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Coachwork by Henri Labourdette
Chassis n° 46081
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 180.000 - 220.000
Sold for € 230.000
In the mid-1930s, any car that was fashionable had to be aerodynamic, and each manufacturer had its own interpretation, this astonishing and unique Delahaye 135 Coupe des Alpes being bodied by Henri Labourdette, whose very personal interpretations always stand out from the crowd. To date, chassis number '46081' is the only Delahaye 135 known to have been bodied by Labourdette, one of the oldest of Parisian master coachbuilders. Jean-Paul Tissot, President of the Delahaye Club, has confirmed that this 135 Coupe des Alpes left the factory in 1935 with this chassis number ('46081'). This actual car appears in a photograph reproduced in La Vie de l'Automobile of 25th April 1936 illustrating the road test conducted by the famous journalist Charles Faroux, who recorded a maximum speed of 148.7km/h (92mph) at Montlhéry in this Delahaye.
There are no further traces of this car until the late 1980s when it reappeared in the ownership of former racing driver Pierre Flahaut, then Jaguar's agent in Paris. Flahaut, who had raced at Le Mans with Delahaye and Panhard in the 1950s, had bought the car, then registered '5343 PF 75', from the heirs of the Sirot family. Abandoned for a long time in the outbuildings of a castle, but complete, it was fully restored at Messrs Tessier (bodywork) and at Messrs Beauzon (mechanicals). The car was then exhibited at Rétromobile on the Delahaye Club's stand, and joined Jean Gorjat's collection in the UK where it was registered as 'MSJ 158'.
Looking in silhouette like a sporting estate car, Labourdette's Delahaye 135 Coupe des Alpes appears today surprisingly modest yet refined, with its fastback stern and slender looks complemented by the large Rudge wheels and gracefully curved wings. Appropriately for French luxury cars, the upholstery is in brown leather, while other noteworthy interior features include a Bakelite steering wheel of the same colour and an impressive line up of control buttons under the two large gauges, recessed into the varnished wooden dashboard. On the left, in addition to the clock, ammeter and oil temperature gauge, is a mechanical rev counter, while its counterpart, on the right, contains the thermometer, fuel gauge and oil pressure gauge, crowned by the speedometer which promises 200 kilometres/hour.
n° 57 of 100
Chassis n° ZA9H12EAYYSF76077
Bonhams
Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris
The Grand Palais Éphémère
Place Joffre
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2023
Estimated : € 2.300.000 - 2.700.000
Unsold
"It's a car with its own personality – or rather its own split personality. Beyond refinement and ease of use is a demon with one eye open waiting for its turn, a car that is scintillatingly fast and hugely demanding, a car that can thrill and terrify in equal measure, a supercar in every sense of the word." – evo.
One of the more fascinating aspects of the modern motoring scene is the recent emergence of the small independent supercar manufacturer, many of which have gone from relative obscurity to the status of household names in just a few short years, usually on the back of a product range offering hitherto almost unimaginable levels of performance. Whereas at one time established manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Aston Martin only had one another to worry about, they now have to contend with the likes of Koenigsegg, De Tomaso and, of course, Pagani.
Succeeding the Zonda, Pagani's latest offering is the Huayra, a mid-engined coupé hailed by Top Gear magazine as 'Hypercar of the Year 2012'. Horacio Pagani was no newcomer to the world of automotive engineering when he built the first Zonda in 1999, for the Argentine-born industrial design graduate had been working with Lamborghini since the mid-1980s, developing the Countach and Diablo road cars and assisting with the Italian manufacturer's Formula 1 engine programme. The Zonda C12 debuted in coupé form at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, its maker freely acknowledging that its styling had been inspired by the Mercedes-Benz Group C 'Silver Arrow' sports-racers. Mercedes-Benz's influence was more than just skin deep, for the German firm's AMG performance division was responsible for the Zonda's 6.0-litre V12 engine, which was mounted longitudinally amidships in the predominantly carbon fibre body tub. With some 408 horsepower on tap, the C12 was always going to be quick, but performance figures of 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds and 0-100 in 8.2 were simply staggering plus, of course, that all important 200mph (or thereabouts) top speed.
