The "Sur Les Champs" auctions, to which the Champs-Elyséees in Paris gave its name, have already become a tradition. However, the auction planned for November 1, 2020 had to be postponed by a month due to the pandemic and then took place on December 3, 2020. Hervé Poulain swung his hammer over 59 cars and five motorcycles/mopeds.
In accordance with the current Covid rules, the on-site auction was held in Paris with a small audience and many of the bids were submitted by telephone call or online.
Varied offer
33 brands were gathered in Paris, with Porsche best represented with 12 cars, followed by Jaguar (6) and BMW, Fiat and Maserati with 3 cars each. French brands were also represented, albeit with a maximum of two cars, including Alpine, Chenard & Walcker, Citroën, Delage, Facel, Peugeot and Talbot.
The vehicles had an average age of 49 years. As many as five vehicles were from the pre-war period, three of which could be sold.
At the other end of the spectrum, there were nine youngtimers and five neoclassics for sale, four of which found a new owner, including the 2009 Lotus Elise SC Clark Type 25 for EUR 41,720.
Expensive cars had a hard time
Five of the 20 most valuable cars were sold, and two of the 10 most expensive. On average, the offers were an acceptable 77.8 percent of the median estimated value; high expectations prevented the sale in many cases.
This applied to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing from 1955 (highest bid EUR 935,000) as well as the Dino 246 GT from 1972 (EUR 270,000) or the Maserati Bora 4700 from 1972, which was once bought by Ferdinand Piëch (EUR 130,000).
Super classics with little traction
Like the Maserati Bora, the unsold cars included other super classics, such as a Citroën DS 19 Cabriolet from 1964 (highest bid EUR 148,000), several Jaguar E-Types and a Porsche 911 S 2.4 from 1973 (EUR 92,000).
Exceptions included a De Tomaso Pantera GTS from 1972, which was sold for a reasonable EUR 107,280. The Facel Vega FV4 Coupé from 1957 also found a new owner, with the buyer paying EUR 160,920.
The special AC Ace Bristol
With only two owners and just 18,000 km on the clock, the AC Ace Bristol from 1960 with chassis number BEX1064 is certainly one of the exceptions. Imported new to France, it has the steering wheel on the left. However, anyone who had imagined a car in new condition was proven wrong when looking at the catalog pictures. Although the car was complete and very original, it was also a garage find that had not been moved for many years.
EUR 300,000 to 500,000 was the estimate, certainly (at the upper end) an ambitious estimate. No more than EUR 310,000 was offered, the car was sold for EUR 369,520 and is now likely to cause a conflict of objectives for the new owner: Keep it as true to the original as possible or restore it completely?
Chenard & Walcker Type Y8 sold
The Chenard & Walcker was a restoration object with an innovative tank superstructure for the time, almost a pontoon body. The 1928 car, which was unfortunately missing its engine, was comparatively complete and was now expected to cost EUR 20,000 to 30,000 (sans reserve).
The highest bid reached exactly the lower estimate, which meant a sale price of EUR 23,840 (including bidder's commission and French VAT on the commission).
Young classics also
Among the younger cars, an Alpine GTA V6 from 1990 (EUR 35,000 to 55,000) stood out, which was a rare special series under the Alpine name and not Renault-Alpine.
Nevertheless, nobody wanted to bid more than EUR 30,000. The car remained unsold.
Things went better for a 1991 Honda NSX, for which EUR 50,000 to 70,000 was expected. Although the highest bid here was also below the estimated value, the Japanese super sports car, which Ayrton Senna once helped to achieve its above-average handling, was sold for EUR 53,640.
A special motorcycle
For once, a motorcycle with a sales price of EUR 22,052 managed to break into the automobile value range. It was a Kawasaki 750 H2 from 1972. What was so special about it?
The Kawa has a three-cylinder two-stroke engine, which gives it an inimitable sound and formidable performance for the time. In addition, the motorcycle was completely restored for around EUR 15,000 and presented itself in practically new condition.
Satisfactory statistics
The result of the auction was not really great for Artcurial. 58 % of the lots were sold, and 54 % of the cars alone. On average, 80% of the median estimate was bid. Instead of the hoped-for EUR 6.18 million, EUR 2.0 million was raised. An average of EUR 61,460 was paid per car, not much compared to the 104,220 that was estimated.
Offered and Sold Vehicles
The following table lists all offered and sold vehicles with estimated prices, highest bids, and sale prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid on the auction day. All information is provided without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | EUR Est from | EUR Est to | EUR HP | EUR SP | CHF SP | % Est | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Solex Flash (Jg. Ca.) | 1970 | 400 | 800 | 700 | 834 | 900 | +39%
|
V |
| 02 | Solex Flash (Jg. Ca.) | 1970 | 400 | 800 | 600 | 715 | 772 | +19.17%
|
V |
| 03 | Lambretta 175 TV2 | 1961 | 5000 | 7000 | 3500 | 4172 | 4505 | -30.47%
|
V |
| 04 | Harley-Davidson 1340 Springer | 1991 | 8000 | 12'000 | 11'000 | 13'112 | 14'160 | +31.12%
|
V |
| 05 | Kawasaki 750 H2 | 1972 | 14'000 | 18'000 | 18'500 | 22'052 | 23'816 | +37.82%
|
V |
| 06 | Bond Bug 1000 cc Yamaha | 1973 | 20'000 | 30'000 | 13'000 | 15'496 | 16'735 | -38.02%
|
V |
| 07 | BMW 633 CSI | 1978 | 8000 | 12'000 | 12'500 | 14'900 | 16'092 | +49%
|
V |
All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
