Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Click on pics to enlarge
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Retromobile show in Paris. Over the years it became a must-see event that starts the classic car season on the European continent and it continues to grow in size and quality. The sale of the well-publicized Baillon collection attracted even more spectators, who had to queue for some time to access the hall where the barn finds were exposed.
Apart from the usual manufacturers and dealers displays, many themes were developed with a retrospective of the production of Spanish manufacturer Pegaso, a selection of cars from the collection of Corrado Lopresto from Italy, a gathering of Bugatti Royales, the production cars of Matra, etc.
But first take a look to the sale that made the headlines and to some French rarities.
D. J. Greco says
Wow! So many of these are wonderful cars those of us in the States won’t see anyplace else. Long live Retromobile!
ronaldo says
I agree completely. Fabulous !
Chris Martin says
Since I moved over to Australia, I do not get to France as often as I used to. But I still love their quirky cars. Of course I would love to have a Bugatti, any Bugatti would do, preferably blue though. Those Chapron Citroëns are still stunningly beautiful, they must be the future Figoni Delahayes for the Pebble Beach crowd surely. To bring me (nearer) back to earth, I was fortunate to first visit Paris on a student exchange program in the late sixties and much as I still find it hard to believe the streets are not filled with delightful old 2CVs, Renault 4CVs and green and cream Panhard buses, it was the Renault 8 Gordinis that made the biggest impression. Coming from London where hot Mini Coopers were all the rage, I found these boxy little ‘rear-engine-weird-cambered-always-blue-with-white-stripes-buzz-boxes’ fascinating and the allure of that one photographed above can only be understood by anyone who was around the Parisian streets in that era. Thanks !
solarzmr says
I saw similar Peugeot 205 last year in Prince’s Rainier collection in Montecarlo, amazing car. Without stickers may looks almost like normal car 😉
alain vandegaer says
So much pay for a car, its called…passion only passion !!! Felicitation mister X
Thank for the pic’s Hug