Artcurial recorded sales of €14.6million – selling two cars for in excess of €1million – as Alain Delon’s Ferrari Testarossa more than doubled its estimate on 8 February in Paris.
The heartthrob’s supercar had been expected to make €40-80,000, but its connection to the great man (who had owned the car from new) meant a bidding war erupted in the room, over the phones and on the internet, with the Ferrari eventually selling for €171,500.
While the Testarossa attracted much of the pre-sale interest, it was soundly beaten to top sale on the day by a 1936 Talbot-Lago T150, which made €1,461,800.
As the first new car produced under his ownership, the T150 charted the work of Anthony Lago who had the machine built specifically to fit regulations introduced by the Automobile Club de France in 1935.
In an auction that nudged a huge 90% sale rate it was a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Cabriolet that took second-placed result at €1,036,300.
It had a list of honours to its name including Best in Show at Pebble Beach and People’s Choice at the Louis Vuitton Classic.
The remaining top-five sales went to a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT cabriolet (€846,000), a 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet Vanvooren (€586,100) and an ex-Artioli 1995 Bugatti EB110SS (€448,900).
