31 lots have been announced for the Bonhams auction in Monaco, six of which are Honda small motorcycles. However, the cars on offer are exciting and a colorful mix.
A rare Delahaye from Le Mans goes under the hammer
A rare 1936 Delahaye 135 S Compétition Court racing car, known as "Buzz II", which took part in endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1930s, will be offered in this auction on April 23, during the weekend of the Monaco Historic Grand Prix (April 23-25). The estimated value is between 800,000 and 1,100,000 euros. The Delahaye 135, known for its success in races and Concours d'Elegance off the track, was one of the great sports cars of the pre-war era.
The French brand's successes were due in part to the efforts of Irish-American heiress Lucy Schell. A former racing driver, Schell became the first female team owner in motorsport. Her finest hour came at the 1938 Pau Grand Prix, when her semi-works Delahaye team defeated the seemingly unbeatable Mercedes team to take the chequered flag.
Two years earlier, Schell bought the 135 S on offer at Bonhams, which made its debut on the racetrack at the 1936 "Three Hours of Marseille" endurance race as part of Écurie Bleu, her three-car team. The sky blue livery of the cars, the French national color, together with the dull, "buzzing" sound of their engines earned them the nickname "Blue Buzz".
This car, Blue Buzz II, took part in pre-war Grand Prix races at Donington, Pau and Commiges, as well as endurance races such as the Belfast Tourist Trophy, before finding its greatest challenge in 1939 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the same year, the Delahaye was rebuilt in a more aerodynamic style by the renowned coachbuilder Chappes Frères.
After two further "facelifts" in the intervening years, the 135 S is now offered with a body in the style of the Chappes Frères body, while retaining the original suspension, engine and above all the original chassis - a rarity for a racing car from this period.
Simca Deho Barquette (1949), bodywork by Motto, estimate €190,000-240,000
This Simca Barchetta from 1949 was created by racing driver Jean Estager. He decided to convert a Simca Eight classic into a racing car, with a 1086 cc engine prepared by Simca specialist Roger Deho and a hand-formed aluminum body by the renowned Milanese coachbuilder Motto.
The car was sold in 1951 and its new owner wasted no time in registering it for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although the car was entered with the number 74 and the drivers Dblon-Daguet, it did not make it to the starting line, but it recovered by participating in various sporting events in the early 1950s, most notably Montlhéry in 1953.
The Barchetta was rediscovered as a barn find in the early 2000s, but still retained its original chassis and engine. Its next owner, a major Delahaye collector, undertook a full restoration of the car, but kept the interior of the driver's door in its original condition as a memento of the find.
Isdera Imperator 108i (1991), estimate €500,000 - 700,000
At the top of the list of exclusive and exotic road cars that would surely be parked outside the Casino de Monte-Carlo is a super sports car rarity - an Isdera Imperator 108i from 1991.
The Imperator was the realization of the Mercedes-Benz design experiment of the late 1970s. Engineer Eberhard Schulz, who led the original concept design team, founded Isdera to build his own super sports cars.
The 30 examples produced over nine years remained true to the original, simple concept. The super-light, striking gullwing body on a tubular steel chassis, coupled with the outrageous power of the highly regarded Mercedes-Benz M119 5-liter V8 engine, resulted in aunrivaled performance for the time, with a top speed of 275 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in five seconds.
The car on offer is painted in the traditional Silver Arrow livery, which emphasizes the wedge-shaped lines, with a contrasting black leather interior.
Ferrari 400GTI 2+2 Coupé (1983), estimated price €65,000 - 95,000
Another early consignment to this prestigious auction is a Ferrari 400GTi 2+2 Coupé from 1983, which was delivered new to Piero Lardi Ferrari, the son of company founder Enzo and deputy chairman of the company, and is the only example to have a third seat in the back.
