Artcurial Retromobile, Paris, February 7, 2020

Artcurial at Retromobile in 2020 had an abundance of wonderful cars.

It was, however, the middle and bottom of the market that found buyers. The big money cars struggled, leaving the auction with its weakest performance in years.

One of the feature elements, the sale of four gorgeous yachts at no reserve (gorgeous to contemplate, but fantastically expensive to maintain), similarly fell upon deaf ears in the auction hall. They’re not included in the numbers below.

Seven lots were bid to $1 million or more of which five sold, a 71.4% sale rate that was slightly better than the overall sale’s creditable 70.8% sell-through.

Artcurial offered the best selection of competition cars of the Paris auctions, including Rally cars which after enjoying a recent spike of interest have suddenly either gone out of fashion or encouraged consignors to set unrealistic reserves.

And the fascination of France for singer Johnny Hallyday’s cars continued.

Comparison to last year’s numbers are skewed by the 2019 sale of Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B s/n 412024 for $19,036,823.

Here are the numbers:

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $ Exchange Rate
2020 114/161* 70.8% 50% 8.8% $198,780 $88,805

[44.7%]

$22,660,913 $1.0950
2019 100/145 69% 46% 9% $444,311 $85,470

[19.2%]

$44,431,137 $1.1355
2018 142/175 81.1% 45.1% 23.2% $246,477 $95,020

[38.6%]

$34,999,679 $1.2226
2017 117/154 76% 47.4% 18.4% $296,910 $111,186

[37.5%]

$34,738,526 $1.0650

*10 lots were offered to no visible bidding interest and are included in the unit totals.

71 of the 161 cars offered by Artcurial at Retromobile are reported here, observed on site by Rick Carey and Andrew Newton. They are sorted here in lot number order.

 

Lot # 15 1955 Talbot-Lago T14 LS Coupe; S/N 140006; Engine # 160008; Blue/Havana vinyl; Estimate $153,300 – $197,100; Unrestored original, 5+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $162,060 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $187,990. – 2491cc/120hp, two 2-barrel Solex downdraft carburetors, wire wheels, Michelin X tires, sliding Plexiglas side windows. – Current owner since 1964. A dirty, crusty barn find formerly home to squirrels. Needs everything but the engine is said to turn over and the car is complete. – This was certainly the right place to sell this Talbot-Lago amidst the Gallic crowds celebrating all things French and automotive at Retromobile. A little restoration project is just what got the crowd’s juices flowing and they paid a strong but not crazy price for this one.

Lot # 25 1957 Peugeot 403 Cabriolet; S/N 2118854; Dark Gray/Tan leather; Estimate $87,600 – $109,500; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $94,170 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $109,237. – Painted wire wheels with hub caps, boot cover, fog lights, column shift, original pushbutton radio, Jaeger gauges, modified engine. – The only 403 Cabriolet modified by Darl’mat. Used regularly for many years and then restored by Lecoq in 2013. Very good paint. Tired chrome. Very good interior, but there are significant wrinkles on both front seats. Tidy underneath. It doesn’t look like much other than a charming little French Cabriolet and its restoration wasn’t to show standards, but it’s a unique example and that can count for a lot. – The Darl’mat history boosted this 403’s performance on the auction block even more than Darl’mat’s engine modifications boosts its performance on the road. It gained 20hp, but that boosted the price in this transaction by nearly double. They are expensive horses.

Lot # 27 1963 Citroen DS 19 Cabriolet, Body by Chapron; S/N 4251058; Engine # 213006945; Carrera White/Black leather; Estimate $180,675 – $213,525; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $170,820 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $198,151. – Chrome wheel covers, Michelin X tires, column shift, Jaeger dash clock, Continental Edison radio. – Remarkable original brightwork. No blemishes in the paint. Significant wrinkling to the leather front and back, but it’s all still soft with no rips or cracks. Clear, bright gauges and switchgear. Clean dash. Shiny wheels. Tidy and maintained underneath. Seldom driven but consistently maintained. An impressive, gorgeous Chapron cabriolet that is too good to restore. – Bonhams consigned this car here last year but it didn’t sell on a reported hammer bid of Euros 130,900, well under this transaction’s successful hammer bid of Euros 156,000. This result, while high, isn’t huge for one with such impressive originality and is an unusual instance of coming back for another bite at the apple actually working to the consignor’s advantage.

Lot # 28 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, Body by Van Vooren; S/N 57162; Engine # 134; Blue, Darker Blue fenders and accent/Blue-Grey leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $492,750 – $711,750; Incomplete restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $459,900 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $533,484. – RHD. Black wire wheels, Michelin tires, Marchal headlights, dual sidemounts. – One of about 12 cabriolets by Van Vooren, first owned by the son of Baron Charles-Henri Brincard, the president of Credit Lyonnais, later by Pierre Loeb, art dealer, who sold it to painter Bernard Dufour and eventually to collector Henri Petiet. Good paint, upholstery, chrome, interior, wood and top. Represented as matching numbers. Well done up to a point, but the rear compartment and top boot area are not finished and it’s always possible that some of the work done a while ago will have to be redone to contemporary standards. – An illustrious ownership history helps this Type 57’s value, as does its rare, if rather mundane design, Van Vooren body. The bidders at Retromobile were little deterred by the incomplete restoration and paid a near-retail price for it.

Lot # 29 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Lungo Cabriolet, Body by Worblaufen; S/N 814064; Engine # GT823380; Black/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,368,750 – $1,916,250; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,095,000. – RHD. 2,309cc/65hp twin cam six, fender skirts, Dark Red wire wheels, Pirelli tires, Carello headlights, Riemann fog lights, cowl-mounted semaphore signals, lovely 2-spoke ivory plastic steering wheel. – Shown at the 1938 Geneva Motor Show. Documented four owner history and comes with its uninstalled original engine S23139. Tired old repaint that wasn’t very good to start, cracked filler at the front of the left front fender. Cracked welting along the fenders. Cracked windshield gasket, badly masked. Surface cracked and resewn original upholstery. Good steering wheel and gauges. Repainted old underbody. Wiper scratched windshield Weak, scratched chrome. Unusual and elegant but tired. – Aside from being a rare model the Worblaufen coachwork is sleek and distinctive with attractively-shaped teardrop fenders, a neat little spline down the rear deck and an unusual grille shape. Its aged and tired condition but good preservation (other than the poor quality repaint) somewhat offset each other as does the unique coachwork but a million bucks is a lot to offer for any 6C 2300 in this condition with an unknown amount of work lurking under the pretty body and the reported high bid here was worth giving serious consideration.

Lot # 30 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Pescara Cabriolet, Body by Worblaufen; S/N 813910; Engine # 823553; Dark Blue/Red leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $711,750 – $821,250; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $602,250. – RHD. 2,309cc/95hp, dual Solex carburetors, silver painted wire wheels, Waymaster tires, Carello headlights, Hella fog lights. – Shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1938. Restored in Switzerland in the mid-80’s and with a replacement engine preserving the original’s dual Solex carburetors. Sound old paint with cracks at the base of both windshield posts. Good interior, gauges and chrome. Orderly but aged engine compartment and chassis. – Like the 6C 2300 B Lungo that preceded this car across the block from the same owner, the Worblaufen coachwork is attractively designed and detailed, but is a standard Worblaufen design. The extra horsepower from the 2-Solex engine configuration adds to its appeal and the old restoration is holding up well with few age-related flaws. The consignor chose to keep the car despite the $602,250 high bid which in retrospect may not have been a prudent decision.

Lot # 31 1963 Amphicar Model 770 Convertible; S/N 103895; Red/White, Black; Estimate $60,225 – $82,125; Enthusiast restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $65,700 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $76,212. – 1,147cc/43hp 4-cylinder, hub caps, Silvertown whitewalls, Becker Monte Carlo radio. – Mildly restored from 2012-14. Reportedly both drives and floats. Good older paint. Tired chrome. Dull steering wheel. Lots of small scuffs on the seats. Tidy older restored condition underneath. Registered in Monaco. – The charm of an Amphicar is universal, even in a place full of fancy toys like Monaco, and although there are better ones than this out there, it charmed its way to a strong price, especially since it sold in a 2003 Bonhams auction at the Nürburgring for $24,907 (Euros 22,000 at the time, the all-in result here is Euros 71,520.)

