2020 Paris sales: Artcurial’s results are in

It took a few days, but we now know that the local firm won the battle of Rétromobile with a €20.6m motor car sale, just pipping Bonhams’ final €19.5m gross to come out top in Paris this year.

The hard-working team led by patrician Maître Hervé Poulain cajoled, laughed and sang their way through 151 lots, selling 108 of them, a fine 72% sold by number. In addition, the sale kicked off with several motorcycles and contained four yachts (not included in our figures, nor is VAT on buyer’s premium).

At a glance:

* Gross: €20,625,226 (2019, €38,326,768)
* Percentage sold by number: 72% (2019, 67%)
* Top-selling car: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB 6C €2,444,000 gross, €2,150,000 net (est. €2m to €3m)
* Well sold? The 1983 Ferrari 126 C3 F1 car doubled its lower estimate to sell for €1,402,400 all-in
* Well bought? The ‘COB’ (European, not ‘CSX’ US) RHD AC Cobra 289. A genuine and original Cobra for mild restoration at €730,800 gross, just over $800k
* One to take away? We liked the metallic coffee brown 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo 3.3 with driving lights for €87,000 incl. premium

As we reported live from the event on Friday, the long and dramatic pre-War Mercedes-Benz generated little interest, so top honours fell to the racy Ferrari 275 GTB six-carb with period competition history that sold for a market-correct €2.44m.

The list of non-sellers includes the ex-Rod Stewart Lamborghini LP400 Periscopica (and various other Lamborghinis), as well as many pre-War cars whose owners were still living in the past with respect to values.

Compare and contrast Artcurial’s €1.69m 1966 Porsche 906 with RM’s €1.9m Porsche 904. The faster 906 falls outside pre-1966 championships, the 904 does not. Both are road legal and eligible for the Tour Auto and Le Mans Classic.

Next stop for the Three Musketeers (pictured, top) is the interesting collection of camping holiday pioneer André Trigano of Club Med fame, to be offered on 2 May in Gibel, near Toulouse.

Artcurial at the Porte de Versailles, 7 February 2020 (2019)

Gross: €20,625,226 (€38,326,768)
Number of cars not sold: 43 (48)
Number of cars withdrawn: 2 (0)
Total number of cars: 151 (147)
Number sold: 108 (99)
Percentage cars sold by number: 72% (67%)
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 43% (47%)
Percentage of cars met or sold below low estimate: 50% (51%)
Percentage of cars sold below avge of estimates:  81% (82%)
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 9% (12%)
Average price of cars sold: €190,974 (€387,139)
Average year of cars offered: 1960 (1963)
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve:  47% (45%)

Photo by K500