S T O P P R E S S
85% of 332 cars auctioned during Paris Retromobile week sold for 104m euros (£86m), an average for the 282 cars sold of 359k euros (£298k)
The Paris sales total this year was 66m euros (£56m), 38m euros more than in 2024, when 86% of 292 consigned cars, the average paid 12 months ago for the 252 sold being 261k euros (£222k), 41% less. This years sales total was boosted by the 1964 Ferrari 250LM Le Mans winner fetching 35m euros (£29m) alone during the RM Sotheby's sales in Les Salles du Carroussel.
The stats show that 40 (13.6%) more cars crossed the 3 auction house blocks in 5 sale sessions in the French capital this year. The dash for cash was signposted by 198 voitures, 60% of 332 offered and 70% of 282 sold, being on a one-way journey, having been consigned by their vendors Sans Reserve. All 73 cars auctioned in RM Sotheby's first night sale were No Reservists in what was a White Gloves 100% sold result for the global market leaders.
Within the Retromobile Halls at Porte De Versailles, Artcurial had 101 buying bidders both days for 80% of their clients' 126 cars which transacted for 21.3m euros (£17.64m) with premium.
Artcurial headliners were led by a brace of 1966 Ferrari 275 FHCs sold Friday in very Light Blue Metallic for 2,248,000 euros (£1,865,840) and in Red for 2,108,000 euros (£1,749,650). There were also Bugatti buyers Saturday with 1,566,000 euros (£1,299,780) for a 1930 T51 GP and 1,508,000 euros for (£1,251,640) for a 1995 EB110 GT.
Four other market significant Ferraris were valued by buyers here. An only 915k driven since 2001 550 Pinnfarina-shaped Barchetta realised a more than top estimate 672,800 euros (£558,424) and Swiss supplied in 1973 365 GTB/4 with Classiche Certification cost the next guardian a within guide 655,400 euros (£543,982).
A top estimate 554,480 euros (£469,218) was forthcoming for a well restored 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC with Classiche Red Book and a mid-estimate 290,000 euros (£240,700) 1972 246GT Dino had been vendor owned for 45 years. A within forecast 539,400 euros (£447,702) captured a 1981 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S, one of the last 'low-body' S2 cars.
The 1967 Brussels Motor Show AC Cobra 289, one of the 8 genuine LHD ones that was sold in Belgium to a French owner 58 years ago, made 591,600 euros (£491,208) with premium, just under the lower estimate.
Many Porsche prices were headed by one of the first 356 Pre-A 1300 Split-Screens made in 1952 sold for 417,600 euros (£346,608), but then 400,000 euros (£332,000) had been spent at Hackenberg on restoration. A No Reserve 1972 Porsche 911 2.7 RS in original 'Tangerine', an older restoration. sold for a forecast 406,000 euros (£336,980).
A less than estimated 348,000 euros (£288,840) was accepted for a Roock Racing restored 1962 Porsche 356 B Carrera 2000 GS Four Cam with Dual Ignition. A 106,000k 1993 964 Turbo 3.6 without a sunroof in Speed Yellow transacted for 307,400 euros (£255,142) and a within estimate band 243,600 euros (£202,188) was forthcoming for a uniquely Green 1956 356 A Speedster with 912 1600 engine and disc brake conversion.
A 1967 Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ ('Sprint Zagato') Coupe, the second to last of 106 produced that had been restored by Carrozeria Touring, sold for a more top estimate 243,600 euros (£202,188). One of the first two Allard J2 models to have been fitted with a Cadillac 5.4 V8 in Sydney Allard's Battersea workshops in 1950 came to market again after residencies in the US, UK and Italy to change owners for 156,600 euros (£129,978).
A couple of valuations for Jaguars auctioned 'Without Reserve' on the EU mainland may also be of research interest to marketeers with 99,760 euros (£82,801) buying a lefty 1953 Jaguar XK120 'M' (Modified from new) Roadster, in receipt of extensive work completed, and a one owner from new in 1962 Jaguar E Type S1 3.8 Coupe 'garage find' raising 61,480 euros (£51,028).
The average spent at Division One auctions like these in Brexited UK - where a high tax and spend, anti fossil-fueled motor car and pro-public transport, Net Zero Socialist Government has a huge and unchallenged majority for the next four and a half years - is and will be very much less for the foreseeable future. RH-E
You can check out all recent Sale Reviews, by selecting ‘More News’ below (or select ‘News’ on the Home Page menu-bar options above) and scroll-down to scan all recent reality posts on the collector vehicle market.
MORE NEWS...
- Independent Market Analysis
- Auctions Reviewed and Previewed
- Insider Reality Check
- Free Enthusiast-Driven Resource
Welcome to truly independent market analysis that is refreshingly free from advertiser influence. A one-stop site that aims to do exactly what it says in the title. Review classic auctions to highlight which cars are selling, for how much and, most importantly, why. But also do so entirely free of charge.
For unlike most of the terminal-bound media, C.A.R. comment aims to be far better informed from physically checking out the metal in the field. For before pressing any keys, we drive the miles to provide consumers with a fake news free take on market reality.
Wandering mice will find no ‘asking prices’ that are not necessarily being achieved here. Only regular on-line reviews (both latest and previously published ones) reporting and commenting on market movement in independently monitored public auctions. In short, the only reliable valuations resource in the UK for potential buyers and vendors as well as all those in the auctions, funding and litigation business.
This website does not collect any of your personal information, and will not send out any unsolicited emails. The site does not display feeds from social media.
We thank all our 'supporting' auction houses for their belief in the independence of our platform and urge you to click-check what lots they have consigned in their upcoming sales.
R E A L L Y U S E F U L S E R V I C E S
MORE USEFUL SERVICES...
-
1955 M-B W196R Streamliner fetches 51,155,000 euros (£42,458,650!) in RM Sotheby's stand-alone M-B Museum Sale
After a 1 February 2025 bidding battle over the phones and in the room, auctioneer Sholto Gilbertson's record breaking gavel crashed down at £46.5m bid. Raced by Stirling Moss around the banked curves of Monza during the 1955 Italian Grand Prix, the Stromlinienwagen W196R chassis became both the second most valuable collector car auctioned and the world's top priced racer.
For in the same Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH room in Stuttgart in 2022, the same global market leading house also hammered the most expensive car ever sold at auction, the 300SLR 'Uhlenhaut Coupe' flying to a stratospheric 135,000,000 euros with premium (a £112,050,000 world record), making it an all Merc front row!
One of the very few Silver Arrows to be in a private quiver was gifted in 1965 by the then Daimler-Benz AG Unterturkheim factory to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, who had consigned their 70 year old exhibit to RM Sotheby's, the proceeds to benefit the restorative upkeep and expansion of their Indy 500 themed collection of over 150 vehicles and more than 55,000 artefacts.
Few historic racing cars resonate as strongly as the famous Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows that dominated Pre-F1 Grand Prix racing in the immediate pre- and post-war era, admired for their advanced technology and spectacular speed. From the ashes of WW2 defeat, the W196R was developed to meet new regulations for engines with up to 2.5-litre displacement introduced in 1954, and it soon proved to be the car to beat in the hands of legends such as Juan Manual Fangio and Stirling Moss. RH-E
