Artcurial’s final live motor car sale of 2021 grosses €5.4m+

Now almost a national institution, the Parisian house conducted its last live sale of the year on Sunday, 24 October 2021. Working on provisional figures, the event grossed at least €5.4m at 73% per cent sold by number.

A healthy (47%) selection of No Reserve entries ensured a good sell-through, though, as usual with Artcurial, a handful attracted few meaningful bids and were unsold.

At a glance (provisional):
 
* Gross, motor cars: €5,440,400
* Percentage sold by number: 73%
* Top-selling car: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘’Daytona' Spider conversion €475,600 gross, €410,000 net (est. €400k to €600k)
* Well sold? More proof, if needed, of the popularity of significant 1980s rally cars: the 1986 Citroën BX 4TC Evolution (est. €250k to €350k) that achieved €406,000 all-in
* Well bought? The No Reserve 1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider needs some work and a respray back to its original white, but it came with some nice history and was snapped up below low estimate for €34,800 gross

Daytona Spider conversions – this one believed by Straman in the US – divide opinion, however, previous ownership of this one by American actor Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was something of a plus. These cars would not happen today, but they did in the ’70s and ’80s and are not worth converting back to standard in 2021. At an all-in figure of €475,600 (say $550k) that’s typical cheap auction sale money for a nothing-special Daytona berlinetta.

Rally cars have become something of an Artcurial speciality and most of its recent sales have included a selection. This time, the boxy Citroën BX 4TC Evolution, pictured, top, broke through its estimates, while the 1973 Alpine A110 Mulet Usine (€255.2k) and 1986 Nissan 240 RS Groupe B (€208.8k) also did well. All prices include Artcurial’s hefty 16% premium for sub-€900k cars.

Non-sellers on the day included the AC Ace, Mercedes 600, Alfa Romeo Montreal and Subaru Impreza Prodrive, the latter carrying a strong estimate of €450k to €650k. The 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge (est. €100k to €150k, sold for €77,720 with premium) could be a cheap trackday weapon or marque club racer.

Those looking to make an impression (we don’t say what sort) would like the 1965 Lancia Flavia Sport Zagato 1800. In need of all sorts of work, the event-eligible car with non-matching but desirable 1,800cc engine was bought for €25,520. The cheapest entry to next year’s Tour Auto? Quite possibly.

Artcurial finishes the year off with an online-only sale starting 4 November. The likeable Parisian team will be hoping for ‘business as usual’ at Paris Rétromobile in February 2022.

Artcurial in Paris, 24 October 2021 – provisional results

Gross: €5,440,400
Number of cars not sold: 26
Number of cars withdrawn: 2
Total number of cars: 95
Number sold: 69
Percentage cars sold by number: 73%
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 55%
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 46%
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 83%
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 10%
Average year of cars offered: 1973
Average price of cars sold: €78,846
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 47%

Photo by Artcurial