Lot # 35 1956 Talbot-Lago T14 LS Coupe; S/N 140011; Metallic Gunmetal/Beige leather, cloth inserts; Estimate $284,700 – $350,400; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $262,800. – 2491cc/120hp 2×2 Solex, Silver painted wire wheels, Dunlop Turbospeed tires, Cibie headlights, antenna but no radio. – Represented as the original engine. Good recent repaint, upholstery and carpets. Very good chrome and glass. The engine has been fluffed up and given a new coolant catch tank but the rest of the engine compartment and the chassis are old and road grimy. Superficially cosmetically redone and disappointing.

– Bid to only about $80,000 more than the restoration project T14 LS that sold earlier today, but still reasonable enough to have been given serious consideration. It’s not as good as the catalog wants you to believe.

Lot # 36 1959 DB HBR4 Coupe; S/N 1110; Engine # 102380; Blue/Black; Estimate $153,300 – $197,100; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $158,775 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $184,179. – Michelin XZX tires, fender skirts, fog lights, fire bottle, mismatched seats, fiberglass body, comes with a spare gearbox and 2-carburetor intake. – Modified with lighter weight and a more aerodynamic body for Andre Guilhaudin, a Panhard dealer, for Jacques-Edouard Rey. Raced in the Tour de France, winning the Index of Performance and finishing 8th overall. Development continued to Le Mans 1961 where it finished 2nd in the Index and 20th overall. Nicknamed “Le Monstre” and raced intermittently by Rey until Le Mans 1973. Restored in the 1990s in its 1961 Le Mans livery. Dull paint. Overspray on the rear quarter windows. Pitting on the fog light bezels. Uneven panel fit. Tired-looking interior, what there is of one anyway. None of that really matters when considering this car’s history, usability and event eligibility. It looks ready to race. – French enough to drive the bidders at Retromobile into paroxysms of enthusiasm but when considering how many marvelous events “Le Monstre” can attend the price it brought is understandable, especially for a French auction crowd at Retromobile.

Lot # 38 1936 Delahaye 135S Special Roadster; S/N 46625; Engine # 800757; Dark Blue/Brown leather; Estimate $876,000 – $1,314,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $843,150 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $978,054. – RHD. Cycle fenders, body color wire wheels, Blockley tires, dual aeroscreens, leaf spring 4-spoke steering wheel, low-mounted Cibie halogen headlights, three single throat Solex sidedraft carburetors, preselector 4-speed gearbox. – Le Mans 1937 (dnf) driven by Henri Langlois and Paul Benazet. Reproduction of the original Chapron body created during restoration in the early 80’s. 135 MS engine but the original is included in the sale. Cosmetically very good including minimally worn leather. Clean, fresh engine with some seepage from the valve cover. Road used chassis with some grime. Clear, crisp gauges. The helmet cycle fenders are a delight. A superb driver’s car with some miles but many more to come. – This is yet another important French car at Artcurial’s Retromobile sale that got the royal treatment it deserved from the bidders. It is in very good, but not concours, condition and will be a welcome entry in multiple desirable events, which is the key to a high valuation in the current market.

Lot # 40 1950 Jaguar Mark V 3.5 Drophead Coupe; S/N 647412; Engine # Z3986; Black, Cream/Cream leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $56,940 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $66,050. – 3485/125hp inline six, 4-speed, hub caps, whitewalls, fender skirts, dual wing mirrors, driving lights, badge bar, suicide doors. – US market car. Replacement engine. Not driven for a while and likely requires mechanical sorting. Tired but presentable paint and chrome. Older restored underbody. Erratic panel fit. Some cracks and chips in the wood dash but nothing terrible. Good leather. Has the desirable engine and an honest, aged restoration fine for events, photo shoots or weddings but not really anything more serious than that. – The seller should be highly satisfied with this result for a car that’s been sitting for a while and has a replacement engine. When restored thoroughly and correctly this would be a six-figure car, but this is neither thoroughly restored nor correct which makes this price a gift.

Lot # 41 1935 Bugatti Type 57 “Grand Raid” Tourer; S/N 57300; Engine # 57300154; Blue/Beige leather; Estimate $459,900 – $591,300; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $416,100. – RHD. Folding windshield, Black wire wheels, Blockley tires, rear-mounted spare, no top, Scintilla headlights. – Winner of the 1935 Paris-Nice driven by owner Gaston Descollas. Later rebodied as a Galibier and recently rebodied yet again with a reproduction of the (surprisingly unattractive) 4-seat torpedo coachwork as driven in the Paris-Nice. Brushed finish chrome headlights, horns, radiator shell, windshield frame, even the wheel nuts. Good paint and interior. Neat, orderly well-maintainer engine compartment. A sound, utilitarian restoration. – Rebodied, then rebodied again in an authentic but mundane style and festooned with peculiar brushed chrome brightwork, no wonder the bidders couldn’t get worked up about the otherwise historic Type 57. The consignor might reasonably have given the reported high bid serious consideration.

Lot # 42 1927 Bugatti Type 37/44 Monoposto; S/N 37334; Engine # 686; Blue/Red leather; Estimate $416,100 – $503,700; Competition car, original as-raced, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $306,600. – Silver painted wire wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, Armstrong preselector gearbox, aero screen, Hartford friction front shocks, hydraulic lever rears, 4-wheel mechanical brakes, giant Jaeger tach reading only to 4,500 rpm, Scintilla magneto, four SU carburetors. – Started life as a 4-cylinder Type 35 which detonated. The hulk was acquired by Bugatti specialist Jack Lemon Burton who built it up as a hillclimb car with a Type 44 3-litre engine (from 44999) in a stretched chassis. Type 43/44 front axle and later single-seat body. Dull old paint, scratched and chipped. Torn, cracked ancient upholstery. Orderly but aged and oily engine compartment. Looks to be in decent mechanical condition and has plenty of patina. – An intriguing Bugatti bitsa made from pieces from this and that, but mostly traceable to Molsheim and a history of Bugatti enthusiast ownership that lends credibility to its current configuration and history. The bidders didn’t seem to care about the history, instead focusing on the bitsa and made a realistic offer.

Lot # 44 1898 Benz Velociped Vis-a-vis Comfortable; S/N Engine no. 788; Engine # 788; Red, Black/Black; Estimate $175,200 – $284,700; Unrestored original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $156,585 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $181,639. – Lefthand drive, tiller steering, folded trumpet bulb horn, Lucidus acetylene headlights and generator, Red wire wheels, solid rubber rear tires, double chain drive, Besnard kerosene taillight, friction block brakes on the rear tires, elliptical leaf springs. – “Garage Piel Melesse” lettered on the back panel. The front and rear seat cushions have been replaced, otherwise the upholstery and everything else is original and amazingly well-preserved. Updated ignition and carburetor. Single family owned since 1953. A real prize. – People pay $50,000 or more for a George Bentley Engineering or Mercedes-Benz apprentice replica of Karl Benz’s original Patent Motorwagen, which makes this miraculously preserved and functional real Benz Velociped Comfortable a huge value in history and preservation. Maybe it was because this is a Benz offered at an auction in a country that reveres de Dion-Boutons, but this is one of the great values of Retromobile auction week.

Lot # 45 1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Sport Tourer, Body by Hibbard & Darrin; S/N 36223; Engine # 72182; Black/Dark Red leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $6,570,000 – $8,760,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $5,365,500. – 7,065cc inline six, dual carburetors, supercharged, 140/200hp, chrome wire wheels, Englebert tires, dual sidemounts, outside exhaust head pipes, Beige cloth covered luggage trunk, Zeiss headlights. – The long wheelbase touring variant of the famed SSK and SSKL, one of 111 believed built. U.S. delivered when new. Coachwork attributed to Hibbard & Darrin in Paris and a gorgeous thing it is with nearly half of the wheelbase taken up by the hood and cowl, a compact passenger tonneau and seductive teardrop fenders. Old AACA National First Prize badge, VSCCA badge, Mercedes-Benz Klassik certified despite some concern over the engine number. The engine was rebuilt in 2017 and brakes have been converted to hydraulic. Good older paint and chrome. Sound but aged and worn upholstery and interior trim. Chipped paint at fender support mountings on both front fenders. Oily chassis but very presentable. An imposing and handsome automobile with a 1957 restoration that is holding up very well. – This is a truly spectacular, beautiful and rare automobile that has survived complete and as-built through careful preservation by a succession of caring owners who recognized its style, quality and performance. Some issues, however, are a concern including attribution of the coachwork, the engine number and the hydraulic brakes (much more reliable, but not original) that seem to have inhibited bidders’ enthusiasm. Its condition is a compromise: good enough to use with confidence on tours but far from modern concours standards. That is a qualification that limits its appeal to a small, select and particular subset of collectors. If the reported high bid here represents real money it could have been given serious consideration by the consignor. It would glorious to see and hear it on the road.

