Classic Car Auction in Paris: Artcurial Strikes Back
01 March 2025 9 min read 8 images
Photo credit: Artcurial
After what could be described as a disastrous auction at Retromobile last year, Artcurial in Paris has successfully changed its strategy this year: fewer “pretentious” cars, even in their estimates, turning 2024’s bad day into a bright one. Out of the 123 cars offered, 94 found new owners; compared to the 128 offered and 91 sold last year, the success rate jumped from 71% to 76.42%. The increase in total value was almost unthinkable. In 2024, the total value of cars on offer was €44,947,000, with sales totaling only €17,321,200 due to the failure of key top lots. This year, the cars on offer amounted to just €29,052,000, but the revenue of €21,072,490 brought the sales rate by value from 38.5% to 72.5%! This was helped by the proportion of no-reserve lots, which rose from under 40% to almost 60%, yet the average sale price did not suffer, instead rising to €224,175, up from €190,343 last year.
The first good news is that this year, the two most expensive lots both found new owners. These were two Ferrari 275 GTBs. The first, a 1965 rare aluminum long-nose model in red from the Cadiou collection, had been restored in the '90s by the renowned Cognolato and recently put back on the road. The second was another long-nose, but from 1966, in a silver-blue shade, freshly restored, matching numbers, and Ferrari Classiche certified.
Aluminum or Ferrari Classiche — what do collectors prefer? Even the estimates were uncertain, with the red one valued at €2-3 million while the blue one was at €2.2-2.6 million. The market made things clear: the certified car sold for €2,371,640, becoming the top lot, while the aluminum example followed at €2,159,600. Perhaps its six-year inactivity influenced the offers.
Like the top-lot 275, the 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta also came from the Silver Collection. In Grigio Alloy, it smashed predictions for one reason: sold new to a company in Fiorano, it spent more time on transport trucks than on the road. After passing through a few Italian collectors, it went to the UK before arriving in Paris for the auction, having covered just 915 km! The estimate of €400,000-600,000 was shattered: €807,360, a new record for the model (previously €644,000). Making its third auction appearance, it defied past results: seen in Monaco in 2016 (743 km, €504,000) and in Maranello in 2017 (900 km, unsold at €340,000), this time, it achieved a much higher price — well justified by the market’s evolution over eight years.
The Jaguar Mk2 also set a new record. The 1960 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 Saloon offered at auction is a peculiar car: being a sedan, it’s not the most desirable body style, and the '50s are not particularly trendy (the model was introduced in that era), but the Mk2 3.8 is widely regarded as the first-ever sports sedan — a sort of 1950s BMW M5. This one was in nearly original condition but had electric power steering, making the €40,000-60,000 estimate reasonable. It sold for €71,520, setting a new European record.
Not everything went smoothly, though. The collection of red Maseratis, all offered without reserve, failed to meet their lowest estimates. The comparison between the 1973 Maserati Bora and the 1977 Khamsin was particularly interesting. At first glance, they seemed very different (the Bora was a true mid-engine sports car, while the Khamsin was more of a front-engine GT), but both shared the same 4.9L engine, were originally white with blue interiors (leather for the Bora, velvet for the Khamsin), and had now both been repainted red (though the Bora’s interior was reupholstered in black).
The Bora has always been a step above the Khamsin in market value, but in this case, a recent €100,000 restoration for the latter evened the playing field: both were estimated at €120,000-140,000 (no reserve). Condition won over model status, as the Khamsin sold for €107,280, while the sportier Bora stopped at €102,512.
The buyer of the 1964 Citroën 2CV Sahara must have been one of the happiest at the auction, scoring a real bargain. This twin-engine, all-wheel-drive version is incredibly rare (only 693 produced), with some built in Spain. This example was originally used by the Spanish Guardia Civil, arrived in the UK in 1983, and underwent a restoration completed about 15 years ago, though one of its two 425cc engines was swapped for a 602cc, unregistered in the documents. Could this explain the low price? Highly collectible, with an estimate of €80,000-120,000, it struggled to reach €63,176 — nearly half the top estimate.
I’m not a big fan of the Volkswagen Beetle (or “Coccinelle” for the French), but the one at Artcurial was the car I wanted to “steal". As it often happens with models, early versions are the most aesthetically pleasing — simpler and truer to the original idea. This theory applies to the Beetle: this 1950 Type 11A De Luxe “split-window” was sold in Frankfurt by the famous Glockler dealership and arrived in Paris in 1954, remaining in the same family until 2018. Never restored, with an untouched roof rack, it was a joy to see and drive. Why was it called "De Luxe"? Don’t laugh: below the headlights, the Beetle had two small air vents—on the De Luxe version, they had tiny chrome covers. That’s it. This car embodies the authenticity of past vehicles—simple, yet fully functional. The estimate of €20,000-30,000 and final price of €30,992 bring us back to 2025, but my heart stays in 1950.
SUPERMIND TRIVIA