Bonhams once again auctioned off a selection of special classic cars at the Concours Art & Elégance Chanilly near Parison June 30, 2019. After two withdrawals, 37 cars with an average age of almost 59 years finally went under the hammer.
The total value of the vehicles amounted to around EUR 9.2 million or CHF 10.3 million. Each car was therefore expected to fetch EUR 237,000.
Almost all the cars were driven up, which normally gives the bidding public additional confidence.
23 brands
23 car manufacturers on 37 vehicles, which gave rise to expectations of great diversity.
Only Alfa Romeo with 5, Mercedes-Benz with 4 and Porsche with 3 cars stood out, the other brands were represented with a maximum of two cars, including manufacturers that have long since disappeared such as Gordini, Intermeccanica, Invicta and Salmson.
Gordini as the most expensive car
Although higher prices were expected for a BMW 507 from 1959 and a Shelby Cobra 427 from 1966, when these two failed to find a new owner, the way was clear for the Gordini 15S from 1952.
The hammer fell at EUR 600,000, and the new owner paid EUR 690,000 for the rare car, which enjoyed sporting success both as a monoposto and as a two-seater (including at Le Mans) in its best years.
French specialties less in demand
However, the sale of the Gordini could not hide the fact that the Chantilly bidders showed little enthusiasm for French cars. Although all but one of the five French cars found a new owner, the hammer prices were below the average for the entire auction as well as below those of other national delegations.
The restoration project of a Peugeot 402 Eclipse from 1936, which could even be demonstrated with a functioning electric steel folding roof, did not end up in new hands, but nevertheless did not attract any bids above the reserve price.
The Salmson 2300 Sport Coupé from 1954 is also an undisputed rarity and was finally acquired by its new owner for a fair EUR 50,600.
The Citroën DS 19 Cabriolet from 1962 was also sold for EUR 178,250, just below expectations, while the Citroën 2 CV Charleston from 1989 went to the lucky buyer for a surprisingly reasonable EUR 18,400 (around half the estimate).
Superclassics did not meet with enough love
Of course, the super classics were not missing in Chantilly. But in some cases, the bidders did not want to exceed the minimum prices asked.
The Shelby Cobra from 1966, one of the few originals with chassis CSX3276, stopped at EUR 700,000, while a Maserati Ghibli 4700 from 1971 did not elicit more than EUR 130,000 from the bidders.
The two open-top BMW classics 507 (highest bid EUR 1.6 million) and Z8 (EUR 160,000) were not sold either, although the highest bids still amounted to around 80% of the median estimate.
However, the 1964 Maserati Sebring (EUR 89,700) and the 1956 Jaguar XK 140 DHC (EUR 88,550) found a new owner.
Of the four Mercedes-Benz convertibles, the 190 SL from 1955 (EUR 95,450) and the 220 SEb as a convertible from 1963 (EUR 82,800) were handed over to new owners, while a 230 SL and a 220 S Ponton Cabriolet were left behind.
Exotics did not have it easy
Both the Intermeccanica Indra Fastback Coupé from 1973 and the Invicta 12/45 4 1/2 Litre Tourer from 1932 were sold, but the highest bid was only just over half of expectations.
Although more was offered for the Arnolt-Bristol DeLuxe Roadster from 1954, the EUR 240,000 was not enough to win the bid.
A total of 19 of the 37 cars were sold, i.e. just over half. On average, 72% of the median estimate was bid, the average highest bid was EUR 181,000 and the average selling price was EUR 132,000. This means that the cheaper cars and, of course, the six cars that were offered without a reserve price tended to be bought.
Compared to previous Chantilly auctions, the 2019 version performed slightly worse. The results are evidence of critical bidders who were apparently in a waiting mood rather than a buying mood.
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 | Citroën 2CV6 Charleston (Jg. Ca.) | 1989 | 25'000 | 35'000 | 16'000 | 18'400 | 20'424 | -38.67%
|
V |
| 02 | Volkswagen Type 2 Combi Van | 1956 | 30'000 | 50'000 | 12'500 | 14'375 | 15'956 | -64.06%
|
V |
| 03 | MG Midget TF Roadster | 1954 | 40'000 | 60'000 | 31'000 | N | |||
| 04 | Austin-Healey 100M Roadster | 1955 | 110'000 | 150'000 | 95'000 | N | |||
| 05 | Lancia Flaminia GT Cabriolet | 1960 | 120'000 | 160'000 | 92'000 | N | |||
| 06 | BMW Z8 Roadster | 2001 | 180'000 | 240'000 | 160'000 | N | |||
| 07 | Citroën DS19 Décapotable | 1962 | 170'000 | 200'000 | 155'000 | 178'250 | 197'857 | -3.65%
|
V |
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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