Lot # 47 1948 Delahaye 135M Aerosport Coupe, Body by LeTourneur & Marchand; S/N 800700; Engine # 800700; Burgundy/Beige leather, Green pattern cloth; Estimate $164,250 – $219,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $109,500. – 3,557/115hp inline six, Cotal pre-selector gearbox, wire wheels, fender skirts, pre-selector, dash clock, wood door trim, suicide doors. – Represented as one of seven Aerosports built, one of two survivors, and as being with the same family since 1959. It received a high quality restoration at some point, but the car looks old and tired enough to be an unrestored original. The paint is dull with too many chips, cracks and long scratches to count. The chrome and wheels look ancient, and there is pitting on much of the other brightwork. The paint on the dash is dull, but the interior is mostly good with clean older wood and sound, lightly worn upholstery. Inherently attractive, rare and desirable LeTourneur et Marchand coachwork, but it’s a largely rough car and it apparently doesn’t have originality as an excuse for its aged presentation. – Although wonderfully styled and unusually powerful for the period, this is a tired and neglected old car that would have been a decent value at the reported high bid but is entirely reasonable even for this one of two survivor of the model with this sleek coachwork.

Lot # 56 1970 Citroen ID20 Safari Station Wagon; S/N 3992536; Bleu Camargue, White roof/Red; Estimate $27,375 – $38,325; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $21,900 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $25,404. – 1,985cc/91hp 4-cylinder, hub caps, Michelin XAS tires, roof rack, column shift, dash clock, fold down seats in the back. – Dull old repaint. Uneven fit on the doors. Tired original brightwork. Dirt behind the headlight lenses. Rough original windshield. Heavily wrinkled seats but mostly good interior otherwise. Tidy and maintained but unrestored underneath. Got attention over the years when necessary and is pleasingly preserved but is nevertheless a tired old car and at best a driver. – Reasonably estimated and equally reasonably bought in this transaction both the buyer and seller should be satisfied with the result, an unusual car for a reasonable price.

Lot # 66 1978 Volkswagen Type 2 Campmobile; S/N 2382043540; Beige/Plaid cloth; Estimate $65,700 – $131,400; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $93,075 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $107,967. – Hub caps, Continental tires, Westfalia pop up roof, sliding door, window curtains, sink, table, swivel seat, CB radio. – Bought new by a couple in Colorado who didn’t realize it came with a 4-speed, took it on one road trip, and then never drove it again. Sold to Germany in 2018 and currently in remarkable all-original condition. Represented as 994 miles from new. The engine bay is grubby relative to everything else, but the original paint and interior both look remarkable. Unbelievably well-preserved and its charm is off the charts. – Its preservation is also unrepeatable, and it’s now clear that the early multi-window Sambas are no longer the only six-figure VW buses out there. At this price and for fear of the odometer ticking over to 1,000 miles, this thing will likely never go on another road trip.

Lot # 67 1980 Ferrari 512 BB Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 29823; Engine # 00515; Daytona Grey, Black sills/Red, Black leather; Estimate $240,900 – $284,700; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,900 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $279,444. – Cromodora wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Daytona-style seats, power windows, air conditioning, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Showing 58,039 believable km (36,064 miles) and matching numbers. Represented with a recent mechanical overhaul but no other details. A handful of light scratches and chips in the paint and light scratches on one marker lens. Some dirt on the wheels. Large crack in the lower right corner of the windshield. Light wear and deep wrinkling on both seats and lightly worn carpets. An unusual and attractive color combination on a desirable carbureted BB, but this is a used car. – The bidders apparently believed the catalog more than they did their own eyes because this is a generous price for this car’s condition and mileage. Its expensiveness is to some extent ameliorated by the attractive and rare color combination.

Lot # 70 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE SI 2+2; S/N 2339; Engine # 2339; Silver/Oxblood leather; Estimate $306,600 – $416,100; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $273,750. – 2953cc/240hp, 4-speed, Becker Avus multiband radio, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels. – Represented as matching numbers, engine internal number 248E. Used by Ferrari for period brochures. Restored in Italy in 2003. Good clearcoat paint, scuffed trim chrome, inviting, barely used upholstery and carpets. An attractive 250 GTE. – It’s well worth the low pre-sale estimate of $306,600, although passing on money at the reported high bid may turn out to have been optimistic.

Lot # 72 1965 Ghia 1500 Coupe, Body by Ghia; S/N 317992; Red, Black vinyl roof/Black; Estimate $65,700 – $109,500; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; No bidding interest shown. – Fiat 1500 mechanicals, painted steel wheels with hub caps, wood shift knob. – Represented as the only surviving Ghia 1500 with a vinyl roof, but any one of these cars is a very rare treat. Good older brightwork. Older repaint with particles in it. Original glass. Tight, clean new roof vinyl. Excellent, mostly restored interior, although the shifter boot is loose at the bottom. The attractive chrome trim around the grille doesn’t quite fit flush. Older restored underneath with light dirt and wear. Restored reasonably well, but done a while ago. Even so, it’s extremely rare, very attractive and surely one of the best examples still around. – Based on the Fiat 1500 sedan, the Ghia 1500 GT sold mostly in Europe from 1963-67, in very small quantities, and with no Fiat badges to be found anywhere. The shape penned by Sergio Sartorelli (of Karmann Ghia Type 34 fame) is surprisingly graceful for such a small car and has cool details like hidden door latches and a tapered rear with Kamm tail. Bonhams sold a recently restored one in Belgium for Euros 71,300 (about $78,000).

Lot # 74 1965 AC Cobra 289 Roadster; S/N COB6027; Engine # 5475; Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $711,750 – $1,095,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $689,850 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $800,226. – RHD. Chrome wire wheels, Dunlop front tires, Goodyear rears, leather rim steering wheel, grille guard, halogen headlights, hardtop. – One Swedish owner for half a century, represented as the original engine and leaf spring chassis. Stored for decades, repainted once from the original red and the engine block is freshly painted. The paint is shrinking everywhere but isn’t flaking off, yet, except in front of the left rear wheel arch. The upholstery is original, nicely burnished and sound. Cracked windshield. Solid, sound, showing 72,790 believable km. The chassis is aged and fairly clean. – An attractive original RHD AC Cobra and therefore quite rare (one of only an estimated 20 built), but not as glorious as the impression the pre-sale publicity or catalog wanted to create and this is a reasonable result for it.

Lot # 79 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 84554; Engine # 68672; Black, Black hardtop/Tan; Black cloth top; Estimate $273,750 – $383,250; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $251,850 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $292,146. – Painted steel wheels with chrome hub caps, Vredestein tires, Glasspar hardtop, dual mirrors, gold badging. – Original engine. Represented as a major restoration in 2013, but it depends on what your definition of “major” is. The paint looks like it was washed and dried with the hard end of a kitchen sponge, and on the hardtop it’s heavily faded. The side curtains look nearly new, but the rear window is cloudy and scratched. The tires are discolored. Very good interior and new soft top. Looks older restored and lightly used underneath. Money and time was definitely spent on this Speedster, but it does not make a good first impression. Fresh paint would go a long way here. – The 356 Speedster may have been built to appeal to American tastes when it was new, but its appeal is universal even a driver quality example is a highly collectible car anywhere. And this was a driver-quality car bought for driver money.

Lot # 80 1982 Porsche Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ93ZCS000914; Gray/Light Gray leather; Estimate $131,400 – $197,100; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $131,400 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $152,424. – Gloss black Fuchs wheels, Continental tires, flat nose, sunroof, aero front bumper and side, special order wood dash, Alpine cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, books and tools. – Sold new in Germany. Good, possibly original paint with a handful of small chips and blemishes that match the 30,494 original km (18,948 miles) on the odometer. Good exterior plastic. Excellent original interior with no discernible wear to the seats at all. There are objectively better 930s out there, but a special order car like this is particularly special and desirable, particularly when the original buyer had good taste. – We’ve seen this car, just on our side of the pond. It sold for $93,500 at Mecum Dallas in late 2018 and then hammered not sold in Kissimmee last year at a $97,000 high bid. Both weren’t unreasonable numbers for a 930 with some miles on it but for a slant nose, which can command a 30 percent premium over a regular car, they were soft prices. The car found a more receptive audience in Paris and sold for a more realistic price on a hammer bid that equaled the low estimate.