Seemingly small from the outside yet endowed with a comfortable cabin, the C12 provided the basis for a host of derivatives, which emerged from Pagani's factory at San Cesario sul Panaro near Modena (where else?) in strictly limited numbers over the next 11 years.
Its successor, the Huayra - named after a wind god of the South American Quechua people - made its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011. Once again, AMG provided the engine, on this occasion a twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 producing a mighty 620bhp and a titanic 737lb/ft of torque. A mind-boggling top speed of around 238mph (383km/h) was claimed for the Huayra, with the 0-60mph dash accomplished in a neck-snapping 2.8 seconds. Power reaches the road via a transversely-mounted Xtrac seven-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission, while the stupendous performance is kept in check by Brembo carbon ceramic disc brakes featuring four-pot callipers all round. It is worthwhile noting the Horacio Pagani chose to stick with a conventional single clutch rather than the more complex and heavier twin-clutch technology favoured by some rivals, reasoning that the considerable saving in weight would result in a better balanced car.
The most significant difference between the Huayra and its Zonda predecessor is the former's use of active aerodynamic aids. These consist of variable front ride height and moveable spoilers at front and rear, their deployment being managed by a dedicated control unit to minimise drag or maximise downforce as required. Under hard braking, the rear spoiler flaps function as an air brake, the front ride height being increased at the same time to counteract weight transfer to the front wheels and thus maintain stability. Cleverly, this system is also used to limit body roll when cornering by raising the 'inside' flaps to generate increased down force on that side only. As had been the case with the Zonda, an open roadster and various limited edition variants followed.
Testing a Huayra in 2013, evo magazine found that even before the ignition key had been turned, the experience of just sitting in the cockpit was almost overwhelming. 'Inside a leather, carbonfibre and aluminium cocoon of obsession, every detail agonised over and beautifully thought out, every material used sympathetically and expertly integrated into this stunning sculpture. The driving position is superb.' Needless to say, the driving experience did not disappoint: 'the engine is just phenomenally powerful and when it's delivering the full 737lb/ft of torque, it scrambles your brain. This is the sort of performance that doesn't dull even with prolonged exposure'.
Pagani's agreement with AMG limited the supply of engines to 100 units, restricting production to only 100 cars, thus guaranteeing the Huayra's instant exclusivity and future collectible status.
Number '57' of the 100 Huayra Roadsters built, this car was delivered new to Denmark and registered in July 2020. The car had been ordered and specified by a Danish car collector, who took delivery but never drove it. He then sold the car to another Danish collector, in whose hands it has covered fewer than 800 kilometres.
Chassis n° S107PR
Coachwork by Brewster & Co.
Bonhams
Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris
The Grand Palais Éphémère
Place Joffre
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2023
Estimated : € 150.000 - 200.000
Sold for € 212.750
In 1926 Rolls-Royce of America had acquired the prestigious coach builder Brewster & Company. Following this acquisition, Rolls-Royce of America offered 28 standardised body styles for Phantom I chassis. One of those configurations was an attractive two seater all-weather convertible coupé with dicky, a body style that would be named 'Regent'. Records show 21 Regents were built on the Phantom I chassis. Due to this relative rarity, and additionally as these cars show signs of the aerodynamic trends that were to follow later in the era, these cars are highly sought after by collectors. The front wings themselves now stretched forwards like blades, as on the famed Derby Speedsters, and the front dumb irons, springs and chassis were discreetly hidden behind valances. Completing the effect, at the front and rear were twin flat bars functioning as extremely stylish bumpers.
