2017 Artcurial Paris Rétromobile Sale Results

Artcurial’s top Paris Rétromobile 2017 classic car auction result was $4,650,000 for a 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale by Pinin Farina.

Lot 87 1966 Dino 206 P Berlinetta Speciale
1966 Dino 206 P Berlinetta Speciale ©Artcurial

A one-off 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale designed for Ferrari by Pinin Farina sold for €4,390,000 ($4,653,824) as the highest price paid at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 classic car sale and the top result of the Paris auction week. Other multimillion results at the Artcurial auction included a 1948 Ferrari 166 Spider Corsa, a 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV and a 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante découvrable. Artcurial sold seven cars for over a million dollar and broke four model records during the marathon auction – including two vehicles of Johnny Hallyday that were sold for charity.

Artcurial Paris Rétromobile Auction 2017

Retromobile 2017 by Artcurial Motorcars_ambiance salle de vente
© Artcurial

Artcurial held its annual Paris Rétromobile sale in Paris on February 10 and 11, 2017. During the marathon nearly eight hour auction, led by Hervé Poulain, Matthieu Lamoure and Pierre Novikoff, Artcurial grossed €32 million ($33.9 million) with a sell-through rate of 73%. If the exceptional 1957 Ferrari 315 / 335 Sport that fetched €32.1 million in 2016 is excluded, the 2017 auction represents an increase of 33% over the 2016 total.

During the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 auction, four new auction model records were set, 59 cars sold for over €100,000, 11 for more than €500,000 and 7 for more than a million euro.

Top Ten Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 Results

The following were the top ten results achieved at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 classic car auction:

Year Car Price (€) Price ($)
1 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale par Pininfarina 4,390,400 4,653,824
2 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa par Scaglietti 2,960,400 3,138,024
3 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV 2,338,400 2,946,384
4 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atlante découvrable 2,331,200 2,471,072
5 1936 Talbot Lago T150C 1,610,500 1,707,130
6 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort 1,130,000 1,197,800
7 1961 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster 1,060,900 1,124,554
8 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 888,000 941,280
9 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona 798,600 846,516
10 1957 OSCA Tipo S273 578,100 612,786

Auction held in euro. Dollar conversion as per results published the day following the sale. Results may include post-hammer deals if already published the day after the auction.

Million-Dollar Cars at the Paris Rétromobile 2017 Sale

Seven cars achieved results in excess of a million dollar at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 auction:

1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina

1966 Dino 206 P Berlinetta Speciale
© Artcurial

The top result at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2017 sale was €4,390,400 ($4,653,824) paid for a 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina. This unique vehicle entered the auction without reserve and a “shot in the dark” pre-sale estimate of €4,000,000 – €8,000,000).

The 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale was designed for Ferrari by Pininfarina and is considered the first ever mid-engine GT Ferrari.

This fine-looking car is unfortunately fitted with an engine without internal moving parts making it only suitable for static display. The car has been in the Automobile du Mans Museum since 1967.

1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa

Lot 125_2 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa par Scaglietti
© Artcurial

Artcurial’s second highest result at the Paris 2017 auction was €2,960,000 ($3,138,024) for a 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa. This was the only car in the auction without a pre-sale estimate and the owner probably expected a bit more but bidding was not exactly spirited on the car.

The 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa is an important car from Ferrari’s early history as a carmaker. This car was one of the first Ferraris produced for a private client, who extensively raced it in period to good results but no memorable victories.

1972 Lamborghini Miura SV

1972 Lamborghini Miura SV
© Peter Singhof / Artcurial

Artcurial had a large number of Lamborghinis on offer at the Paris 2017 sale ranging from a 1954 Lamborghini tractor to the 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV that sold for mid-estimate €2,338,400 ($2,946,384). This Lamborghini is one of only two dry sump / air conditioned Miura SVs sold in Europe.

The 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 just failed to reach the million dollar mark when it achieved €880,000 ($941,280).