Lot # 83 1966 Porsche 906 Coupe; S/N 906115; Engine # 906113; White, Red/Black cloth; Estimate $1,533,000 – $1,971,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,615,125 plus commission of 14.44%; Final Price $1,848,360. – 5-bolt wheels, Avon tires – Hillclimbed in Italy by its first owner Ermanno Spazzapan under the pseudonym “Mann”. Passed on to Antonio Zadra (“Khandaru”), then to Ennio Bonomelli in Italy and B.Becker in Germany. Raced intermittently throughout. Race-used old repaint. The engine appears to have had work more recently, a lot more recently than the race-used tube frame chassis and suspension, not to mention the dirty interior of the bodywork. Race-used tires. – Despite the age, competition miles and cosmetic issues, this is a pleasing Carrera 6 with all the earmarks of a consistently maintained and accident-free car. That encouraged the bidding to just over the low pre-sale estimate and is a reasonable result.

Lot # 93 1959 Jaguar XK 150S 3.4 Roadster; S/N T831847DN; Engine # VS17009; Burgundy/Black; Black cloth top; Estimate $131,400 – $175,200; Modified restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $120,450 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $139,722. – 3.4L/250hp, 5-speed (original 4-speed included), added power steering, modern radiator, alternator, electronic ignition, chrome wire wheels, Michelin X tires, woodrim steering wheel, Lucas driving lights, aftermarket stereo, bucket seats. – Originally a US market car. Older paint and chrome with light scratching on both. Uneven door gaps. Some dirt and grime underneath. Very good interior other than some wear on the floor mats. A relatively rare LHD “S” model in driver quality condition with numerous bits that are technically incorrect but make the car more usable. – XK Jags are making something of a comeback much to the surprise of the “shifting demographics” pundits who want to carry on about aging collectors. Some of that is due to cars like this which have been subtly modified to meet the expectations of a new generation who appreciate the style of the old cars but want modern performance, safety and functionality. This XK 150S has all of that, and is the desirable S version with three carbs to start. It was sold before the modifications by Coys at London in 2003 with Euros 53,000 spent on it in the past dozen years. The upgrades are said to be reversible, but why bother? They’re basically free at this reasonable price.

Lot # 94 2005 Ferrari Superamerica HGTC Convertible, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFGT61B000143794; Silverstone Grey/Caramel leather; Estimate $251,850 – $295,650; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,900 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $279,444. – 5-spoke modular wheels, Bridgestone tires, carbon ceramic brakes, Silver calipers, paddle shift, Ferrari stereo, Yellow tach face. – Nose and windshield stone chips, barely used driver’s seat. Said to have 39,139 kilometers but appears to have much less. – Even with the miles this well-equipped Superamerica is a sound value in this transaction as long as the electrochromic glass roof panel (“Revocromico”) is in good shape. It was retracted in the auction lineup and hiding under the rear deck.

Lot # 95 2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Coupe; S/N ZFFFD60B000147109; Rosso Corsa/Black leather; Estimate $153,300 – $197,100; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $164,250 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $190,530. – Assembly no. 147109. Yellow tach face, carbon fiber interior trim, Ferrari stereo, paddle shift, 7-spoke alloy wheels, Red calipers, carbon ceramic brakes, SF shields. – Bug squash residue and small stone chips on the nose. Lightly burnished driver’s seat. Ferrari letter documented as supplied by the factory for Michael Schumacher. 22,000 km from new. – It’s a $140,000 car as it sits with the extra value in the Michael Schumacher history although it was never registered to him, just used occasionally to promote the 599 GTB. That means carefully preserving the factory’s letter is important.

Lot # 96 2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello Coupe; S/N ZFFZR49B000121378; Grigio Alloy/Blue leather; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $111,690 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $129,560. – 6-speed, black calipers, iron brakes, air conditioning, power windows. – 26,301 km from new, one owner. Surface creased leather, dirty carpets, no outside blemishes, gooey switches. Timing belt serviced in November 2016. – The bidders paid appreciably more than the estimate for this 550 Maranello, putting a great value on the 6-speed and fairly recent timing belt service, a decision that could have bought a better, newer, lower mileage Ferrari than this.

Lot # 97 1998 Ferrari 456M GT Coupe 2+2; S/N ZFFWP44B000112728; Bleu Pozzi/Beige leather; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,270 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $83,833. – 6-speed, air conditioning, SF shields, Ferrari stereo, 5-spoke alloy wheels, PZero tires, black calipers – Gooey switches. The driver’s seat is worn and burnished and the seat back bolster surface is worn through in two deep creases. Said to be 62,490 km in the hands of Max Cohen-Olivar from Morocco, a 20-time Le Mans 24 entrant. Belt serviced in December 2018. Driven hard. – The successful bid here at Salon Retromobile should have bought a 456M GT that is superior in condition, and less in mileage, than this one. The six-speed is not a value factor; it was the standard gearbox.

Lot # 99 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 06785; Engine # 06785; Red/Black leather; Estimate $2,190,000 – $3,285,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,354,250 plus commission of 13.67%; Final Price $2,676,180. – 3286/280hp, six carburetors, silver painted outside laced Borrani wire wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, 3 Weber carburetors, alternator, fire system, no bumpers. – Class winner at the 1966 Monza 1000km, originally delivered with 6-carb intake but it now appears to have three Weber 4-barrels on its modified engine. Good clearcoat repaint and upholstery. Clear gauges, Marelli ignition modules mounted over the passenger’s feet. Orderly but aged engine compartment and chassis. Fake yellow wrapped fuel lines. Rust blisters above the left rear wheel and a small crack in the front of the passenger’s door. Prepared and set up for high speed events and carefully preserved with some of its period bumps and dings from many racing outings. – With a history of over 40 competition events this is a well-raced 275 GTB but not an important one. Its careful preservation is in its favor but this is a generous result.

Lot # 101 1979 BMW 530 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N IE30991; Engine # 7E3799-9; Red, “JMS Racing”/Black cloth; Estimate $131,400 – $219,000; Competition restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $120,450 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $139,722. – 2.8-litre/280hp Weber carbureted engine, Sparco seat, roll cage, Gotti modular wheels, Yokohama tires, GT2i leather rim steering wheel, 5-speed, Marchal lights. – Fully race prepared, fresh cosmetics. Raced in the French Touring Car Championship driven by several French racing stars finishing third at the 1980 24 Hours of Spa among others. Restored in 2019 to modern historic racing standards of appearance, safety and performance. 3.0-litre engine included. Race ready. – The bidders judgment on the value of this BMW will have to set the standard, but it’s safe to say it would be hard to get even a solid, competitive car into this condition for much if any less than what it brought here.

Lot # 102 1970 Alfa Romeo GTA Junior Coupe; S/N 775897; Red, Yellow nose/Black; Estimate $197,100 – $262,800; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $164,250. – 1600 engine, Stack digital gauges, alternator, OMP fire system, Atech suede rim steering wheel, gold painted NTM alloy wheels, Avon tires, Sparco cloth driver’s seat, factory style leatherette passenger’s seat, no reverse lockout on the shift lever, braced roll bar, pop riveted fender flares. – Raced from new until 1979 in Germany. Professionally prepared and very neat, complete and cosmetically sharp with excellent paint and interior. Last through tech in April 2019, a sweet little GTA Junior, now with a “senior” engine. – This GTA Jr. is too well and freshly prepared to be let go for this price and deserves at least $200,000.

Lot # 103 1974 Alpine A110 Coupe; S/N 20377; Engine # 807; White, Blue/Black; Estimate $175,200 – $240,900; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $142,350. – 1,774cc/200hp 16-valve S07 G4 engine, alloy wheels, Michelin Racing tires, fender flares, rear spoiler, Plexiglas side curtains, full competition interior. – Rare spec. Competed in the Dutch and European Rallycross Championships. Cracks in the window rubber, a few blemishes and cracks in the paint, and a little grime on the wheels, but mostly quite clean on the outside. Clean and restored on the outside. An awesome race car that stands out even among a lot of the other competition machinery here. – RM sold this car here two years ago for Euros 149,500 ($183,600) and if anything more people have come to appreciate these neat little French rear-engine racers since then. It’s added under 300 km to the odometer since 2018 and the reported high bid in 2020 is light.

Lot # 104 1973 Ford Escort Mk I RS1600 2-Dr. Sedan Group 2; S/N BJATNA69901; White, Red/Black cloth; Estimate $197,100 – $240,900; Competition car, original as-raced, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $153,300. – Ford Escort twin cam (1,998cc?) engine, 225hp dyno sheet, 5-speed, Lucas fuel injection, 8-spoke Minilite alloy wheels, 13-inch Dunlop tires, Sparco seats, old-style Halda TripMaster, two dash-mounted stopwatches, Cibie lights, 6 on the front and 1 on the back, 5-point Willans belts, full roll cage. – FIA “original” hologram on the cowl, liveried for Timo Makinen and Henry Liddon, 1000 Lakes winners in this car. Well documented. Repainted, newer seats and belts but otherwise mostly original, rally used and appropriately grungy. – No one was doing much with World Rally Championship cars in the Paris auctions this year, surprising in view of period rally videos current YouTube popularity. This is a significant car with important driver histories and it rightly went home with its consignor at the modest reported high bid.

Lot # 105 1967 Serenissima 3000SP Prototype Race Car; S/N MK168001; Cream/Red leatherette; Estimate $1,095,000 – $1,533,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $826,725 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $959,001. – RHD. 5-spoke 4-bolt alloy wheels, Dunlop tires, 3-liter Serenissima 4-cam 24-valve V8, constant flow slide throttle fuel injection, driver’s roll bar, Marelli ignition module. – June 2019 Vernasca Silver Flag event sticker, the owner stopped by and said it drove well. Wedge-shaped and angular steel panel open Can-Am style body from its second season. Dull old paint, chipped and peeling. Worn original seat linings. Comes with a complete separate coupe body (that looks like a Porsche 908) including wheels, tanks and an original pit cart. Apparently it runs better than it looks although original coupe body is very attractive. It’s tired and used, but it’s a Serenissima and the only one of its kind. – Based on an early McLaren Can-Am chassis, raced with limited success with the current body in 1969-70. It’s tired, but its history is nothing if not colorful and emblematic of its motorsport era and it is a sound value in this transaction, adaptable to both endurance racing with the coupe body and prototype events with the open body.

 

Lot # 106 1978 Rondeau M378 Le Mans GTP; S/N M378001; Red, White “Belga”/Black duct tape; Estimate $985,500 – $1,314,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $744,600. – RHD. Ford-Cosworth V8, 4-spoke centerlock modular wheels, Avon tires, fire system. – Raced at the Le Mans 24 ten times in various guises, finishing 2nd in 1981, 3rd in 1980 (GTP class winner) and 5th in 1979. Classic Endurance Racing 2019 participation sticker and probably pretty close to race ready aside from the clumsy fitted seat insert. Good older paint, largely unblemished except for roof chips in front of the engine cover and nose stone chips. The chassis and engine compartment are neat and professional. – Sold by RM at Monaco in 2012 for $463,662 (Euros 358,400 at the time, this bid is Euros 680,000) prior to its most recent restoration. It has a singular history and will be an important prize although there appears to be a major gulf between the bidders’ assessment of value and that of the consignor.

Lot # 107 1980 Chevron B60 Race Car; S/N 302; Engine # 61089; White/Blue cloth, Silver duct tape; Estimate $43,800 – $65,700; Competition car, original as-raced, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $39,420 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $45,727. – RHD. Mazda 1,308cc rotary, 5-speed Hewland transaxle Braced roll bar, 4-spoke modular centerlock wheels, Avon tires, Jones tach, suede rim Sparco steering wheel. – Freshly repainted with no livery. Dirty inside and under. Race-used tires. A used race car (and not recently) dressed up but not restored. – With no notable race history and no evidence of much care our use other than the recent repaint this is a work in process, and it’s just beginning the process. On that basis it brought a price that is fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot # 108 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Race Car; S/N 124379N610871; Yellow, Matte Black/Black cloth; Estimate $87,600 – $131,400; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $65,700. – 302/500hp, Stack tach, AutoMeter gauges, Sparco suede rim steering wheel and driver’s seat, Torque Thrust style wheels, Avon tires, roll cage, cowl induction hood, windshield wipers, halogen headlights, Hurst shifter, fire system.. – Orderly, neat race-used car with 2018 tech sticker. Raced when new in the Northeast U.S. and later in Norway after restoration. – A decently restored and presented race car with a fairly recent historic race history that suggests it can be put back on track with reasonable effort and is worth more than the high bid it brought here.

Lot # 109 1983 Volkswagen Hatchback; S/N WVWZZZ17ZEW010168; Red/Black, Gray cloth; Estimate $21,900 – $32,850; Recent restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,185 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $29,215. – Pirelli alloy wheels, Falken tires, 5-speed. – Restored in 2016-17 by a Golf specialist to a total cost of about Euros 30,000. Showing 1,740 km but that isn’t represented as actual. Very good recent repaint that looks factory. Lightly scratched rear glass. Like new interior. Redone underneath with new suspension, fasteners and exhaust. Fully restored to essentially new condition, and has to be one of only a few early GTIs to have gotten such a lavish treatment. – The original Golf GTI essentially started the hot hatch segment, so it’s only natural that clean ones become collectible cars. And since they were usable, fun to drive quickly and cheap to buy for many years, there aren’t many clean ones still around. Converted to dollars, this one sold for around what a brand-new GTI costs.

Lot # 112 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Coupe; S/N ZFFFD60B000156243; Titanium Metallic/Caramel leather; Estimate $262,800 – $306,600; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $258,302 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $299,631. – Assembly no. 156243. 5,999/620hp V12, 6-speed, 19-, 20-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, PZero tires, climate control, carbon fiber dashboard and console, power windows, yellow calipers, SF shields, yellow tach face, iron brakes, fitted luggage. – Represented as 31,000 km. Looks like less, much less. – Concluded off the block at this negotiated all-in price, an amount that makes the Price Guide editors look good as it’s right on the money for their prediction for a 6-speed 599 GTB.

Lot # 113 1993 Jaguar XJ 220C Race Car; S/N 003; Green, “Unipart”/Black; Estimate $985,500 – $1,423,500; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $997,905 plus commission of 15.95%; Final Price $1,157,073. – Full race equipment, Kumho slick tires, Recaro seats. – One of the three cars built and campaigned by TWR at Le Mans in 1993 and 1995. Led the GT class until bursting a tire with five hours to go and cracking a head gasket. It was a DNF again in 1995. Since restored. Large crack in the lens over the right fog light. Light scratches on both doors but mostly very good paint that likely isn’t original. The tires look like they have seen some track time. Clean interior. Looks ready to race. – This car’s teammate, the Coulthard/Brabham car (chassis 002) that won its class at Le Mans in 1993 then got disqualified (many argue unfairly), is the XJ220 C to have. That car got bid to £1.8M (about $2.3M) in London in 2018 but didn’t sell. This car is still incredible and a significant part of Jaguar racing history, but provenance matters among old race cars and this isn’t the one that got the glory. The lower post-block negotiated price here is realistic.

Lot # 114 1995 Venturi 400 GT Coupe; S/N VK8TRY61195CE0008; Blue/Tan leather; Estimate $197,100 – $251,850; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $186,150. – 3.0L/408hp twin-turbo V6, 5-speed, white OZ wheels, Pilot Sport tires, Oreca harnesses, power windows, carbon fiber dash trim. – Showing 54,010 believable km (33,560 miles). Light wear to the seats but mostly good interior. Very old tires. Mostly good original paint, but there are some chips on the mirrors and around the side intakes plus some light scratches below the doors. Lightly scratched aluminum fuel filler cap. A very rare, very cool French supercar that has been enjoyed but reasonably well kept. – Venturi looked to be a serious contender in the supercar business for a while, with attractive and fast wedge-shaped exotics on offer, starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a one-make race series called the “Venturi Gentleman Drivers Trophy.” In the end, though, Venturi in France went the way of Vector here in the States, only building a few dozen cars before going bust. Arguably the best Venturi is the 400 GT, the first ever production car to come standard with carbon-ceramic brakes. The engine is also the old Peugeot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) V6 that pushed along the DeLorean, but extensively breathed on and strapped with two turbos. It’s cool, rare and fast, but it’s also obscure. This reported high bid wasn’t far off from Artcurial’s presale estimate and well over the Euros 132,250 brought by another 400 GT that RM sold here a year ago.

Lot # 115 1991 Ferrari F40 Coupe; S/N ZFFGJ34B000084662; Red/Red cloth; Estimate $1,095,000 – $1,314,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,023,825 plus commission of 15.85%; Final Price $1,186,104. – Assembly no. 01763. Tubi exhaust, air conditioning, 5-spoke modular alloy wheels, PZero tires, SF shields. – Good paint and interior without the usual driver’s seat back bolster belt abrasions. Orderly engine compartment. The engine compartment and chassis are aged and have early stage oxidation. A driver’s car that has been driven and not particularly babied. – F40s continue to show strength as the last of Ferrari’s analog supercars and represent a particularly highly charged driving experience for drivers who can keep them under control (or keep them from catching fire.) This is a representative price for one in this condition when many others have been garage decoration and accumulated only delivery and periodic service miles.

