This 1932 Alfa Romeo could be awarded between 1

A wreck that steals the show with real works of art! This could be the paradox of exceptional sale, long awaited by collectors of vintage cars, which will be the event tomorrow, the Salon Rétromobile, which opens today at the porte de Versailles for ten days. Home English Bonhams, number three world of the auction and leader in the automotive sector of collection, offers its clients a sale of ninety-nine cars of exception. In these masterpieces, lot 250 retain attention: it is a Bugatti Brescia in 1925 just stay seventy-three years in the depths of Lake Maggiore, in Switzerland. Remodeled by corrosion, the mythical car is also become a work of art estimated between 70,000 and 90,000 euros.

Marco Schmuklerski property, a Swiss architect of Polish origin, this car registered France in 1925 would have retained its French plates rolling in Switzerland. Pursued by customs, the owner would have preferred to be disposed after a string of his car rather than pay fees which then exceeded the price of the Bugatti. And the chain broke. It is the Ascona diving club that has rescued it, last summer, for the benefit of a charity, which explains that there is no reserve price. "In these sales, which is the value of a car is first its history", says Mathieu Lamoure, Director General of Bonhams France. The Bugatti is already one of the most famous of all time. It will be updated price immediately after the last batch, an Alfa Romeo 8 c, perhaps the most expensive of the sale, a unique Andalusian collection of twenty-eight cars.

This 1932 Alfa Romeo could be awarded between 1.2 and 1.4 million euros, in fact, once again in its history. The car was rugged, partly burned and restored as a master table. And, as mentioned in the catalogue, "anyone who could hear an Alfa 8 c at full cannot forget the magnificent Symphony that it emits. The Spanish owner, industrialist of lingerie, as tomorrow, puts on the market, not less than five Hispano-Suiza including lot 225, T56 results any time, a luxury leather and beautiful chrome. Carrossée by catalan Baltasar Fiol in 1935, it is estimated between 450,000 and 600,000 euros.

Elegance until under the hood

Also sublime are the Rolls Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Tourer 1920, elegant silhouette green almond (lot 226), and the Mu'aytah woodland 780 Sport-Cabrio of 1932, which the power of its eight cylinders in line, hidden under a hood of nearly 2 m long, is highlighted by a red Strawberry body crushed very chic (lot 233). This Andalusian collection presents this that there was more beautiful in the luxury automotive industry to pre-war. What about the Isotta-Fraschini 8 A results dual windshield (lot 243) A pure wonder of 1926 estimated between 200,000 and 250,000 euros. Striking class, the Mercedes - Benz Model 630 K Town because of 1929 which was at the time the fastest model of the world with a maximum speed of 145 km/h is in this version, carrossée by Castagna in Milan. This is what makes this beautiful coupé-chauffeur rarity and justifies an estimate between 400,000 and 600,000 euros. It is sold with its collection of suitcases, housed in the mm in the rear trunk.

Citroën enthusiasts will appreciate the remarkable "presidential" SM, third copy built under license Chapron in 1971. In fact, the proposed model was rebuilt the same in 2006 from a Coupe SM purchased in Normandy and entrusted to the expertise of the Garage du Lac Neuchâtel. Lot no. 217 is estimated between 150,000 and 250,000 euros. More modest, but also mythical, the DS convertible 21 carrossée by Henri Chapron, model 1971. This convertible (lot 211) is estimated between 130,000 and 150,000 euros, a significantly higher than the DS 21 "Majesty" Saloon rating yet very elegant (lot 207, estimated at 100,000 euros).

How do not dream of the hum of the engine of the Cadillac V16 in 1930 This model series 452 dual-cowl Phaeton, a convertible four door, black jantée white, shoot the elegance until under the hood. The son of ignition of candles are concealed under painted housings. The upholstery red leather is impeccable and the dashboard steel brushed by hand so refined.

Finally, a masterpiece of art deco with the aircraft neighbour C 14 "Charter" of 1931. Its clean lines, angles, wrapped in black, are taut by an Interior all pink and Pearl Grey. This lot 252 could reach EUR 460.000.

Last year, the auction house Bonhams had reached the record of 11.8 million euros. "We're not sure to arrive at this level, this year, despite the large number of very high quality parts." "In 2009, two lots were $ 6 million", said Mathieu Lamoure, which nevertheless welcomed to see since ten days, the interest of potential bidders.

And for those who have the means of their eyes, shiny beautiful are visible today. The Salon Rétromobile offers him, until January 31, a large selection of beautiful cars of collection and a collection of urban vehicles since the first omnibus to friendly microcars.

Find out our selection of models on