2019 Paris Rétromobile Week Car Auctions Preview

Million-dollar cars on offer at the Paris Rétromobile week 2019 car auctions range from classic pre-war automobiles to modern hypercars.

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta Profile
© Guy van Grinsven / Courtesy of Artcurial

The most-expensive car on offer at the various Rétromobile Paris 2019 auctions is the 1939 Alfa Romeo SC 2900B Touring Berlinetta, estimate $18 to 25 million. The to 20 cars on offer include 7 Ferraris, 5 Bugattis, and two each from BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. Nearly 50 cars are expected to achieve a million dollars. Eleven of these cars are pre-war models while eleven were produced in the 21st century. With car available from all eras, the Paris 2019 auctions should give a good indication of the state of the above a million dollar classic car market.

Top 20 Cars at Paris Rétromobile 2019

The following 20 cars have the highest pre-sale estimates for the 2019 Paris Rétromobile week classic car auctions:

YearCarEstimate (€)Auction House
11939Alfa Romeo SC 2900B Touring Berlinetta16,000,000 – 22,000,000Artcurial
21987Ferrari F40 LM4,500,000 – 5,500,000RM Sotheby’s
32011Ferrari SP30Upon RequestRM Sotheby’s
41931Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix4,000,000 – 4,500,000Artcurial
51957Porsche 550 A Spyder3,800,000 – 4,800,000Artcurial
61956Porsche 550 RS Spyder3,800,000 – 4,300,000RM Sotheby’s
71953Maserati A6GSC by Fiandri3,750,000 – 4,500,000Artcurial
81966Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy Berlinetta3,000,000 – 3,300,000RM Sotheby’s
92018Bugatti Chiron2,360,000 – 2,750,000RM Sotheby’s
101966Ferrari 275 GTC2,300,000 – 2,600,000Artcurial
112009Mercedes Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition2,250,000 – 2,500,000Artcurial
121939Mercedes Benz 540 K Cabriolet A1,700,000 – 2,300,000Bonhams
131959BMW 507 Roadster Series II2,000,000 – 2,200,000RM Sotheby’s
142003Ferrari Enzo1,850,000 – 2,000,000RM Sotheby’s
151957BMW 507 Series I Roadster1,800,000 – 2,200,000Bonhams
161996Ferrari F501,700,000 – 1,900,000RM Sotheby’s
172014Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse1,575,000 – 1,800,000RM Sotheby’s
182012Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport1,500,000 – 1,700,000RM Sotheby’s
191966Serenissima Spyder1,300,000 – 1,800,000Artcurial
201994Bugatti EB110 Super Sport1,300,000 – 1,800,000RM Sotheby’s

1939 Alfa Romeo SC 2900B Touring Berlinetta

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B at Orly
1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B at Orly – © Kevin van Campenhout / Courtesy of Artcurial

The most valuable car by far on offer at the various Rétromobile Paris 2019 auctions is the 1939 Alfa Romeo SC 2900B Touring Berlinetta, estimate €16 – 22 million ($18 to 25 million), at Artcurial.

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta
© Guy van Grinsven / Courtesy of Artcurial

The 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta, chassis #412024, was the second of only 5 examples built with the Carrozzeria Touring berlinetta coachwork. It has covered 65,000 km and is in a well-maintained but never restored condition. The last of around 50 8C2900 chassis cars produced to have sold at auction was a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider that set a new marque record when achieving $19,800,000 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016.

Good cars seldom come along alone at classic car auctions. Although there is only one 2900B at Paris 2019, both Artcurial and Bonhams are offering a 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 with estimates above a million euro.

Top Ferraris at Paris Rétromobile 2019

1987 Ferrari F40 LM Profile
Christian Wilken ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Most of the top Ferraris on offer at the Paris 2019 auctions are fairly modern and mostly at RM Sotheby’s.

2011 Ferrari SP30
2011 Ferrari SP30 – Sami Sasso ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 2011 Ferrari SP30 is a unique “Special Projects” car and the first one from around 40 produced for select clients that is offered for sale on the open market. No pre-sale estimate was given.

The 1987 Ferrari F40 LM is likely to be the most-expensive Ferrari at Paris 2019. This was a development car and only upgraded to Le Mans specification by Michelotto in 1992. It finished the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1995 in 12th. It also raced in the BPR Global GT series and is considered the most successful F40 LM racer.

Other top modern Ferraris at RM Sotheby’s Paris 2019 include a 1996 Ferrari F50, a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, a 2011 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta and a 2017 Ferrari F12tdf.

RM Sotheby’s also offers a more classic 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy Berlinetta by Scaglietti while Artcurial has a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTC.

