Our favourites from Artcurial's Automobiles sur les Champs sale

On 22 June 2015, Hervé Poulain and friends will bring the gavel down on some 70 collectors’ cars, at Artcurial’s eighth Automobiles sur les Champs sale in Paris. We’ve perused the catalogue to bring you the key lots…

Quintessentially French cars in a quintessentially French setting

Aptly, the French contingent has a strong showing. We particularly like the Le Mans Classic-eligibleAlpine A210 sports prototype (300-500k euros); one of fewer than 10 remaining Bugatti Type 13s, in beautifully original condition (150-250k euros); and a very regal Facel Vega Excellence(estimated at 160-200k euros). 

As usual, Porsche is well represented, with three cars among the lots with the highest pre-sale estimates. There's a highly eligible, ex-Walter Röhrl 911 ST, the sixth of just 43 cars genuine cars; a striking blue 2.7 Carrera RS Touring, complete with matching numbers; and a fabulously restored356 Carrera 2000GS. The estimates are 770-920k, 700-900k, and 550-650k euros respectively.

Temptation at every turn

Of the Ferraris, most significant is a circa-9000km F40 (900k-1.1m euros), though there are several other notable cars, including a brace of 512BBs (300-350k and 280-340k euros, respectively), a fabulous blue 308 GTB, estimated at a very healthy 140-180k euros (attesting to the 70s model’s burgeoning popularity in the market), and a silver 360 Challenge Stradale (185-235k euros), refreshingly different from ‘resale red’. Oh, and that 246 GT with the French yellow headlights (250-300k euros) – and you thought the Dino couldn't get any cooler?

Though a little untidy (it’s had just one owner from new), the BMW M1 in an elegant dark blue hue is an attractive proposition at just 100-150k euros. But if you’re feeling particularly brave, the flawed-yet-charming (and supposedly highly original) De Tomaso Vallelunga (220-280k euros) is crying out for some TLC. If we could raise our paddle on one car, though, it’d have to be the exquisiteFrua-bodied Maserati 3500 (400-600k euros). In the same family since 1967, we can’t imagine it’slacked any TLC since then. 

Photos: Artcurial

The Automobiles sur les Champs 8 sale takes place on 22 June 2015, at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, in Paris. You can find the full lot list in the Classic Driver Market.