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Coachbuilt Classics at Rétromobile

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Coachbuilt Classics at Rétromobile

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 5, 2016

1951 Salmson G72 Coupe by Saoutchik

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Salmson, the French auto manufacturer, built cars up through 1957. They had a range of sedans and two-doors. This is a G72, a model introduced in 1950. Most G72s were sedans, but some of them were sent to coachbuilders for something a little more fancy. Power was supplied by a 2.3-liter straight-four.

This car was bodied by Saoutchik, the legendary French coachbuilder. It was repainted some 25 years ago but otherwise it is original. Only 254 of this series of the G72 were produced and this one carries a one-off body. It should bring between $175,000-$240,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $207,019

1953 Renault Frégate Ondine Cabriolet by Ghia

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Renault Frégate was Renault’s executive sedan that they built between 1951 and 1960. Estate wagons were available as well, under different names. Renault showed a convertible at the 1953 Paris Motor Show, but it never entered production. Later, three more examples were shown and two disappeared. It is believed this is the only survivor of those cars.

The body is actually made of some kind of polyester blend. We’re really not sure what that means, but the engine is likely a 2.0-liter straight-four. The restoration was completed in the 1990s and it is believed that this car was used by legendary French singer Edith Piaf in the 1950s. It is the only car like it and it should bring between $87,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Sold $86,814.

1939 Graham-Paige Type 97 Supercharged Cabriolet by Pourtout

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Graham brothers of Dearborn, Michigan, began producing their own trucks in 1922 after years of modifying Fords. That company was bought by Dodge in 1925 and the brothers joined Dodge’s board. But when Chrysler took over Dodge in 1928, the Graham brand was soon phased out. Good thing the brothers bought the Paige-Detroit Motor Company in 1927.

So in 1928, the Graham-Paige marque was introduced. In 1938 they introduced a bold (and awesome) new style that they built in low quantities through 1941. After the war, the automotive portion of the company was acquired by Kaiser-Frazer (which never reintroduced the Graham-Paige automobile brand), but Graham-Paige, strangely, soldiered on as a real estate company into the 1960s before becoming the Madison Square Garden Corporation. Weird, huh?

Anyway, the Type 97 Supercharged was built in 1938 and 1939. It is powered by a supercharged 3.5-liter straight-six making 115 horsepower. This car left Graham-Paige as a coupe (they didn’t offer a convertible) and made its way to France to be bodied by Pourtout in Paris. It may be the only such car with this body. It has been restored and should sell for between $165,000-$215,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $186,985.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017, $770,000.

1949 Delahaye 135MS Coupe by Ghia

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Delahaye 135 was one of their best models. It lasted (in some form) between 1935 and 1954. The 135MS was the sportiest version – sometimes it was a race car, and sometimes it was a road car. It was the final Delahaye car available for purchase before the brand was phased out.

Bodies for the car varied widely. This car, with its covered wheels and sort of boxy design, was styled by Ghia in Turin. It’s beautiful. The engine is a 3.6-liter straight-six making 120 horsepower. It was built for the Shah of Iran who owned it until the late 1950s when it went back to Europe. Since then it spent time in the Blackhawk Collection and the John O’Quinn collection. The restoration was carried out sometime in the early 1990s. It’s a wonderful car and one of three Delahaye 135s styled by Ghia. It should sell for between $210,000-$285,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $180,307.

1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport by Dubos

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Talbot-Lago T26 Record was a car introduced by Talbot-Lago in 1946. In late 1947, a Grand Sport version was introduced, which included a more powerful 4.5-liter straight-six making 190 horsepower (in this form). Grand Sport cars (that weren’t race cars) were all sent out to coachbuilders to have some of the best designs of the period attached to them.

This one went to Carrossier Louis Dubos near Paris for this elegant cabriolet that, while originally black, looks glorious in white. Never completely restored, mechanical bits have been redone as needed. This is one of three T26s bodied by Dubos and the only Grand Sport to wear one of their bodies. It should sell for between $260,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $293,834.

Renault Frégate by Ghia

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1953 Renault Frégate Ondine Cabriolet by Ghia

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 5, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Renault Frégate was Renault’s executive sedan that they built between 1951 and 1960. Estate wagons were available as well, under different names. Renault showed a convertible at the 1953 Paris Motor Show, but it never entered production. Later, three more examples were shown and two disappeared. It is believed this is the only survivor of those cars.