This Rolls-Royce Phantom I Springfield was bodied by Brewster & Co in 1931. It was at the Boston Motor Show of the same year that it was acquired new by Mr J Samuels. The latter was one of the most famous American antique and art dealers, counting among his clients such famous billionaires as Andrew Carnegie, William K Vanderbilt and the Rockefeller family. The Rolls-Royce was used by Mr Samuels to visit them, until 1939. 'S107PR' was then acquired by Mr Thomas Perry of Massachusetts, who was then president of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. With gasoline rationed during the Second World War, the Phantom was stored and ultimately little used in the immediate post-war period. In 1953, Mr Coburn Benson purchased the Phantom from Mr Perry and kept it until 2000 in its original state. Sold to an American collector, 'S107PR' was cosmetically and mechanically restored, winning first prize at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in 2002.
Brought to France and acquired by its current owner in 2004, the Phantom has been driven regularly on rallies and other gatherings, without neglecting its maintenance. The Rolls-Royce underwent a complete engine overhaul in 2013, including replacing its cylinder head, which had become porous over the years, with a new part re-manufactured in England. This work was carried out by the Ferry Développement and Sauzeau Automobiles workshops for a total of nearly €40,000. More recently, an overhaul of the running gear and a restoration of the spoked wheels was carried out.
With its clear history, its Special Brewster Blue colour contrasting with a polished aluminium bonnet, it is one of the 12 cars equipped with the chrome Buffalo wheels intended for shows and other exhibitions.
E52
In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Albrecht von Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.
The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW took the decision to press ahead with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.
The Z8's body panelling and spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4.941 cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400 bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control and power operation of the seats, steering wheel and convertible hood all being included in the package.
The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $ 128.000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased at the end of 2002, 5.703 of these fabulous cars had been built.
But that was not quite the end of the Z8 story, for BMW tuning specialist Alpina then introduced its own, even more exclusive version: the Alpina V8 Roadster. Alpina's product was less hard-edged and considerably more refined than the original, being equipped with a 4,8-litre engine from the 5-Series Alpina B10 V8 S and an Alpina-specified ZF five-speed 'Switchtronic' automatic transmission with paddle-shift operation. With a maximum of 375bhp on tap, the Roadster's slightly smaller engine was re-tuned for greater torque at lower revs, which better suited the automatic transmission. Top speed was limited to 161 mph, with 60 mph coming up in 5,0 seconds, only a couple of tenths slower than the original Z8.
The suspension was revised to provide a more supple ride, and the original 18" wheels and run-flat tyres replaced with 20" rims and tyres with taller sidewalls. Re-trimmed in softer Nappa leather, the interior boasted many Alpina-specific touches including the steering wheel, gauges, and gear selection display. As its specification suggests, the Alpina V8 was targeted at the North American market, which took 450 units out of the 555 scheduled for production.
Car & Driver reckoned the car was well suited to its newly acquired persona: 'In fact, some of us, who regard the Z8 more as a design icon than a serious sports car, reckon the Alpina Roadster V8, with its easygoing power delivery and automatic transmission, is what this car should have been all along.'
First registered on 1st September 2004, the limited edition Alpina V8 offered here has had only three owners – all collectors – from new. The first owner, David Michael of Florida, USA kept the car until March 2010 when it passed to a Mr Scholdra Germany. The current vendor purchased the BMW for his private collection in July 2014, by which time it had covered only 17.948 kilometres from new. The current odometer reading is circa 20.000 kilometres.
Superior to those of the original Z8, this car's special features include heated seats; climate control; AM/FM stereo; CD changer; centre-mounted Alpina gauges in blue; xenon headlights with Dynamic Auto-Levelling; hand-stitched Alpina steering wheel with shift buttons and Alpina centre cap; 20" Alpina Dynamic alloy wheels; and a battery charger for when the car is in storage. It has also had over mats fitted since new.