Lot # 116 1984 Ferrari 208 GTS Turbo Spider; S/N 49485; Rosso Corsa, Black vinyl roof panel/Tan leather; Estimate $65,700 – $76,650; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $58,035 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $67,321. – 2-litre/219hp turbo V8, CD stereo, power windows, Borletti air conditioning, 5-spoke alloy wheels, Michelin TRX tires. – The paint on the nose has dust inclusions indicating at least a partial repaint. From the doors back the paint appears to be original and is good. The upholstery is worn, creased and lightly soiled. The underbody is original. The engine compartment is aged but not dirty although there is a major grease eruption from the left half shaft universal. Represented to have had a belt service three months ago. – An obscure model built by Ferrari to minimize taxation by keeping displacement below 2-litres and puffing up the power with a turbo. Ferrari 308’s are worth about this much today and the 208 GTS has almost as much power as well as being a lot more rare. The equivalence makes sense where 2-litres may still save a Euro or two upon registration.

Lot # 117 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback; S/N 8T02S218892; Highland Green, Gold side accent/Black; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Modified restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $78,840 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $91,454. – 390, dual quads, Edelbrock intake, aluminum heads, MSD distributor, Torque Thrust wheels, Radial T/A tires, 4-speed, Hurst shifter, AM-FM, cheap woodrim steering wheel. – Chipped and water spotted clearcoat paint, scratched chrome. Orderly, quickly cleaned up engine compartment. Sound, usable interior. A Bullitt wannabe in indifferent condition. – Word of Mecum’s sale of the original “Bullitt” Mustang in Kissimmee last month for $3.74 million must have reached the halles of Retromobile and into the Artcurial auction to infect the bidders with untoward optimism. This is not a rational price, nor is this car’s “Bullitt” re-creation very good. It is unreasonably expensive.

Lot # 118 2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia 16M Spider; S/N 169860; Giallo Modena, Black stripe/Black Alcantara, cloth inserts; Black cloth top; Estimate $361,350 – $416,100; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $306,600. – Assembly no. 87760. Yellow calipers, carbon ceramic discs, climate control, SF shields, carbon fiber mirrors, side skirts, steering wheel, door sills, rear grille, diffuser and dash center. – Two owners from new, represented to have 21,857 kilometers and unblemished except for the spider webs in the engine compartment. The spider appears to have been evicted. The rest of the car is pristine – This car should have been sold at the reported high bid. In fact, it should have been sold before reaching the reported high bid. The consignor’s hope for a better price is idealistic, but misplaced.

Lot # 119 1939 Singer Nine Le Mans Roadster; S/N 86306; Light Blue/Black leather; Estimate $32,850 – $54,750; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,280 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $30,485. – RHD. 1,074cc/35hp inline four, silver painted wire wheels, Dunlop tires, Lucas headlights, folding windshield, dual rear-mounted spares, woodrim steering wheel. – Serviceable paint chipped at the rear of the hood hinge. New Smiths temperature gauge, the original oil pressure gauge, speedometer and tach are old, faded and dirty. The engine compartment is reasonably orderly and clean, but the frame and suspension have only been cleaned quickly and painted assembled with obvious age and use. An unusual marque and sporting model cosmetically restored to presentable driver standards. – Cataloged as a “comprehensive restoration” dating to the late 90’s this Singer is in fact kind of restored to marginal driver standards and has plenty of use since it was done. Still, for MG TC money it is an unusual marque and model and can’t be seen as anything other than a realistic buy at this price.

Lot # 121 1967 Ford Mustang GT FIA Notchback; S/N 7T01S133885; White, Dark Blue /; Black vinyl top; Estimate $164,250 – $328,500; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $224,475 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $260,391. – 390/320hp S-code, 4-speed, Black steel wheels, Toyo tires, pushbutton radio, woodgrain steering wheel, full interior with console, Jaeger engine gauges in the center stack. – A Ford France FIA competition car when new, prepared by Holman & Moody and driven by French Pop star Johnny Hallyday (on transit stages) in the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally to great acclaim and in subsequent competition events. Represented to have the original engine. Repainted over old paint and chips, good interior. Erratic chrome, pimply rear bumper and taillight bezels. Original undercoat in the wheel wells. Good upholstery and interior trim. Remarkably original and well-preserved after a recent partial restoration. – It’s unusual to see an auto come to auction with an estimate range of 100%, but that reflects the uncertain effect of celebrity ownership. As a Ford France campaigned FIA Mustang GT with a real competition history when new and preserved as well as this has been the hammer price is realistic even without the Johnny Hallyday history.

Lot # 122 2006 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S16Y400211; Blue, White stripes/Black; Estimate $350,400 – $416,100; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $344,925 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $400,113. – Red calipers, BBS wheels, McIntosh stereo, stripes (all four options), Eagle F1 tires. – Customized for French singer Johnny Hallyday with his initials in a few spots and an ashtray installed (because he smoked). Lots of paint chips on the nose. Light curb rash on the right front wheel. Two cracks on the left front fender. Light but noticeable wear on the driver’s seat and a scuff on the console lid. Represented with 10,173 miles. By the standards of 2005-06 Ford GTS, which are so often vacuum-sealed low-mile toys in the States, this is a rough car even if it isn’t much worse than an average 15-year-old, 11,000-mile supercar, though. – Condition-wise, this is far and away the worst Ford GT I’ve ever seen, but props to Msr. Hallyday for actually having fun with it. The wear and tear on the car also seems to have made no difference whatsoever to the bidders in Paris. Ford GTs are a bit more of a hot commodity in Europe (only about 100 were imported there) and the Johnny Hallyday name certainly carries more weight in France than it does here. In the States, this price would ordinarily buy you a GT with 10 miles on the clock and the plastic still on the seats. Here you get Johnny Hallyday’s bum impressions on the seats.

Lot # 123 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 Fastback; S/N SFM5S070; White, Matte Blue stripes/Black cloth; Estimate $219,000 – $273,750; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $175,200. – R-nose, Hurst shifter, leather rim steering wheel, heater, Torque Thrust wheels, Avon tires, Recaro seats, halogen headlights, dashtop tach and oil pressure gauge, package includes the original front bumper, seats, Shelby wheels and steering wheel – Replacement K-Code engine with Shelby bits. Decent repaint over old paint and chips at the right trunk corner. Bashed up wheel nuts. Scratched rear window. More than the usual hood bow. Prepared for historic racing but not used. Presentable and usable but needs much to please a GT350 expert. – General neglect, age and the replacement engine weigh upon this GT350’s value. It needs to find a caring home where it will have much of its modifications reversed. Alternatively, it could be historic raced after comprehensive service and updates to 2020 safety standards. The first course is expensive (and will never overcome the hurdle of the replacement engine.) The second is less expensive and is the prudent choice, one very possible even much closer to the pre-sale low estimate. The reported high bid is, in any case, much too low to be reasonable.

Lot # 124 1972 DeTomaso Pantera GTS Coupe; S/N THPNMY04692; Engine # 3513667; Red, Black/Black; Estimate $197,100 – $273,750; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $164,250. – 351/450hp V8, Campagnolo alloys, Michelin racing tires, Plexiglas windows, Oreca harnesses, quick release steering wheel, fire bottle, roll cage, factory dash and gauges, power windows, air conditioning, Euro bumpers. – Four-owner Italian market car. Restored at the factory in 1993 and converted to Group 3 specs. Has since done the Tour Auto and in 2015 the engine was rebuilt. The paint is old but shows reasonably well. Lightly scratched side windows. Very good interior with light general wear. Tidy and lightly used underneath. Not a full ground-pounding Group 4 Racing Pantera but still very cool, very fast and a great event car. – Neither fish nor fowl, this Pantera is somewhat typical of Panteras’ treatment with updates, performance improvements and go-fast boy racer development. The consignor seems to have put great weight on the utility of the historic racing modifications and development and in Europe that may have more effect than in the States where this Pantera would be viewed in an entirely different light and for which even the declined offer would be viewed as unduly generous.

Lot # 125 1998 Marcos Mantis GT Open Race Car; S/N SA9FSCXXWYR050329; Orange, White/Black; Estimate $76,650 – $98,550; Competition car, original as-raced, 3 condition; With Reserve; No bidding interest shown. – 5.0L Ford Motec engine, 6-speed manual, Pilot Sport tires, rear wing, full competition equipment, wood front splitter. – Raced in the British GT Championship in 1997-98, then converted to FIA GTO specs and raced from 2000-06. Now set up for historic racing but will apparently require sorting. Chipped and scratched paint, but it’s all there. A used race car, still badass. – GT circuit racing was exciting stuff in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with Porsche 911 GT2s, Dodge Vipers, Lotus Esprits and McLaren F1s all going wheel to wheel, along with oddities like the Lister Storm and the Marcos. Today, the opportunities to enjoy such race cars aren’t as plentiful as they are for stuff from the 1950s and ’60s, but they are there, and the presale estimate for this car seemed reasonable. Artcurial sold another Mantis FIA race car at the Le Mans Classic auction two years ago for Euros 52,000. This one didn’t attract any interest at all and left the block almost before it arrived.