The body is actually made of some kind of polyester blend. We’re really not sure what that means, but the engine is likely a 2.0-liter straight-four. The restoration was completed in the 1990s and it is believed that this car was used by legendary French singer Edith Piaf in the 1950s. It is the only car like it and it should bring between $87,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Sold $86,814.

Renault Cape Top Victoria

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1909 Renault Series B V-1 20/30 Cape Top Victoria by Brewster

Offered by Bonhams | Ebeltoft, Denmark | September 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Louis Renault and his brothers started building cars right before the turn of the century. They built a lot of cars early on, using De Dion engines at the beginning before switching to their own engines in 1903. Shortly after that, their range expanded and they built both small and large cars.

This Series B Type V1 was on the larger side, using a 4.4-liter straight-four making 20/30 horsepower. This large French tourer was actually bodied in America – on Long Island, in fact, by Brewster. The rear passenger compartment is enormous.

This car has known history back to the 1970s when it was an unrestored, low-milage car. It was restored in the late-1990s. It’s a beautiful, rare early Renault. A lot of smaller Renaults exist from this period, but the larger cars are much rarer. This car was undoubtedly owned by someone fairly rich when new and you can now feel just like them. It should sell for between $180,000-$230,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $120,333.

1990 Williams F1 Car

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1990 Williams-Renault FW13B

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Can you believe the Williams F1 team has been around since 1978? Considering they do not have huge funding dollars from a road-car division and were founded by a travelling grocery salesman and an engineer, they’ve done pretty well.

The FW13 was used in the final four races of the 1989 season and for 1990 it was updated to the spec you see here, and dubbed FW13B. It is powered by a naturally-aspirated Renault 3.5-liter RS2 V-10 and the car was used for the entire 1990 season.

The racing resume for this car includes:

  • 1990 United States Grand Prix – 3rd (with Thierry Boutsen)
  • 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix – 5th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Japanese Grand Prix – 4th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Australian Grand Prix – 6th (with Boutsen)

This car may never have won a race, but its sister cars did in the hands of both Boutsen and teammate Riccardo Patrese. The Canon Williams livery is a great 1990s F1 paint scheme. If you want to take this to track days, you’ll need to put in a little work as the Renault V-10 is currently inoperable (although it is correct). It should sell for between $140,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $160,748.

Renault Sport Spider

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1997 Renault Sport Spider

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Birmingham, U.K. | March 28, 2015

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Renault isn’t really a company known for their sports cars. In the 1980s, they had the 5 Turbo, one of the hottest of hatches of the era. In the 1990s, Renault decided they needed a vehicle that would draw attention to their brand. So they turned to their in-house sporting division, Renault Sport (a division that traces its roots back to Alpine and Gordini), to build one.

The Spider went on sale in 1996 and was discontinued in the 1998 model year. They were powered by a mid-rear-mounted 2.0-liter straight-four making 148 horsepower. Renault also hosted a one-make racing series for these cars that lasted from 1995 through 1999.

This car is a 1990s classic. It’s one of the more unique vehicles produced by any major manufacturer during the decade and will be always be collectible for both its one-of-a-kind styling and rareness. Only 1,635 were built and this is one of only 60 right-hand drive examples. It should sell for between $27,000-$33,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $33,300.

Renault Delivery Van

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1909 Renault Camionette Delivery Truck

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This old Renault is a good example of how early automakers were able to transform their road vehicles into commercial vehicles without too much undue effort. If you look at everything from the seats forward, it’s very much an early Renault road car. The fact that it has an extended wheelbase and a big box on the back is what turns it into a work truck.

Or more of a van, really, as camionette is French for “van.” Like many early Renaults, this is powered by a two-cylinder engine. The steering wheel is on the right and there is actually a windshield, although weather protection as a whole leaves something to be desired.

If you own a business, this is the vehicle for you. Have it repainted with your logo on the side and use it as a promotional vehicle. It will draw a crowd wherever it goes. This former museum piece is offered with an estimate between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $39,600.

Renault 40CV Torpedo

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1925 Renault 40CV Torpedo

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Renault began by producing small, De Dion-powered automobiles and even today they’re known primarily for their smaller cars. But for a brief period of time, they built some big fanciful cars, like this the 40CV.

In fact, not only was this Renault’s big car, it was the biggest car on the market at the time (until Bugatti topped them all with the Royale). This car is powered by an absolutely massive 9.1-liter straight-six that makes about 120 horsepower. These were seriously grand cars, rivaling the best from Rolls-Royce and Panhard and other European marques. As proof, between 1920 and 1928, the 40CV was the official car for the French President.