Offered Vehicles
The following table lists all offered vehicles with estimated prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid at the time of publication. All information is provided without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | NoR | EUR Est from | EUR Est to | CHF Est from | CHF Est to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Honda Z50M 'Monkey Bike' | 1967 | Yes | 8000 | 10'000 | 8800 | 11'000 |
| 102 | Honda Z50J '30th Anniversary' Monkey Bike | 1997 | Yes | 8000 | 10'000 | 8800 | 11'000 |
| 103 | Honda Z50J 'Millennium' Monkey Bike | 2000 | Yes | 6000 | 7500 | 6600 | 8250 |
| 104 | Honda Z50J 'CBX' Monkey Bike | 2003 | Yes | 6000 | 7500 | 6600 | 8250 |
| 105 | Honda Z50J 'Baby Tracker' Monkey Bike | 2001 | Yes | 6000 | 7500 | 6600 | 8250 |
| 106 | Honda Z50J 'Freddie Spencer' Monkey Bike | 2004 | Yes | 8000 | 10'000 | 8800 | 11'000 |
| 107 | Fiat 500 F "Albarella" Savio | 1968 | Yes | 15'000 | 25'000 | 16'500 | 27'500 |
| 108 | Ferrari 400i GT 2+2 Coupé | 1983 | Yes | 65'000 | 95'000 | 71'500 | 104'500 |
| 109 | Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Spider Veloce | 1964 | 90'000 | 120'000 | 99'000 | 132'000 | |
| 110 | Citroën DS21 Décapotable | 1967 | 160'000 | 200'000 | 176'000 | 220'000 | |
| 111 | Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Coupé | 1934 | 350'000 | 450'000 | 385'000 | 495'000 | |
| 112 | Isdera Imperator 108i 'Series 2' Coupé | 1991 | 500'000 | 700'000 | 550'000 | 770'000 | |
| 114 | Cisitalia D46 Monoposto | 1947 | 150'000 | 200'000 | 165'000 | 220'000 | |
| 115 | Dino 246 GTS | 1973 | 300'000 | 350'000 | 330'000 | 385'000 | |
| 116 | Aston Martin DB6 Volante Convertible | 1968 | 450'000 | 550'000 | 495'000 | 605'000 | |
| 117 | Delahaye 135 S Compétition Court | 1936 | 800'000 | 1'100'000 | 880'000 | 1'210'000 | |
| 118 | Simca Estager Barquette Motto | 1950 | 190'000 | 240'000 | 209'000 | 264'000 | |
| 119 | Ferrari 550 Maranello GTLM Competition Coupé | 1997 | 500'000 | 700'000 | 550'000 | 770'000 | |
| 120 | Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5-Litre Convertible | 1971 | 280'000 | 350'000 | 308'000 | 385'000 | |
| 121 | Porsche 356 A T2 Carrera 1500 GS Cabriolet | 1958 | 650'000 | 850'000 | 715'000 | 935'000 | |
| 122 | Porsche Carrera GT | 2005 | 790'000 | 850'000 | 869'000 | 935'000 | |
| 123 | Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series I Coupé | 1961 | 320'000 | 400'000 | 352'000 | 440'000 | |
| 124 | Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Touring | 1973 | 450'000 | 550'000 | 495'000 | 605'000 | |
| 125 | Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA 1600 Competition | 1965 | Yes | 280'000 | 350'000 | 308'000 | 385'000 |
| 126 | Delahaye 135M Convertible Franay | 1950 | 250'000 | 350'000 | 275'000 | 385'000 | |
| 127 | Georges Irat Sports 2-Seater Labourdette | 1949 | 70'000 | 100'000 | 77'000 | 110'000 | |
| 128 | Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16V Group A Rally Car | 1991 | 380'000 | 480'000 | 418'000 | 528'000 | |
| 129 | Rolls Royce 'Silver Spectre' Shooting Brake (Umbau 2020) | 2015 | 370'000 | 550'000 | 407'000 | 605'000 | |
| 130 | Aston Martin DB Mark III DHC | 1958 | 250'000 | 300'000 | 275'000 | 330'000 | |
| 131 | Jaguar XK120 Roadster | 1952 | 100'000 | 120'000 | 110'000 | 132'000 | |
| 132 | Maserati Merak | 1973 | 45'000 | 65'000 | 49'500 | 71'500 |
All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column NoR = No Reserve (no minimum price), Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