Finished in black with two-tone cream/black leather interior, the car comes complete with hardtop, hardtop cover, hardtop stand, and hardtop stand cover; wind deflector and cover; original tools; front cup holder; phone pack (new in box); original wallet; and the Alpina key pouch containing both numbered keys, chauffeurs key, and plastic key. Accompanying documentation consists of the original US Certificate of Title; original German registration document; German Klassische document (dated 2012) and a current UK V5C registration document and MoT certificate.
Recently serviced by Sytners BMW in the UK, this Z8 Alpina Roadster is in immaculate condition throughout.
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 320.000 - 380.000
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2017
Chassis n° LML/668
Coachwork by Mulliners of Birmingham
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 130.000 - 180.000
Sold for € 170.200
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
- One of only 451 DB2/4 'Mark I' Saloons
- Delivered new to France
- Single family ownership since 1958
- Matching numbers and colours
- Extensive history file
'The Aston Martin DB2/4 is an expensive car designed to cater for the connoisseur of sports cars who is not limited by financial considerations.' - Autocar, 2nd October 1953.
With the introduction of the '2+2' DB2/4 in October 1953, Aston Martin extended the DB2's appeal to the hitherto untapped yet increasingly important market comprised of 'sports car enthusiasts with a family'. Modifications to the rear of the chassis plus a reduction in fuel tank capacity from 19 to 17 gallons liberated sufficient space within the existing design for two child-sized occasional rear seats. Alternatively, the rear seat backs could be folded down, thus creating a load-carrying platform that more than doubled the luggage space. The latter could be accessed via the 2/4's opening rear door, a pioneering example of the now commonplace 'hatchback' concept.
'This transformation gives the Aston Martin DB2/4 an unrivalled luggage-carrying capacity in a car which should be capable in favourable circumstances of achieving two miles a minute,' reported The Motor. 'The DB2/4 can truthfully claim to be the fastest car in the world capable of carrying two people with a month's luggage.'
Standard specification included the 2.6-litre 'VB6E' engine in 125 bhp Vantage tune but from early in 1954 the 3.0-litre 140 bhp 'VB6J' engine was installed, providing 118 mph top speed and 60mph in around 11 seconds. This was one of the fastest cars then built in Great Britain - with 100 mph achievable in third gear and around 120mph maximum - possessing impeccable handling plus a level of comfort rare in any high-performance car. In 1955 the factory entered three DB2/4s in that year's Monte Carlo Rally, securing the Team Prize; but for a navigational error, one would have won outright.
This particular DB2/4 was supplied new in Paris to Mr Claude Foussier, a rich Parisian industrialist, through the authorised dealership, Garage Mirabeau, which took his Aston Martin DB2 drophead coupé in part exchange. The Aston was delivered finished in Orient Blue with Beige interior, its present colour scheme, while within a few months the original SU carburettors had been swapped for Webers to liberate a few more horsepower. Mr Foussier was an avid collector, owning five Ferraris and four Maseratis between 1957 and 1968; he seldom kept his cars for very long, and parted with this Aston Martin after only a couple of years.
Passing swiftly through the hands of two further owners, one of whom was a dealer (details on file), the Aston was acquired by the current vendor's family in May 1958 (for only 3.000 French Francs) and taken to Marseille where it has resided ever since. Shortly after purchase, the Aston's new owner wanted to adjust the Weber carburettors and wrote to Edouardo Weber, receiving a detailed reply (see correspondence on file dated 1958).
Used until 1970 when it was placed in storage, the car remained off the road for the next 43 years. Over the period 2007-2013 it was extensively restored using only original parts, keeping the original colour combination, and on completion returned to the road. Accompanying documentation consists of a copy of the original guarantee form; bill of sale (1958); numerous invoices (mainly from Aston Service Dorset); condition reports (2013 and 2015); list of all works and services carried out (with odometer readings); current French Carte Grise and Contrôle Technique valid until 11/2019. A wonderful opportunity to acquire a highly original and well cared for example of this landmark Aston Martin model, offered from long-term single-family ownership.