12 eye-catching cars for sale in Paris this week

Under the Parisian hammer

Rétromobile returns to Paris this week for its 2024 edition, which means some of the biggest classic car auction houses are heading to the French capital, too.

RM Sotheby’s (31 January), Bonhams|Cars (1 February) and Artcurial (2-3 February) are all holding sales, each bulging with mouth-watering consignments.

From a fire-fighting Maserati to a twin-engined Citroën 2CV, let’s take a look at just some of the highlights, presented here in chronological order.

All prices given are Euros, because the auctions are being held in France

1. 1904 Darracq 8/10hp (est: €30-40,000)

This 1904 Darracq could be the perfect introduction to veteran motoring, a world with back-to-front controls and dashboards that look like zany science experiments.

Built in Suresnes, Paris, this car was delivered to its first owner in Australia, where it spent almost 70 years before it returned to Europe in the early 1970s – and now it is back in Paris.

2. 1929 Bugatti Type 40 Roadster (est: €350-450,000)

From the five classic Bugattis in this week’s Artcurial sale, this restored Type 40 caught our eye because it’s believed to be the sole-surviving Gangloff-bodied Roadster.

The Bugatti was first sold through Stand Auto in Paris and the sale includes its original numberplate.

It was sent to Denmark for a restoration in 2011, when it was repainted in the dark-green shade it wears today.

3. 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II expérimentale (est: €160-240,000)

Chassis 25 EX (‘EX’ for experimental) left the Rolls-Royce works in 1930.

It travelled to France, Switzerland and the US (Rolls-Royce had a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the time) as part of its role as a development vehicle.

The odometer had recorded more than 15,000 miles by 1933, when 25 EX was sold to its first private owner.

They commissioned the spectacular Whittingham & Mitchel bodywork that the car still wears.

4. 1954 Chevrolet Corvette C1 (est: €70-80,000)

Launched at the 1953 Motorama show, the Corvette C1 was the first in Chevrolet’s series of sports cars that’s still going strong.

Early, straight-six-powered cars, such as this one, were little changed from the original concept.

This example spent most of its life in Belgium, where it had lots of maintenance work.

It’ll be offered without reserve in the Bonhams|Cars Paris auction.

5. 1958 Fiat 500 Spiaggina Boano (est: €270-290,000)

Former Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli commissioned Italian designer Mario Boano to create this Nuova 500-based car.

Complete with woven front seats, a fabric rear bench and an open cabin, just two Spiaggina Boanos were built and the car for sale with RM Sotheby’s is believed to be the only survivor.

It appeared in Vogue and kick-started the 1960s trend for simple, chic, beach cars.

6. 1962 Citroën 2CV Sahara (est: €60-100,000)

Around 700 Citroën 2CV Saharas were made. It was the French marque’s attempt at an affordable, lightweight, four-wheel-drive utility car.

Now, these twin-engined oddities have become desirable classic cars, as reflected in this lot’s pre-sale estimate.

This car has belonged to the same owner since 1975 and will be offered with no reserve at the Artcurial auction.

7. 1965 Jeep Wagoneer (est: €30-40,000)

Jeep replaced the workaday Willys MB with the Station Wagon and, later, the Wagoneer.

In doing so, it created two of the earliest SUVs. With a straight-six engine, optional four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, the Wagoneer squeezed up-to-date technologies in a reliable, off-road package.

This classic Jeep is being offered without reserve, but the brake system needs to be rebuilt before it can be driven, which any prospective bidder should bear in mind.

8. 1967 Maserati Quattroporte fire engine (est: €150-250,000)

Those lining up for the Italian Grand Prix in the late 1960s must’ve felt reassured by the five Maserati-based fire engines that lined the circuit.

Built by Carrozzeria Grazia in Bologna for fire-extinguisher maker CEA, these fire-fighting Quattroportes were equipped with a hefty hose and a big tank of water.

This car, offered with no reserve, was restored between 2011 and 2017.

9. 1970 De Tomaso Mangusta (est: €240-300,000)

Following the Vallelunga, the Mangusta was De Tomaso’s second road car.

Powered by a Ford V8 engine (in this case, the more powerful 302cc unit), the Italian marque sold 401 of these head-turning supercars.

Most were fitted with quad headlamps, but 64 cars left the Modena works with a funky pop-up design, as seen here.

10. 1970 Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S Coupé (est: €100-130,000)

In 1968, Mazda introduced a more powerful, long-wheelbase version of the rotary-powered Cosmo coupé, known as the L10B.

This car is one of 1176 examples built. It was restored in 2015 by a rotary-engine specialist who travelled from Japan to France for the job.

And this won’t be the car’s first time at Rétromobile; it’s a former star of the official Mazda stand at the French show.

11. 1980 BMW M1 (est: €480-550,000)

Designed from the ground up by BMW ‘M’, the handbuilt M1 packed motorsport technologies into a stylish, Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned silhouette.

Most of the c450 BMW M1s built were road cars and this one, number 276, was finished in October 1980.

It has covered just 21,142km (c13,100 miles) and factory records show that its 3.5-litre straight-six engine is original, too.

12. 2004 Renault Clio V6 (est: €70-110,000)

French car manufacturers have a long history of producing models that are an, often delightful, break from the norm, and the Renault Clio V6 is one of the more modern examples of this trend.

Inspired by the Renault 5 Turbo and created with help from Tom Walkinshaw Racing, engineers ditched the Clio’s rear seats in favour of a mid-mounted V6 engine.

This four-owner Phase 2 car makes 252bhp and has covered just 28,223km (c17,500 miles).