Top Bugattis at Paris 2019

1931 Bugatti 51 Grand Prix - Kevin van Campenhout © Artcurial
1931 Bugatti 51 Grand Prix – Kevin van Campenhout © Artcurial

A large number of Bugattis are on offer from children’s cars to the latest Chiron. Seven are expected to sell for more than a million dollar each.

The best Bugatti at Paris 2019 is the 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix at Artcurial. This classic racer participated in more than 40 grands prix and was the car Maurice Trintignant drove to his first victory. Artcurial also have two Type 57s on offer and Bonhams a Type 43 Grand Sport Tourer.

RM Sotheby’s, in contrast, offer the full range of modern Bugattis: a 2017 Bugatti Chiron, a 2014 Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, a brown (!) 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, and a rare 1994 Bugatti EB110 SS.

Top Porsches at Paris 2019

1957 Porsche 550 A Spyder
1957 Porsche 550 A Spyder © Loïc Kernen / Courtesy of Artcurial

Only 90 Porsche 550s were ever produced but both Artcurial and RM Sotheby’s are offering one at Paris 2019. Both cars have in-period racing records and are expected to fetch similar prices.

The fully restored 1957 Porsche 550 A Spyder at Artcurial was originally raced in Latin America and later in France too. The 1956 Porsche 550 RS Spyder at RM Sotheby’s contested the 1956 24 Hours of LeMans, 1957 1000 KM of Nürburgring and 13 additional races.

Although rare, three Porsche 550 Spyders were sold at auction during 2018, with a few more failing to reach reserve prices. Prices paid in 2018 ranged from $4,455,00 paid for 1955 Porsche 550 at Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 to a model record $5,170,000 paid for a 1958 Porsche 550A at Bonhams Scottsdale 2018.

Another Porsche to watch is the 1971 Porsche 916 Prototype “Brutus” at Artcurial.  It is the only Porsche 916 fitted with a 2.9L RSR engine from new, as it was originally used by Corina Piëch – daughter of Ferdinand Piëch, the famous engineer and manager at Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen. 

Italian Sports Cars at Paris 2019

1966 Serenissima Spyder by Fantuzzi
Kevin van Campenhout © Artcurial

In addition to the Alfa Romeos and Ferraris, two further Italian racing cars are among the top 20 cars on offer at Paris 2019. Both are at Artcurial:

1953 Maserati A6CGS by Fantuzzi
Kevin van Campenhout © Artcurial

The fully restored 1953 Maserati A6CGS by Fantuzzi was delivered new to the United States and has a known, transparent history. It was raced by amateurs in period with components changed as needed. It is currently fitted with an engine that actually raced in the 1954 Mille Miglia.

The 1966 Serenissima Spyder participated in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1966 as car n°24 with drivers Jean-Claude Sauer and Jean de Mortemart. The car is in exceptionally original condition and has not been touched since the race. The car has only ever had one owner : Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata. A 1967 Serenissima Agena and a 1968 Serenissima Ghia GT will also be available in the same sale.

Top Mercedes Benz Cars at Paris 2019

1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A Front Quarter
© Courtesy of Bonhams

Four 1950s Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadsters and a Gullwing are available at the Paris 2019 auctions – following seven at Scottsdale 2019 – but the more interesting Mercedes Benz cars are newer and older.

The most-expensive Mercedes-Benz at Paris 2019 is a 2009 Mercedes Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition at Artcurial. It is one of only 75 built of the final series of cars by Mercedes and McLaren. Its list price was around $1 million and the car was only available to existing SLR owners. This car has covered only 950 km.

The lead car at Bonhams Paris is a magnificent 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A sold by the Jordanian royal family. It is a fully restored car. A 1936 Mercedes Benz 500 K Cabriolet B at Artcurial is likely to sell for slightly less than a million.

BMW 507 Roadsters at Paris 2019

Red 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II
© Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Bonhams had two spectacular results for BMW 507 Roadsters in 2018 when John Surtees’ car sold for $5 million and one owned by the car’s original designer for $3 million. RM Sotheby’s failed to repeat such results at Arizona 2019 and the two on offer in Paris also seem to aim slightly high.

Bonhams has the slightly cheaper 1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series I model while RM Sotheby’s is offering the more desirable 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II version. This late production car was originally delivered new to an owner in Mozambique – the only one of the 252 cars produced that headed for the former Portuguese colony.

More on Paris Rétromobile 2019 Classic Car Auctions

Artcurial, Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s traditionally schedule their first European classic car auction of the year during the Rétromobile week in Paris in early February.

Paris Rétromobile Week 2019 Auction Results

Paris Rétromobile Week 2019 Auction Previews

Rétromobile Auction Announcements