Multi-million pound Ferraris head Bonhams|Cars’ Grand Palais sale
There was a definite competition feel to the highest-selling lots at the recent Bonhams|Cars Grand Palais sale. There was no shortage of pure road cars at the Parisian auction, but it was the racing-derived machinery that got the auction room most excited and led to the highest prices being bid. A strong showing throughout, there was a 91 per cent sell-through and a total €18million (£15million) bid. As predicted, it was two 1950s Ferraris that topped things off.
1950 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta
Sold for €2,817,500 including premium
Having come fourth overall in the 1951 Mille Miglia and now being eligible for numerous historic events including the Le Mans Classic, Tour de France and Monaco Historic, it’s little wonder this 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta topped the Grand Palais sale.
Its first owner was Count Paolo Marzotto who specified it with a stripped-out interior for competition use, and that’s how it was used for the first decade of its life. Let’s hope the new owner continues to compete with it. Bidding topped out at just over €2.8million (£2.3million) including premium.
1954-’55 Ferrari Tipo 555 ‘Super Squalo’
Sold for €1,983,750 including premium
Another 1950s Ferrari with period competition provenance is this 1954-’55 Ferrari Tipo 555 ‘Super Squalo’, which scored World Championship points at Spa-Francorchamps in 1955. There aren’t many front-engined Grand Prix cars left that have been driven by a World Championship-winning driver, but this one has been driven by two: Dr Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina and Mike Hawthorn.
Added to that is the fact it’s one of only two surviving Tipo 555 ‘Super Squalo’ cars and it was a rare opportunity indeed. It was bid to just under €2million (£1.7million) including premium.
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater
Sold for €759,000 including premium
Into the blue corner. This 1925 Bugatti Type 35 started its life in Spain; its second owner (when the car was four years old), Rogelio Periquet, was a 20-something lawyer from Madrid who was also the author of two film scripts and an opponent of Franco, which led to his imprisonment.
During the Spanish Civil War, many cars were requisitioned so multiple owners dismantled them to render them unusable. Perhaps that’s why this example no longer has matching numbers: the engine originated in a car four chassis numbers earlier. Prior to the sale, it had been in the same collection for 60 years. It sold for €759,000 (£632,200) including premium.
1985 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale
Sold for €626,750 including premium
The Lancia Delta S4 followed the 037 as the Italian outfit’s contender for Group B, arriving shortly before the category was banned because of safety fears. Before that, though, it was able to claim a win at the 1986 Monte Carlo rally. There was supposed to be 200 built to meet homologation rules but it is believed only 71 were actually assembled and likely that the parts for the unbuilt cars were destroyed.
This 5,600km example is utterly original, even down to the paint. It was supplied new by Coombs of Guidford before being exported to France in 1990. For the last 25 years it has had the same owner and comes with the original sales invoice. When new, it cost the first owner £44,442 – that’s the equivalent of £135,000, adjusted for inflation. It did rather better in the auction, selling for €626,750 (£522,000) including premium.
1969 Matra MS640 Continuation
Sold for €488,750 including premium
The Matra MS640 was designed for one purpose: to win the Le Mans 24-hour. With its tubular spaceframe chassis, V12 engine and innovative focus on aerodynamics, it showed plenty of promise. Sadly, though, it was never realised. A serious crash with Henri Pescarolo in testing saw the project come to a premature end.
The charred remains remained in stasis until the 1990s when an ambitious restoration project began. The engine and gearbox from MS640-01 were used in MS640-02 to create not a replica, but a realisation of that stillborn project. It sold for €488,750 (£407,100) including premium and is eligible for a number of historic events.
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