Stop press from Paris 2023: Artcurial’s Saturday sale

The home team wrapped up this year’s Rétromobile week classic car auctions today with a €14.1m+ one-day event. Percentage sold by number was a solid 82%. When the final results come in early next week, expect a ca. €34m+ gross for both days at around 72%.

Sunday at Artcurial is solely dedicated to 162 lots of Automobilia.

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition carried a mighty pre-sale estimate of €3m to €4m. Bidding stalled some €400k short, so top honours went to the F40, one of the better examples offered in Paris this week with carbonfibre weave visible at some distance. It still went at a touch off lower guide, perhaps due to the two other cars listed elsewhere and a recorded 24,400km. All three sold:

 - RM Sotheby’s: 1990 Italian market car, 9,538km, with catalyst and non-adjustable suspension, bodywork repair noted, Classiche Certified, sold for €1,917,500 gross.

- Bonhams: 1988 Italian market car, 30,082km, no catalyst and non-adjustable suspension, Classiche Certified, sold for €2,185,000 gross.

- Artcurial: 1992 Italian market car, 24,400km, catalyst and adjustable suspension, Classiche Certified, sold for €2,164,000 gross.

At a glance, Saturday:
 
* Gross, motor cars: €14,049,400
* Percentage sold by number: 83%
* Top-selling car: 1992 Ferrari F40 €2,164,000 gross, €1,900,000 net (est. €2m to €2.5m)

The madly modified Mercedes collection was much anticipated, but most of the these could-only-be-1980s cars, including the crazy 1983 500 SGS ‘Gullwing’ (est. €400k to €600k), failed to sell on the day. The more serious 1979 Mercedes Benz 450/500 SLC factory rally car went immediately after the auction for €745,000 net/€864,200 gross. Est. €800k to €1.2m.

We await Artcurial’s final results likely to be published Monday/Tuesday next week.

Other results of note (all prices gross):

* 2328 Reinastella Soucoupe Volante (flying saucer), €69,600. From Renault’s private collection, a sadly non-functioning vision of the future from 1992.
* 1982 Renault 5 Turbo 1, €158,920. Rare Turbo 1 sells strongly against its €120k to €160k guide.
* 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, €1,660,000. US delivered new, Ferrari Classiche certified but in a non-original blue metallic and with restoration invoices from little-known firms in The Netherlands.
* 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, €417,600. Punchy price for restored car with non-standard ‘Daytona’ seats and strange paintwork nearer to Rosso Dino than original Rosso Chiaro.
* 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, €568,400 (around $615k). World Championship result for red, US car delivered new to American legend Mario Andretti.
* 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS, €145,000. Terrific colour (Amethyst Metallic) but 71,480km, “…service book is probably a duplicate”, “strut brace” and “…appears in satisfactory condition” might prompt modern Porsche collectors to reach for the smelling salts. This and the Dino GTS were from one Belgian collection; out of 25 cars offered, 24 sold.

Artcurial at Rétromobile, 3-4 February 2023 – official results (2022)

Total gross cars: €33,336,800 (€36,152,852)
Number of cars not sold: 58 (36)
Number of cars withdrawn: 3 (1)
Total number of cars: 198 (200)
Number sold: 140 (164)
Percentage cars sold by number: 71% (82%)
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 45% (60%)
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 49% (50%)
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 79% (76%)
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 14% (14%)
Average value of cars sold: €238,120 (€220,444)
Average year of cars offered: 1973 (1964)
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 59% (58%)

2023 Paris Rétromobile week auctions overview with all results to follow…

Photos by K500