All were custom built to suit. This one carries its original coachwork, although the coachbuilder has never been identified. It was owned by the Nethercutt Collection between 1984 and 2010 and the restoration is over 20 years old.

Although introduced originally in 1911, the 40CV underwent changes over the years and the final “HF” version featuring the 9.1-liter engine was new for 1920. Between 1924 and the end of production in 1928, only 608 were built. Only six are known to survive and only a few of those are in private hands. This is your chance to be one of very few. It should bring between $410,000-$520,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update II: Not sold, Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2016, high bid of $357,500.

Update III: Not sold, Auctions America Ft. Lauderdale 2016, high bid of $290,000.

Renault DP Coupe-Chauffeur

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1913 Renault Type DP 22/24HP Coupe-Chauffeur by Renaudin et Besson

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 6, 2015

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

What you can’t see in this image (and what you’ll have to go to Artcurial’s website to check out) are pictures of this car’s interior. It looks like a haunted house in there (and it’s kind of frightening in a kids-in-Victorian-clothing kind of way from the outside too). We sometimes think of the Twentieth Century as “modern times,”  but if you think about it, our knowledge of pop culture doesn’t really go back any farther than the 40s or 30s, or, in some cases, the 20s. But pop culture in the 1900s and 1910s is a mystery to most of us – and so is what they considered stylish and what constituted general day-to-day life. Look at the interior of this car and you can see how far we’ve come.

That was a bit of rant, but here’s some info about this car: the Type DP was built between 1913 and 1914 only. It uses a 5.0-liter, water-cooled straight-four making 24 horsepower. The body here is by Renaudin et Besson of Paris and it is mostly wooden.

This was Renault’s flagship car prior to WWI and this example has been in the same family since new (it is now owned by the great-great grandson of the original owner). It has never been restored and is ripe for preservation awards the world over. It’s really an incredible time capsule and can be yours for between $350,000-$590,000. Click here for  more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, Gooding & Company Pebble Beach 2023, $78,400.

September 2014 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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Our next five auction results and highlights start with Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale, where the ex-Fox & Nicholl team car 1936 Lagonda LG45R Rapide race car broke a record for the marque, bringing $2,564,680.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured OM Superba wasn’t far behind at $2,038,669. The pre-war Maserati Grand Prix car brought $984,190. Of the two Abarths we featured, the 2000 Sport Spider brought more, selling for $302,415 while the 1000 Sport Tubolare “only” managed $198,786. Interesting sales were topped by this ex-Alex Zanardi 1999 Williams-Supertec Renault FW21 for $148,864.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our other feature car, the Chenard et Walcker, sold for $56,002. Check out full results here. Next up is Mecum’s Dallas sale, where this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible was the top sale at $680,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Our featured Vector disappeared from the auction catalog (and not for the first time). A previously featured Locomobile failed to sell (and not for the first time either). Interesting cars were topped by the strong money put up for this 1935 Reo Speedwagon Pickup: $93,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Our featured Maxwell sold for $13,500 – a steal for a 100+ year old car. Check out full results here. Our third auction this go-round was Silverstone’ Autumn sale. This 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS bagged top honors, selling for $144,330.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Our feature cars both sold. The Lynx Eventer brought $46,863 and the Ginetta G15 $21,557. Check out full results here. We featured one car from Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas sale, the ’69 Mustang Boss 302. It sold for $88,000. The top sale was actually sold for charity, so the next top actual sale was this 2013 Lamborghini Aventador for $440,000. Click here for full results.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Finally, Coys’ Nurburgring sale, where our featured Shadow F1 car was the top sale for $582,900. Check out full results here.

Renault Type II

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1922 Renault Type II Tourer

Offered by H&H Auctions | Rockingham Castle, U.K. | June 21, 2014

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

Early Renaults are very distinctive. They had the weird sloped nose you see here with no radiator to speak of. And this big bug-eyed headlights next to it. The windshield is kind of narrow and they have solid flat rims. I wouldn’t call it “dorky” – but more “uniquely French.”

The Type II was introduced either in 1919 or 1922 and lasted likely through 1923. The engine is a 2.1-liter straight-four making 10 taxable horsepower. It was the smallest engine Renault made for those years.

This nice four-seat tourer has a fairly well-known history for being what it is. It has been fixed as needed and would be a great driver and tourer. It should sell for between $20,000-$23,750. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.