french cars at retromoible

Retro on the French Side

February 17, 2025 By pete

Presented at the 1962 Paris Motor Show, this DS19 with its fully faired underbody presented the new front of the DS with its faired headlights. The DS Totem symbolized the avant-gardism of the Citroën brand and delighted photographers, thus helping to establish the model’s reputation.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Retro thoughts

Every year, at the same time, the world of classic and collector cars comes out of its lethargy for the event that opens the season. I am talking about the unmissable Rétromobile show in Paris.

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Italians and Others: Vanhoolandt

February 17, 2025 By pete

Mercedes-Benz presented this 300 SL currently being restored by its Heritage department. It was delivered to New York in May 1955 and remained in the USA until 2011 when it joined a German collection. Now for sale again, it has been undergoing a complete restoration since April 2024 while reusing as many original parts as possible. The work is scheduled to be completed in autumn 2025.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Retro thoughts, continued

Another development is the rise in quality of the show, with several dealers, particularly British ones, presenting some of the most expensive cars on the market as well as major manufacturers who communicate about their past to better sell their current range. Moreover, Rétromobile has attracted at the same time auction houses that organize their auctions in prestigious places such as Bonhams at the Grand Palais or RM Sotheby’s at the Louvre Museum.

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Jonathan Sharp’s Retromobile 2017

February 28, 2017 By pete

This rear taillight from a Facel Vega is oh-so-stylish. What could be more Retro?

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

This year the Editor asked me to just submit everything that peaked my interest at Retro. Fat chance, for to truly be able to show you all the cars that peaked my interest would take several editions of VeloceToday.

I’ve been to Retro many times now, and still the language barrier for me was sometimes an issue but the cars on display were superb, as was the food; there are not many shows were one can enjoy oysters and a glass of champagne from a vendors stall.

The Editor and I wish to apologize for the huge number of photos below…something on the order of 43 but we lose count. And that is just a fraction which resided in my camera data card when I returned home. However, we broke up the subject matter thusly:

Art, Etcetera
French cars
British/German/Spanish
Italian

And looking back, even though myself, Graham Gauld, Hugues Vanhoolandt and Alessandro Gerelli all attended Retro and turned in reports to VeloceToday, there are few if any images of exactly the same car.

That gives one an idea of how immense and diverse Retromobile is. And it gets bigger every year.

Finally, if there are factual errors, the information for the most part is taken from the individual placards. In several cases we eliminated photos due to questionable statements. Spelling errors, if any (heavens forbid)can be blamed on us.

Art Etcetera

I was very taken by this tin plate Bugatti model as it just seemed to capture the times and subject so well.

Paul Smith’s vibrant art work needs a large wall on which to display it.

Alfa Romeo Alfetta model: If you crouch down to look closely at the models on sale at the show you could almost swear they were real cars.

This five-piece painting of a Ferrari P4 almost had my pal reaching for his credit card.

Alas, these Macaroon cookies on the Bugatti club of France stand were just for display.

I really enjoy looking at the wide choice of classic posters on sale each year. Unfortunately a lack of wall space and funds means I can only look.

Simply gorgeous Maserati T151 model.

A pair of pistons from a Matra MS9 V12 engine. The same dealer also had a Lamborgini F1 engine for sale.

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Retro Auctions: RM Sotheby’s, February 8

February 28, 2017 By pete

Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 1934, estimate 3.8-5 million euro, sold 3.9 million euro.

Photos and captions by Alessandro Gerelli

The first Retro related auction was the RM Sotheby’s held at the Place Vauban on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. The 1934 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3, chassis 50006, sold for €3,920,000 and was the highest sale price of the day. Thirteen Porsches from one collection sold well and was a major feature of the RM auction. Below, Gerelli presents the Italian and French cars: an Alfa Montreal, and a Lancia B20 GT coupe and a Giulietta Spider that sold for 476000 euros, plus much more.

Exchange rate, 2-28-2017: 1 US Dollar=.94 Euro

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Retro Auctions: Bonhams, February 9

February 28, 2017 By pete

Simca 1000 coupè Bertone 1967, estimate 10-15000 euro, sold at 11500 euro.

Photos and captions by Alessandro Gerelli

The Bonhams Retromobile event took place at the Grand Palais on Thursday, February 9. Many of the Italian/French items did not sell, but this is not an indication of the overall sales percentage.

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Retro Auctions: Artcurial, February 10

February 28, 2017 By pete

Ferrari Dino 206P Speciale 1966, estimate 4-8 million euro, sold at 4390400 euro.

Photos and captions by Alessandro Gerelli

This year Alessandro Gerelli covered all three auctions held at or around Retromobile. The Artcurial Auction below was held last, on Friday on the same complex as Retromobile. This auction resulted in the highest price paid for a car during the auctions at Retro – the unique Dino 206 P berlinetta speciale of 1965 by Pininfarina sold for about 4.4 million euros against an estimate from 4 to 8 million euros and no reserve!

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Four Guys at Retro: Vanhoolandt and the French

February 12, 2015 By pete

Everybody has heard about the sale of the Baillon collection of nearly 60 cars in desperate state for most of them. Here on the same picture, the most well preserved cars, the Maserati A6 G 2000 Frua coupé in the background, and the Ferrari 250 GT SWB California once owned by French actor Alain Delon, sold for an incredible $18.5 million.

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.

The Maserati, which went to an American buyer for $2.2 million, is one of only four A6G 2000 bodied by Frua. It was the 1956 Paris Motor Show car and in the Baillon family since 1959.

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.

Yes, there were Pegasos, but you missed them. Fortunately Hugues did not, and we'l present Hugues' Pegaso pics in depth in another issue of VT.

But first take a look to the sale that made the headlines and to some French rarities.

The Baillon collection was presented in a very dark environment, giving an ambiance of mystery to these cars coming to light for the first time since decades. Another highlight was this Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport by Saoutchik, already featured here in VT ( Baillon barnfind part 3). It went for $1.9 million.

This Talbot-Lago T150C was also a car owned by Baillon until 1979 when a first batch of cars went on public sale due to his transport business bankruptcy. 1936 French ACF Grand Prix, 1937 Mille Miglia, 1938 Le Mans 24 hours are just some of the races in which this car took part with various bodies.

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