Lot # 127 1976 Toj SC204 Sports Racer; S/N 12; Gold, “Warsteiner”/Black duct tape; Estimate $197,100 – $262,800; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $147,825. – Gold center centerlock modular wheels, Avon tires. – The catalog provides no description at all for the engine, a slide throttle twin cam 4-cylinder, possibly a 2-liter Simca. Sold after being built to Klaus Oestreich, it never raced in its present Warsteiner livery but scored credible results in the Interserie. Historic raced at the historic Daytona 24 last November, finishing on the podium, with five hours on the engine. Very good paint and the interior of the tub. Restored to high standards, particularly for a race car that has been recently run. A mini Can-Am car. – Pronounced “toy”, this was the first of three Toj sports-racers at the Retromobile auction. The Toj story is intriguing. Built by an independent, Jörg Obermoser, using monocoques from Jo Marquart’s GRD in the UK with his own suspension design and slippery aerodynamic bodies. It is a car for a 2-litre racer, of which there were spare few here at Retromobile.

Lot # 128 1976 Toj SC03 Sports Racer; S/N 004; Gold, Black “Warsteiner”/Aluminum; Estimate $197,100 – $262,800; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $153,300. – RHD. 2-liter BMW power, Hewland FG 400 gearbox, gold center modular centerlock wheels, Avon tires, OMP suede rim steering wheel. – Four podium finishes in ten races including wins at Brands Hatch and Hockenheim in 1976. Very good recent repaint, no visible body damage or stress cracks but repaired after a 1975 accident. The tub interior has light age and use but is clean and orderly. Restored in 2017 but not tested or raced since and needs comprehensive attention. – The Toj story is related elsewhere and it is a good one, but neither a good story nor good condition was sufficient to persuade the Retromobile bidders. Not even this example’s excellent race history and good condition were sufficient to overcome lack of name recognition.

Lot # 129 1974 Toj SS02 Sports Racer; S/N 2; Gold, White “Warsteiner”/Aluminum; Estimate $290,175 – $312,075; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $208,050. – RHD. BMW/Schnitzer M12 1,991cc 4-cylinder, Hewland FT200 5-speed, Race Tech steering wheel, MB modular wheels, Avon tires, fire system, Stack instrumentation. – The first Toj model, raced in Germany by Jörg Obermoser, Peter Scharmann and Dave Walker, one of two built and the only survivor. Most recent tech stickers are from 2011. Sound and complete, body cracking at stress points and some stone stars and stone chips on the rear brake ducts. Neatly maintained but showing age. – A successful sports-racer with a creditable history in Germany when new, good looks, a stout driveline and presented in good, sound condition. Based on the results of the two other Tojs in this sale and the one offered by Bonhams at Quail Lodge last August this should have been enough to see it moved on, but Tojs seem on recent evidence to be sale-proof.

Lot # 134 1977 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 1120262; Engine # 1120262; Red/Beige leather; Estimate $876,000 – $1,314,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $766,500. – 3929/375hp, six Webers, 5-speed, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, Stewart Warner gauges, Talbot York mirrors. – Bought new by Rod Stewart and delivered in Australia. Later converted to left-hand drive after he brought it to the US, then further modified in California with the roof taken off, fender flares and wider wheels. Represented to be the original engine. Later restored to its original Periscopio appearance. Very clean underneath, and maintained with some new parts. A few small chips and scratches in the paint but it is mostly good. The wheels are a little dull and the tires look old. Excellent interior. Cut up in period, but that is arguably balanced out by the rock star provenance. – This is an intriguing celebrity history, but the reported high bid is Miura money.

Lot # 135 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Sport Utility Vehicle; S/N 12019; Engine # 019; White/Red leather; Estimate $219,000 – $284,700; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $186,150. – 5167/444hp, six Webers, 5-speed, painted steel wheels, Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, winch, Momo steering wheel, wood trim for the dash, console and doors. – Clean engine bay. Some sizable cracks in the original paint but the finish is mostly good. Paint chipping off the wheels, and surface rust on the lug nuts. Light dirt and wear underneath. Delamination at the edges of the windshield. The aftermarket steering wheel sits hilariously close to the top of the dash, so the backs of someone’s fingers have worn a big spot out of the leather there. The leather on the seats, however, is fantastic with hardly any wear. Showing 55,962 believable km (34,773 miles). Clean enough to show off, but not so clean that you’d be afraid to drive off the beaten path a bit. – Over eight years of production and back before high-performance SUVs were really a thing, barely 300 people stepped up to buy one of these “Rambo Lambos.” A lot of owners used their LM002s as intended but there are still plenty of better ones out there than this and serious collectors are willing to be patient and wait for one. The reported high bid here, while a bit soft, isn’t exactly a lowball offer and could have at least been considered.

Lot # 136 1968 Lamborghini Espada 400GT Coupe 2+2, Body by Bertone; S/N 7051; Engine # 2445; Midnight Blue/Red leather; Estimate $229,950 – $284,700; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $208,050. – 3929/325hp, six Webers, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin X tires, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, power windows, air conditioning, dual mirrors, Jaeger gauges and dash clock. – Very early Espada, sold new in Italy. Represented with the original engine and with a full restoration a few years and 200 km ago, certified by Lamborghini Polo Storica. The chrome looks a little tired but the paint is mostly excellent aside from a small chip behind the passenger’s door. Some light scratching on the rear and side glass. Excellent fully restored interior with new leather showing absolutely no wear. Fully restored underneath. An almost like new Espada, but not quite. – Vibrant colors and a quality restoration go a long way but the reported high bid here was nearly astoundingly generous and should have been accepted with alacrity and gratitude.

Lot # 137 1973 Lamborghini Jarama 400GTS Coupe; S/N 10442; Engine # 41006; Silver/Black leather; Estimate $131,400 – $175,200; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $109,500 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $127,020. – 3929cc/365hp, six Webers, 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, Pirelli P4000 tires, Ansa exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, power windows, air conditioning, jack, tools, owner’s manual. – US market car, and the 9,026 miles showing are represented as actual. Extensive work done when necessary, but never totally restored all at once. Very good paint. The rear bumper is lightly scratched. The left headlight door is a little crooked. Very good interior. Mostly restored underneath. A well done but not quite like new example of one of Lamborghini’s earlier, less extravagant GTs. – Lamborghini’s earlier days saw small batches of elegant but understated gran turismos rather than the in-your-face, neon-colored supercars we associate with the brand today. Just 152 Jarama GTS models, with 15 more hp than the normal car, were built but they aren’t all that expensive considering their rarity and performance. The price here is a fair one, even if it is less expensive than the Euros 173,250 (about $183,900 at the time) it reportedly brought at the Coys Techno Classica auction in 2017.

Lot # 138 1987 Ferrari 328 GTB Coupe; S/N ZFFWA19B000067499; Rosso Corsa/Tan leather; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $54,750 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $63,510. – Pilot Sport tires, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, aftermarket stereo. – Sold new in Monaco. Showing 76,775 km (47,706 miles) and represented with consistent servicing, including a major engine and clutch service as well as new tires in 2019. Lots of chips and touch ups on the nose. Otherwise decent original paint. Light but significant wear on the driver’s seat, especially the outer bolster. Dirty wheels. A used car but not a bad one. – The 328 GTB is considerably rarer than its targa-topped GTS sibling, so 328s go against the conventional wisdom in that the closed cars are worth a little more. This one sold realistically for its age and mileage.

Lot # 140 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo II Hatchback; S/N ZLA831AB000582135; Red/Beige cloth; Estimate $65,700 – $87,600; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,225 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $69,861. – 1995/215hp turbo four, 5-speed, all-wheel drive, alloy wheels, Yokohama tires, Momo steering wheel, air conditioning, jack, tools, car cover. – Very good older repaint with light general age but no blemishes. Clean wheels. Excellent interior that looks practically new. A rare, desirable Evo II model that shows a significant 68,833 km (42,771 miles), but was carefully kept the whole way and spared a life of hard driving that would be tempting with a car like this. – Lancia’s last World Rally weapon, the delightfully boxy Delta HF Integrale was continually improved and culminated with the Evoluzione 2 version in 1993. In addition to larger wheel and appearance tweaks (one trick to tell an Evo 2 is that the rain gutters are body color), the Evo 2 got extra power as well. Lancia never intended these rally homologation specials for sale in the US, but the legend spread and as they’ve become eligible for import after turning 25 years old, demand has pulled cars across the Atlantic and pulled prices upward. Prices are more modest in Europe, where buyers have had access to Integrales since new, but they’re still more expensive than they used to be. For example, Artcurial sold this same car for Euros 30,992 (about $42,200 at the time; this result is Euros 65,560 all-in) at the Le Mans Classic auction in 2014.

