€2.8m Paris auction closes out Artcurial Motorcars’ 2023 calendar

In a subdued event conducted at the company’s head office off the Champs-Élysées, national institution Artcurial presented a 70-car catalogue and sold nearly three-quarters of it.

With the headlining 1993 Porsche 911 3.8L Carrera RSR (€900k to €1.2m) and other €200k+ entries failing to find new owners, it was down to the plain vanilla (actually Rosso Corsa, unsurprisingly) Ferrari 512 BB to take top slot.

At a glance:

* Gross, motor cars: €2,813,000 (2022, €7,220,020)
* Percentage sold by number: 74% (2022, 78%)
* Top-selling car: 1981 Ferrari 512 BB €197,200 gross, €170,000 net (est. €180k to € 220k)

One of the successes of the event was the rare and imposing 5-speed manual 1989 Maserati Quattroporte III Royale (€15k to €25k) that sold for €29,000 with premium. “With 112,500km on the clock, has been at a standstill for many years and is in need of a complete overhaul,” will ring alarm bells. However, for cred at The I.C.E. in St Moritz next year, each of the pair of period Nokia phones in the back manned and in action, this presidential limo has few equals.

The rest of the catalogue was everyday fare, with the likeable team led by Matthieu Lamoure no doubt keeping more interesting entries fresh for Rétromobile next February.

Artcurial in Paris 22 October 2023 – results (2022)

Gross: €2,813,000 (€7,220,020)
Number of cars not sold: 18 (18)
Number of cars withdrawn: 2 (0)
Total number of cars: 70 (81)
Number sold: 52 (63)
Percentage cars sold by number: 74% (78%)
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 37% (70%)
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 58% (38%)
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 87% (83%)
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 10% (8%)
Average year of cars offered: 1978 (1977)
Average price of cars sold: €54,096 (€114,603)
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve:  54% (32%)

Photo by Artcurial