Artcurial's "Sur les Champs" auctions are already a tradition. In 2019, the French auction house once again offered 70 cars in Paris on Sunday, October 27, 2019. There were also almost 50 motorcycles, which found new owners at reasonable prices.
The cars were on average 44 years old and were expected to find new owners for a total of over EUR 7 million.
Cautious buyers
However, the auction did not go as quickly as hoped. The bidders were less willing to spend than hoped. On average, the highest bids were 77 percent of the median estimate. 26 lots came in at less than 70% of the median estimate. Of course, only those without a reserve price were sold from this group.
For example, an Austin Mini Mik I De Luxe from 1966 went for just EUR 7540, while a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair 900 Monza was available as a convertible for just EUR 13,920.
And for a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II from 1991, the buyer only had to pay EUR 15,080.
The Simca 8 as a Facel Sport Cabriolet from 1950, which sold for EUR 29,000, was certainly also reasonably priced.
Overall, sales of the cars amounted to just EUR 1.82 million instead of the expected EUR 7 million, which was mainly due to the fact that the expensive cars in particular were not very popular.
Porsche and Ferrari with moderate results
The sports cars of the Porsche (12 vehicles) and Ferrari (9) brands were the most strongly represented at the Artcurial auction in Paris. Only Mercedes-Benz was able to come up with a larger number of cars (8), while the other manufacturers were represented with less than a handful of vehicles.
Less than half of the Ferrari and Porsche sports cars found new owners in Paris.
From bargain to investment - Ferrari Testarossa of the eighties
It may have come as a surprise to some that a Ferrari Testarossa from 1988 was offered with an estimated price of EUR 20,000 to 30,000 (and without a reserve price). However, a closer look at the catalog revealed that the car had not been driven since 2011 and that the service work required to bring it back into service was estimated at around EUR 32,000 by a Ferrari dealership. In addition, there were various optical defects to be rectified, so that further costs were to be expected despite the low mileage of 34,361 km.
However, this did not stop the bidders from haggling vigorously for the Testarossa. The hammer only fell at EUR 56,000, with the buyer investing EUR 64,960 in the red flounder.
Rare Fiat 8V Coupé unlucky
Right after the Testarossa, the highlight of the auction, a 1953 Fiat 8V with Rapi bodywork and chassis number 000012, was called. Only 34 of these coupés were built as part of the first series and the car on offer was advertised as the third oldest surviving example.
However, the expected EUR 1.1 to 1.3 million was nowhere near reached for the restored coupé. Bidding stopped at EUR 950,000 and the Otto Vu remained unsold.
Rare pre-war Bugatti without a new owner
Hardly less rare, but only half as expensive as the Fiat, was the Bugatti 23 from 1924 with a two-seater body. EUR 550,000 to 650,000 had been estimated for chassis 2146 and was realistic thanks to its traceable history.
The bidders increased to EUR 460,000, which was not quite enough for a knockdown.
Some super classics unsold
Given the aforementioned high density of Porsches and Ferraris, it was understandable that the proportion of super classics was also impressive. However, only a small number of the attractive classics found a new owner, such as the Ferrari 308 GTB Vetreresina from 1976, for which EUR 119,480 was paid.
Porsche 911 variants in various forms and Jaguar E-Type (3 x) were just as present as a Maserati Bora from 1972 (highest bid EUR 100,000), a Facel Vega HK500 from 1959 (highest bid EUR 85,000) or a Cadillac Series 62 Convertible from 1960 (sold for EUR 73,080). On average, around one in two of these super classics found a new owner.
Interesting saloons and compact sports cars with new owners
Whether Peugeot 205 GTI (1.6) from 1985 (sold for EUR 16,240), Renault 5 Turbo from 1981 (sold for EUR 98,600) or BMW 2002 turbo from 1974 (sold for EUR 75,400), anyone looking for driving pleasure was sure to find what they were looking for at Artcurial.
Limousine fans also found what they were looking for, for example with an Alfa Romeo 155 Q4 from 1992 (sold for EUR 14,500) or an Alfa Romeo 164 QV from 1992 (sold for EUR 10,440), these cars certainly did not have to be overpaid for.
Fans of the VW bus could even choose from two first-generation examples. However, only the 1957 Samba De Luxe could be sold (EUR 104,400), while the 21-window Samba from 1966 stopped at EUR 70,000.
Youngtimers performed better than the neoclassics
In addition to eight new classics, of which only one Ferrari 456m GTA from 2000 could be sold, Artcurial also had nine youngtimers on offer, which performed significantly better.
A Porsche 911 Speedster 3.2 in Turbo livery from 1989, for example, found its way into a new garage for EUR 113,680, while a Mercedes-Benz 500 E from 1992 sold for EUR 47,560.
Overall, however, the Artcurial people must not have been entirely satisfied with the outcome of the Paris auction, as a sales rate of less than two thirds is not something they are used to.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205 | Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Série 2 | 1972 | 10'000 | 15'000 | 9000 | 10'440 | 11'484 | -16.48%
|
V |
| 206 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce | 1971 | 30'000 | 40'000 | 25'000 | 29'000 | 31'900 | -17.14%
|
V |
| 207 | Porsche 928 S | 1981 | 22'000 | 28'000 | 15'000 | N | |||
| 208 | Porsche 911 2,7L S Targa | 1974 | 50'000 | 70'000 | 38'000 | N | |||
| 209 | Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 L | 1986 | 60'000 | 80'000 | 46'000 | 53'360 | 58'696 | -23.77%
|
V |
| 210 | Volkswagen Microbus De Luxe "Samba" | 1957 | 90'000 | 120'000 | 90'000 | 104'400 | 114'840 | -0.57%
|
V |
| 211 | Chevrolet Corvette Stingray LT 1 coupé | 1971 | 30'000 | 40'000 | 30'000 | 34'800 | 38'280 | -0.57%
|
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
