Rétromobile Auction Recap

Last week’s auctions in Paris during Rétromobile concluded with results that are perhaps best summarized as a mixed bag. While Bonhams reported a record sale, Artcurial and RM Sotheby’s both posted results that amounted to a steep decline in total sales year-over-year.

Totals

Over $63,500,000 worth of collector cars and automobilia changed hands this year in Paris. Bonham’s record-breaking sale accounted for $20,456,218 of that. RM Sotheby’s posted $18,090,000 worth of sales, which is down substantially from last year’s total of $36,700,000. Artcurial was responsible for the largest value of sales, but the auction house’s total for 2020 of $24,954,573 stands in stark comparison to the $47,807,169 worth of goods sold in 2019.

Sell-Through

Sell-through rates tell a similar story. Bonhams sold 64 of the 100 collector cars on the docket. Artcurial posted a sell-through rate of 77%, and RM Sotheby’s managed 80%. Looking at the year-over-year figures, both auction houses were essentially flat, with respective sell-through rates of 76% and 78% last year.

High-End

Aside from sales totals coming in shy of the previous year, perhaps the most telling indicator is the how the top of the market performed. The amount of $1,000,000+ sales was less this year than last, but digging into the individual results a bit more, the blue-chip cars that did sell often did at the low end, or below guidance.

A number of our picks across the different auction houses either failed to sell, or realized less than they were estimated to. Additionally, rather than the traditionally dominant Ferrari and other Italian cars seem to gravitate toward the top of results lists, this year saw strong performances by midcentury Mercedes, Porsche, and BMW models instead, while there were still a number of notable Bugatti and Ferrari models sold.

Check out the top-ten results from each of the big auction houses below.

Artcurial

1. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB — $2,728,052
2. 1966 Porsche 906 — $1,886,354
3. 1983 Ferrari 126 C3-068 F1— $1,568,401
4. 1991 Ferrari F40 — $1,212,952
5. 1993 Jaguar XJ220C Le Mans — $1,183,522
6. 1933 Delahaye 135 S — $1,000,402
7. 1965 AC Cobra 289 — $818,590
8. 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Vanvooren cabriolet — $545,653
9. 1968 AC Cobra 427 Brian Angliss — $435,237
10. 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC — $426,256

Bonhams

1. 1931 Bugatti Type 55 Supersport Figoni— $5,061,380
2. 1931 Invicta 4/12-liter S-Type low-chassis sports — $1,771,483
3. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A— $1,771,483
4. 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster— $1,136,976
5. 1934 Talbot AV105 Brooklands — $967,988
6. 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900C SZ Zagato — $797,164
7. 1952 Pegaso Z-102 2.8-liter cabriolet — $782,089
8. 2009/2019 MAT New Stratos coupe — $756,861
9. 1937 Horsch 853 Spezialroadster — $618,103
10. 1937 Maybach SW38 Special Roadster — $567,645

RM Sotheby’s

1. 1958 BMW 507 Series II — $2,189,182
2. 1964 Porsche 904 GTS — $2,102,821
3. 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport — $1,671,016
4. 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing — $1,177,525
5. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster — $838,250
6. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 — $684,034
7. 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona — $572,999
8. 1939 Delahaye 135 Roadster — $498,97
9. 1969 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 Red Pig replica — $464,43
10. 1992 Jaguar XJ220 — $437,288

Photos via the respective auction houses.

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