as the Ferrari 166 MM was bid to €3.45 million, but no common ground could be found between the buyer and seller and the car is still available. The auction description is well worth the time.
No sale | 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series Convertible Series 1
Artcurial | Lot 95 | Auction Description
Estimate: € 7,000,000 to € 9,000,000
Offered with a full history, and one of just 40 produced, this Ferrari Cabriolet 250 GT Series 1 did not find a new home. Extraordinary imagery by Loïc Kernen in the auction description.
On show but not for sale (yet) | Ayrton Senna's 1993 McLaren MP4/8
Ayrton Senna's 1993 McLaren-Ford MP4/8A will be going to auction at Bonhams' Monaco sale which is run in conjunction with the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique on May 11, 2018 and it was taken to Retromobile to promote interest.
Senna drove this car (chassis #6) in eight races during the 1993 Formula 1 World Championship season with the undoubted highlight being a win in the 1993 Monaco Grand Prix. The car will be auctioned almost 25 years to the day after that win and estimates of the price aren't being disclosed other than a price in excess of £5,000,000.
Did Not Show | 1963 Ferrari 250 / 275P Ex-Scuderia Ferrari
Estimate: nearly priceless – this is THE last Ferrari to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Legal issues kept this car from coming to Retromobile, which is an enormous shame because it is a very significant car. The Ferrari factory team, the fabled Scuderia Ferrari, won the Le Mans 24 Hours Race outright eight times and this car, chassis #0816, was the last works car to do so. In 1964, it was driven to victory by Jean Guichet and Nino Vaccarella, covering 4,695.3 km at an average speed of 196.638 km/h, was then sold to America where it raced for several years and was then purchased by Pierre Bardinon.
During the second half of the 20th century, Pierre Bardinon assembled an unrivaled collection of Ferrari racing cars. He acquired some 50 factory cars including four of the nine Ferrari Le Mans winners (one was a privateer) and built his own private race circuit at Mas du Clos so he could drive his collection in its natural habitat.
So revered was the Bardinon Collection, that when Enzo Ferrari was once asked why he had not kept the significant race cars in the company's history, he replied, "No need. Bardinon has done it for me."
In 2016, Artcurial Motorcars sold a previous Bardinon Collection car, a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti, for €32,075,200, narrowly failing to become the most expensive car on our top 100 cars listing. We calculate all our lists in American dollars, using the official exchange rates of the day it sold. If we calculated our lists in either British Pounds or Euros, the Bardinon Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti would be on top of the list.
This car could have become the most expensive car ever sold at auction regardless of the currencies used. No doubt when the car's legal issues are resolved, we'll see it at an Artcurial auction.
On show but not for sale (yet) | ex-Le Mans, Goodwood TT, Jim Clark, Quasi-Works 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato
The 1958 Aston Martin DB4 was timed at 141 mph (227 km/h), becoming the world's fastest production road car. The following year the 1959 DB4 GT was timed at 152 mph (245 km/h), retaking the world mantle for Aston Martin once more.
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1960, being a lightened 314 hp (234 kW) DB4 GT with Zagato styling. It was timed at 153.5 mph (247 km/h) to become the fastest car in the world, giving Aston Martin three consecutive titles.
The last Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato to reach auction, a 1962 model, was sold by RM-Sothebys for $14.3 million in December, 2015 and became the most expensive British car ever sold at auction at that time, an honor now held by the 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 Number 1 which sold for $22,550,000 at Monterey in 2017.
The car above is by far the most significant of the 19 DB4 GT Zagatos produced, having been raced in period as part of the quasi-works Essex Racing Stable team against some of the most notable grids ever assembled in GT World Championship history. This car battled neck-and-neck with Ferrari's 250 GTO and 250 GT SWB, driven by twice World F1 champ Jim Clark. Given a near identical car without that provenance sold for $14.3 million, one wonders what this car might fetch when it goes to market at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on July 13, 2018.