Lot # 141 1970 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Fanalone Coupe; S/N 818540002179; Engine # 8185402237; Red/Black leatherette, corduroy inserts; Estimate $76,650 – $109,500; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $71,175. – 1,584cc/130hp V4, 5-speed Fulvia Zagato gearbox, Carello headlights, Cibie headlights and driving lights, Carello fog lights, alloy wheels, Avon tires, braced roll bar, hydraulic hand brake, large fuel tank, suede rim steering wheel, Terratrip rally computer, quick release outside fuel filler, plastic fender flares. – Originally a Jolly Club Group IV competition car. Fair older paint, decent interior, scratched windows. Orderly but aged chassis and underbody. Presentable and apparently well-prepared for tours and historic rallies. Comes with its original rally gearbox and wheels. – Apparently put off by the modifications and uncertainty about the ex-Jolly Club assertion, the reported high bid is appropriate for a faux-Fanalone.

Lot # 142 1971 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 14833; Red/Beige leather; Estimate $164,250 – $240,900; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $137,463 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $159,457. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Radial T/A tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, power windows. – Sound old repaint with some edge and nose stone chips. Scraped front bumper. Worn, butt polished original upholstery. Original undercoat in the wheel wells. Just a car. – Reported sold at the Rick Cole auction in Monterey in 1989 for a handsome $231,000, as the collector car market was going down the drain. It was offered at the Kruse Auburn auction three years later, in 1992, where it failed to sell at a then-reasonable $82,000, a typical haircut during that time. It’s added some 20,000 miles since then and is showing 64,813 miles today. This post-block negotiated deal is a remarkable value, even taking into account this car’s aged condition.

Lot # 143 1982 Ferrari 512 BBi Coupe; S/N F110A00162; Engine # F110A00162; Red/Black leather; Estimate $186,150 – $251,850; Enthusiast restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $153,300. – Michelin X tires, power windows, air conditioning, Alpine cassette stereo, Nardi leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Sold new to Canada. Extensive mechanical overhaul in 2015. Showing 45,680 believable km (28,384 miles) but not pampered. The engine cover is painted all red, which isn’t correct. The rest of the paint is tired, with small chips on the front and light detail scratching throughout. Gloppy adhesive all around the windshield. The wheels look dull. The key lock for the filler cap is bent in. Decently kept interior. A used BB in suspicious condition. – Boxer prices peaked when the greater Ferrari was red-hot in 2015 and then settled down to more realistic levels, although the best ones can still see quarter-million dollar prices. As for this car, it isn’t surprising that it didn’t get much attention, at least positive attention. If you’re spending six figures on a classic Ferrari, you can probably afford to buy a really good one. There were also over 1,000 BBi’s built, so finding a really good one isn’t all that difficult, either.

Lot # 144 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Coupe, Body by Touring; S/N AM101742; Engine # AM101742; Silver-Grey/Red leather; Estimate $164,250 – $208,050; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $120,450. – 3,485cc/220hp, triple Webers, 4-speed, hub caps, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio. – Represented as matching numbers with Maserati Classiche certification. Swedish title, and has been in Sweden since new. Decent older chrome but the paint looks fantastic. Older leather with deep wrinkles on both front seats. The dash looks repainted but otherwise largely original, and the steering wheel is lightly pitted. Tidy underneath. Has gotten relatively recent restoration work, but not top to bottom. – It should come as no surprise that this 3500 GT didn’t sell at the reported high even with the erratic restoration and it would be a sound value even at the low estimate.

Lot # 147 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 6030300; Engine # K1072; White, Blue/Two tone Blue vinyl; Estimate $38,325 – $60,225; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $38,325 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $44,457. – 352/275hp, 4-barrel, automatic, bench seat wheel covers, whitewalls, dual outside mirrors, AM radio. – Dull, superficial old repaint with indifferent masking and overspray. Scratched chrome, delaminating vent windows. Decent looking engine but the compartment, radiator and chassis are grungy, which substantiates the claim that its original engine has been rebuilt. – Studebakers are rare in Europe, but at prices like this for a handicapped Golden Hawk that may soon be remedied by containers of them headed east to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities. This would be a $20,000 car in the States and the result here is irrelevant except to traders and shipping companies.

Lot # 150 1959 BMW 503 Coupe; S/N 69336; Green, Cream roof/Cream leather, Brown piping; Estimate $76,650 – $120,450; Unrestored original, 5+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,125 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $95,265. – floor shift 4-speed, bucket seats, power windows, hubcaps, radio missing. – Smashed in the nose, put away in 1976 and unrestored. Dusty, dirty, stiff old upholstery but, other than the nose, complete and sound. The engine is represented to turn over and not seized, one of 273 built. – This could be a $300,000 car some day, but it will take every penny of the $205,000 left after this transaction to get it here. It’s a potentially rewarding project, however, and the bidders at Retromobile enthusiastically took it on.

Lot # 151 1954 Porsche 356 Super Cabriolet, Body by Reutter; S/N 60646; Engine # P60409; Green/Beige; Estimate $219,000 – $328,500; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $197,100 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $228,636. – Replacement 1600 engine, chromed steel wheels with hub caps, Firestone tires, gray cloth boot cover, gold brightwork, original Blaupunkt pushbutton radio. – Represented as a partial restoration in the early 2000s. Has a later 1600 instead of the original 1500. Small blister at the front of the hood and light microblisters behind it but mostly very good paint. Several large scratches on the rear bumper and a big crack on the bottom of the driver’s door. Very good interior other than chips on the steering wheel rim. The rear grille doesn’t fit flush. The wheels are a little dirty. Erratic panel fit. Unrestored but maintained and tidy underneath. A mostly lovely Pre-A in attractive colors and a very rare cabriolet model, but there are a few too many shortcomings to ignore. – Considering the age of the restoration and lack of original engine, this is a surprisingly expensive price. Then again, Pre-A 356s are exceedingly rare cars in any condition, and the opportunities to buy one are similarly scarce.

Lot # 153 1929 Mercedes-Benz 460 Nurburg Limousine, Body by Mannheim; S/N 52685; Burgundy, Black fenders, roof and accent/Rose leather, cloth; Estimate $208,050 – $262,800; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $153,300. – 4,624cc/80hp side valve inline eight, varnished wood spoke wheels, Denman tires, Bosch headlights and spotlights, Notek backup light, windshield post mounted Melas semaphore signals, jump seats, pulldown shades, smokers kits, rollup division, top hinged windshield, luggage trunk. – Excellent paint with chips on the cowl from the hood. Brilliant chrome. Absolutely gorgeous and inviting interior both front and back. The gigantic trunk is not restored, shows age but should never be restored, it’s too good as is. Clean, dry, neat engine compartment and chassis. This is a Mannheim bodied Nurburg restored to Sindelfingen standards without going overboard and it is wonderful. – This is a 20-year old restoration and it still looks fresh and stunning. It is large and erect but make no mistake, it is stately, imposing and very much a Mercedes-Benz. It’s so good, and so wonderful to contemplate, that the amount offered here was inappropriately low.

Lot # 156 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Limousine; S/N 10001212001484; Dark Blue/Red leather; Estimate $87,600 – $131,400; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $84,315 plus commission of 16.00%; Final Price $97,805. – Wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, sunroof, rear window curtain, Becker Grand Prix radio, rear seating for four, five in a pinch. – Originally delivered to Zaire for use in president Mobutu Sesi Seko’s fleet. Tired repaint with blistering on the hood. Dull chrome. The interior is mostly excellent, but the wood on top of the dash is faded and lightly cracked. Represented with a Euros 5,000 service done six years ago, which really isn’t all that much money to spend servicing a 600. This is a car with questions, and that’s not exactly the smartest way to buy one of these cars. – A few years ago Mercedes 600s were all the rage among Russian kleptocrats and prices were driven into the stratosphere but that demand has subsided and this is a more appropriate result today given the car’s condition qualifications. Attending to them won’t be inexpensive, but are worth it and will enhance its value.

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