1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Découvrable

Collection Hervé and Martine Ogliastro
Collection Hervé and Martine Ogliastro © Artcurial

Artcurial had a surprisingly strong result when a 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante découvrable sold for €2,331,200 ($2,471,072) – well above the pre-sale estimate of €1,000,000-€1,500,000. This was the only of the top-ten cars that Artcurial listed as having been sold to an American rather than European buyer.

This 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Découvrable was the first Atalante produced and it was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1935. It is one of only eight made with a fold-down roof and the only one to have survived with its original chassis.

Despite the strong result, the price may look cheap in comparison to what RM Sotheby’s expects to achieve on a 1937 Bugatti Type 57 S Cabriolet by Vanvooren that will be offered at the Amelia Island 2017 sale.

Lot 25 1930 Bugatti Baby
© Artcurial

A cheaper way to Bugatti ownership was through the 1930 Bugatti Baby. The hammer came down at €78,000 – way above the estimate of €30,000-€50,000. This electric children’s car is a 1:2 scale model of the Type 35 Grand Prix racer. Gooding sold a 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix for a model record $3,300,000 at the Scottsdale 2017 sale. (During the same sale, Gooding also sold a 1928 Bugatti Baby for $88,000.)

1936 Talbot Lago T150C

1936 Talbot Lago T150C
© Artcurial

The 1936 Talbot Lago T150C, chassis 82930, sold for a new model record €1,610,500 ($1,707,130). This particular Talbot Lago is an important French racing car from the 1930s that participated in the Le Mans 24 Hours race four times driven by amongst others Chiron, Chinetti and Levegh. It was actively raced from 1936 to 1939 and again from 1946 to 1950. Rather uniquely for a car this well known, it has changed owners around 25 times since new.

1987 Porsche 959 Komfort

Artcurial sold a 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort for €1,130,000 ($1,197,800). Early enthusiastic bidding for the car stopped well short of a million euro. In contrast, a rarer Porsche 959 Sport sold at RM Sotheby’s two days earlier for a model record €1,960,000 ($2,093,280) – the first 959 to break the two-million-dollar mark.

1961 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster

Mercedes Benz 300 SLs struggled to sell during the Paris auctions with only the large European premiums demanded helping the results over the million-dollar mark. Artcurial sold a 1961 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster for €1,060,900 ($1,124,554) while bidding for a 1956 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Coupe Gullwing (Papillon) with special factory specifications stopped short of the reserve at €1,050,000. A day earlier, Bonhams sold another Gullwing for a below expectations €1,016,666 ($1,087,020).

Johnny Hallyday Lots at Artcurial Paris 2017

Johnny Hallyday's 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Cabriolet Custom by Boyd Coddington
© Artcurial

Johnny Hallyday – top rank in any French rock stars lineup – donated two vehicles that were sold to benefit “La Bonne Etoile” charity. The lots not only created a storm of excitement in the auction room but also set new model records:

  • 1989 Harley Davidson Softtail Springer 1340 CC sold for €280,000 ($296,800)
  • 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Cabriolet Custom by Boyd Coddington sold for €270,000 ($286,200)

1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4

In what must certainly give hope to 365 GTB/4 sellers, Artcurial managed to sell a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta in a post-hammer deal for a very good €798,600 ($846,516) – bidding stopped at €670,000. The four Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinettas offered at Scottsdale / Arizona 2017 failed to sell. Three were on offer in Paris with RM Sotheby’s selling a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta for a respectable €705,600 while bidding stopped just above €500,000 at Bonhams.

Top Cars Not Sold at Artcurial Paris 2017

The top cars with upper estimates higher than a million euro that failed to sell at the 2017 Artcurial Paris sale were:

  • 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet (€1,300,000-1,600,000)
  • 1936 Delahaye 135 châssis court compétition cabriolet Figoni Dalaschi (€1,200,000-1,800,000)
  • 1939 Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet par Figoni & Falaschi (€1,200,000-1,600,000)
  • 1956 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing (€1,200,000-1,400,000)
  • 1955 Lancia B24 Spider America (€900,000-1,200,000)
  • 1950 Delahaye 148 L coach par Saoutchik (€700,000-1,000,000)

More on Paris 2017: