February 2020 - Paris highlights
17 February, 2020
Bonhams’ 1931 Bugatti Type 55 Supersport with Le Mans history was the undoubted star at this year’s Paris sales, changing hands for €4,600,000 (estimate €4,000,000 – 7,000,000) – the top result from the three auctions held during Rétromobile (Le Mans image courtesy of Bonhams).
Other top-tier sales included an unrestored 1931 Invicta 4½ Litre S-Type Low Chassis which comfortably exceeded its €1,200,000 – 1,500,000 estimate, taking €1,610,000; a one-of-31 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A also drew €1,610,000 (estimate €1,500,000 – 2,000,000); and a 91,500-km 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster which had been owned by the consignor since 1982 made €1,033,333 (estimate €1,300,000 – 1,500,000).
Among the Ferraris on offer inside the uber-elegant Grand Palais, a three-owner 13,000-mile 1996 F355 Spider with a manual gearbox fetched €51,750 (estimate €60,000 – 80,000) and a one-owner 2006 575M Superamerica with 26,438km sold for €244,375 (estimate €220,000 – 300,000). A 73,000-km 1979 308 GTS delivered new to the US, and subsequently converted to Euro-spec bodywork, made entry-level Ferrari ownership achievable at €43,700 (estimate €60,000 – 80,000).
Bonhams reported a sale total of €19.69 million.
[ Bonhams Paris Sale – view auction results here ]
A recently refurbished 1958 BMW 507 headed the sales at RM Sotheby’s 5 February auction, commanding a winning bid of €1,996,250 (estimate €1,750,000 – 2,250,000); while the top three was rounded off with a 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, showing a believed original 24,000-km, which took €1,917,500 (estimate €1,600,000 – 1,800,000), and a one-owner 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport with fewer than 4,000km at €1,523,750 (estimate €1,200,000 – 1,800,000).
Stand-out result for many present was the 1969 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 'Red Pig' Replica created by Merc specialists Arthur Bechtel Classic Motors, determined bidders soon eclipsed the €150,000 – 200,000 guide, hammered away for €432,500.
RM’s four-owner left-hand drive 1965 Aston Martin DB5 with a recent £38,000 engine rebuild brought a mid-estimate €623,750; while a 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona in its original shade of Rosso Bordeaux – the subject of a four year restoration in 2014 – led the Ferrari success at €522,500 (estimate €450,000 – 550,000).
RM Sotheby’s generated a sale total of €16.5 million with a 75% sell-through rate.
[ RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale – view auction results here ]
A 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C with an extensive competition career in period bagged the top spot at Artcurial’s marathon 153-lot Rétromobile sale on 7 February, selling for a mid-estimate €2,502,800.
Other competition machinery finding new homes included an ex-René Arnoux 1983 Ferrari 126 C3 which blitzed its €600,000 – 1,000,000 estimate with a final bid of €1,438,880; a 1967 Serenissima MK 168 that was recently restored by the team’s former chief mechanic Giuliano Giuliani achieved €899,960 (estimate €1,000,000 – 1,400,000); and a 1993 Jaguar XJ220C, unraced since competing at Le Mans in 1993 and ’95, went for €1,085,760 (estimate €900,000 – 1,300,000).
Two of the three Citroën Cabriolets on offer found success on the block. The 1963 DS 19 with 114,000km raised €185,952 (estimate €165,000 – 195,000), and the 1968 DS 21 which had been in single ownership until 2012 sold for €119,796 (estimate €120,000 – 160,000).
Artcurial posted a 70% sell-through rate and total sales of €22.89 million.
[ Artcurial Rétromobile Sale – view auction results here ]
Classic car auction results and prices for: Bugatti | Invicta | Mercedes-Benz | Ferrari | BMW | Porsche | Aston Martin | Serenissima | Jaguar | Citroën
From leading auction houses: Bonhams | RM Sotheby’s | Artcurial
Read through the rest of our classic car auction reports for more auction results. Check out our online resource for upcoming classic car auction events and classic car auction results around the world.