February 2018 - Paris previews
30 January, 2018
Even without the 1964 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 275P, which was withdrawn at the last minute due to ongoing proceedings concerning the Bardinon estate, Artcurial’s two-day Rétromobile sale still offers an impressive inventory of over 170 cars; 15 of which carry million euro-plus estimates, headed by a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I. ‘0849GT’ is one of just 40 250 GT Series I cabriolets produced, and is now a matching numbers car following its restoration in 2013 when the original engine was reunited with the chassis (estimate €7,000,000 – 9,000,000).
Other top-tier entries include a 1954 Maserati A6 GCS/53 Spyder which competed in the 1955 Mille Miglia in the hands of Attilio Buffa (estimate €2,800,000 – 3,600,000); the ex-Geneva Motor Show 1938 Bugatti Type 57 C Coupe Atalante (estimate €3,000,000 – 3,500,000); and a 2006 Ferrari FXX which has only covered 97 non-track kilometres from new (estimate €2,600,000 – 3,200,000).
Significant highlights also include a 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS which was raced extensively in period, notably in 1964 at the Tour Auto and Nürburgring 1000km (estimate €1,400,000 – 1,800,000); a 1985 Porsche 962 C which finished 10th overall at the 1986 Le Mans 24 Hours (estimate €1,300,000 – 1,600,000); and a unique 1942-1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Cabriolet Pinin Farina Speziale which the subject of a two and a half year restoration (estimate €1,000,000 – 1,300,000).
Star attraction at RM Sotheby’s Paris auction on 7 February is a 1953 Ferrari 166 MM Spider with a pre-sale estimate of €3,700,000 – 4,500,000. Chassis 0272 M made two appearances in the Mille Miglia and was featured in the film The Racers with Kirk Douglas at the wheel.
The sale also features a 2017 Bugatti Chiron with less than 1000km from new (estimate €3,200,000 – 3,600,000); a 1965 Iso Grifo A3/C, originally owned by Johnny Hallyday and now showing a believed genuine 27,000km (estimate €2,500,000 – 3,000,000); and a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy which won Best in Class at Salon Privé in 2015 following its restoration by renowned marque specialists GTO Engineering (estimate €2,400,000 – 2,800,000).
A 1972 De Tomaso Mangusta which was restored in 1997 is offered with an estimate of €190,000 – 240,000, while a 1974 Alpine A110 1600 S which finished 3rd in class at the 1975 Targa Florio has a guide of €130,000 – 140,000.
Bonhams returns to the elegant Grand Palais in Paris for Les Grandes Marques Du Monde sale on 8 February. Sharing the limelight at the top of the inventory is a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S and a 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Tourist Trophy Torpedo. The Miura was owned by the famous Schlumpf Museum for some 12 years until the early ‘90s and has covered some 43,000km from new (estimate €1,200,000 – 1,400,000).
Bonhams’ Bugatti has a well-documented competition career, debuting at the 1935 RAC Tourist Trophy in the hands of Earl Howe. Subsequent owners included Pierre Levegh who campaigned the car at Chimay and Marseilles, and Duncan Ord who took the Type 57 to Australia where it has remained ever since (estimate €780,000 – 1,300,000).
Also set to go across the block is an ex-Works 1986 Lancia Delta S4 Group B (estimate €580,000 – 780,000); a 2002 Renault Clio V6 with some 5,400km from new (estimate €45,000 – 55,000); and a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Cabriolet, one of just 102 examples built (estimate €300,000 – 400,000).
Classic car auction price estimates for: Ferrari | Maserati | Bugatti | Porsche | Alfa Romeo | Iso | De Tomaso | Alpine | Lamborghini | Lancia | Renault | Aston Martin
From leading auction houses: Artcurial | RM Sotheby’s | Bonhams
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