Bonhams Grandes Marques à Paris sale will be the first event of Bonhams Motorcars Europe for 2022. The event will be held at the Grand Palais Ephémère, by the Eiffel Tower, and it will feature some really great examples like the 1964 Porsche 904 GTS which was formerly owned by Hollywood royalty, the actor Robert Redford.
The 904 was the last of the renowned ‘giant killer’ racing cars from Porsche. It is a mid-engined, GT racer equipped with a fiberglass body and has proven itself in sports-car racing. It was entered in the Targa Florio, and it even got a podium finish in the Monte Carlo Rally. The example was originally owned by the founder of the Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca, Steve Earle. Its second owner, Steve Berg, was the one who campaigned it at known North American venues like the Laguna Seca. Eventually, the example was acquired by Robert Redford who took care of the example for almost a decade. The example is estimated to be worth €1,300,000 to €1,600,000.
A selection of highly desirable classic and modern supercars will accompany the 904, like this coveted 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari. It is one of only 499 units made of the F-1 inspired hybrid Maranello Special edition hypercar. It is estimated to be roughly around €2,000,000 to €2,500,000.
The Modena manufacturer described the Formula 1 and GT-inspired supercar as the ‘most ambitious’ Ferrari. It is the first production car to have the F1-derived HY-KERS hybrid system. It has a combination of a 6.3-liver V12 engine and electric motor that enables it to have a total output of 950hp. It can go from 0 to 100 kph in less than three seconds with a top speed of more than 350 kph. The example has a yellow finish matched with black interior. It is a low mileage example, having covered only 930 kms from new and offered by its second owner.
The 1996 Bugatti EB110 GT Coupé is another interesting example that will be offered during the sale. What sets this model apart is that there is a significant gap between the EB110 GT Coupé and the Bugatti immediately preceding it which was produced back in 1956. The EB110 was the brainchild of the same person who revived the brand, Romano Artioli, it was designed by Marcello Gandini, and hand built in Capogaliano, in Italy’s ‘motor valley’.
Although the EB110 had really fierce competition coming from the McLaren F1 and Jaguar XJ220, the EB110 simply left their competition in the dust by setting four world speed records, one of which was the record for fastest series production sports car. It is equipped with a 3.5-liter V12 engine with four turbochargers that is said to be able to deliver a maximum speed of 340 kph. There were only 95 GT units produced, and the example has had only three owners from new with a total mileage of roughly around 10,000 kms. The EB110 GT is estimated to be worth €1,100,000 to €1,300,000.
The upcoming Les Grandes Marques à Paris Sale will have the widest variety of collector’s motor cars they’ve offered so far, with the history of the cars spanning more than 100 years of motoring excellence. They will also have some really impressive collection of veteran motor cars coming from a single-family ownership of more than 120 years.
Over the years, the event has established themselves for offering the finest pre-war motor cars, and in the coming 2022 sale, the team will definitely deliver, starting with the 1938 Type 57C Special Coupé known as ‘Le Patron’. Before the Second World War, Ettore Bugatti himself as well as factory drivers Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist used the example. It was also eventually used by Pierre Marco, Bugatti’s General Manager.
‘Le Patron’ was used as a development car for twenty years. So, it is unsurprising that new ideas and components were used on the car. Due to this, it has a lot of unique features like the bespoke coachwork, which is believed to be Jean’s – Ettore’s son – last design. It also has a highly developed supercharged engine.
Since it left its factory ownership, this historically significant and completely original car has had only a handful of owners. It is currently being offered by one of the most well-respected private collectors in Europe after having been its custodian for the last decade. The example is estimated to be around €1,600,000 to €2,000,000.
Another beautiful pre-war supercharged powered automotive is the 1934 Mercedes-Benz 380K Cabriolet A. It was created as a luxurious long-distance touring car. The Sindelfingen 380K was the predecessor of the 500 k and 540 K models. There was only a total of 16 Cabriolet A variants that were produced in a span of two years. The example is estimated to be worth €1,200,000 to €1,600,000.
A variety of great names in the automotive world from the pre-war period is on offer from The Dolleschel Collection. The names include Hispano-Suiza, Delauney-Belleville, and Panhard. There are four Hispano Suiza to be offered led by the 1921 Hispano-Suiza H6B Torpedo. It still has its original Divivier coachwork, and it has also kept its original interior, which was commissioned by its first owner, Francophile New Yorker John Jay Ide, U.S. diplomat and the first justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Jay’s great-great-grandson. It is estimated to be around €300,000 to €400,000.
Another very interesting example in the highly valuable and impressive collection is the 1902 Panhard & Levassor Type A2 7HP Tonneau à entrée par l’arrière. It is an impressively authentic example and is one of the best survivors of its genre. It has kept its original matching numbers, coachwork, and even the leather trim work. The consigner has even successfully entered the example in the London to Brighton Run. It is estimated to be around €300,000 to €360,000.
The Grandes Marques à Paris Sale
The 2022 auction event will be held in a new venue, the Grand Palais Ephémère. While the original is undergoing major renovations, they event will be held at the new exhibition pavilion on the Champs de Mars.
The upcoming sale will be a traditional live auction which will start on February 3, Thursday. Bids from clients in attendance will be accepted, and of course, all social distancing and local COVID-related guidelines will be strictly followed.
Those that are unable to attend in person is still in luck as the event will be available on the Bonhams App. Registered bidders can still bid online and in real time through Bonhams.com as they watch the auctioneer and check the videos of the cars on offer.
They also encourage and will gladly accept absentee and telephone bids.
Those who are interested to check out the Les Grandes Marques à Paris Sale catalogue can do so at https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27526/.
The pre-sale viewing will be held on February 2, Wednesday and it will be held at the Grand Palais Ephémère from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. There will also be a pre-sale viewing on the day of the auction starting at 9:00 am. The automobilia sale will start at 11:00 am while the motor cars sale will start at 2:00 pm.
