A 1964 Porsche 904 GTS, estimate €1,300,000 – 1,600,000, formerly owned by one of Hollywood’s greatest names, the actor Robert Redford, is one of the stars at Bonhams Grandes Marques à Paris Sale on 3 February. Opening the Bonhams Motorcars Europe 2022 calendar, the sale will be staged in the heart of the city at the Grand Palais Ephémère, by the Eiffel Tower.
The last of the famous Porsche ‘giant killer’ racing cars, the 904 was a mid-engined, fibreglass-bodied GT racer which garnered sports-car racing success, notably in the Targa Florio, and even picked up a podium place in the Monte Carlo Rally. Originally owned by Steve Earle, founder of the Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca, this GTS was campaigned by subsequent owner Steve Berg at prominent North American venues including Laguna Seca, before it was later acquired by Redford, who kept it for nearly a decade.
The 904 lines up with a select gathering of classic and contemporary supercars representing great automotive names. One of the highlights is a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, one of only 499 examples of the F-1 inspired hybrid Special edition hypercar from Maranello, which is in pole position, with an estimate of €2,000,000 – 2,500,000.
The Formula 1 and GT-inspired model was described by the Modena manufacturer as the ‘most ambitious’ Ferrari. It was the first production car to be equipped with the F1-derived HY-KERS hybrid system. Its electric motor and 6.3-litre V12 engine combination, with a total power output of 950hp, delivers a sub-three-seconds acceleration from 0-100km/h and a top speed of more than 350km/h. This car, finished in yellow over black interior, has covered fewer than 930km from new and is offered by its second owner.
Another Italian in Paris is a 1996 Bugatti EB110 GT Coupé, estimate €1,100,000 – 1,300,000. The first new Bugatti to be produced since 1956 was the brainchild of Romano Artioli, who revived the brand, was designed by Marcello Gandini and built by hand in Campogalliano in Italy’s ‘motor valley’.
Despite competition from contemporary rivals such as the McLaren F1 and Jaguar XJ220, the EB110 set four world speed records, including for the fastest series production sports car. On the road its 3.5-litre V12 engine fed by four turbochargers promised a top speed of 340km/h. Only 95 GT examples were produced. The car offered has had three owners from new, covering a total of 10,000kms.
Les Grandes Marques à Paris Sale will offer its largest array yet of collectors’ motor cars, spanning more than 100 years of motoring excellence and history. Included is a stunning collection of veteran motor cars offered from single-family ownership of more than 120 years. The sale is also renowned for presenting the finest pre-war motor cars and the 2022 edition continues this tradition.
