Paris, France – The Bonhams|Cars Paris sale at the esteemed Grand Palais Historique will showcase an impressive lineage of automotive masterpieces from the legendary marque, Bugatti. The sale, Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris, taking place on February 6 with previews from February 4 – 5, will feature 135 cars, each reflecting the grandeur of the iconic venue. Among these automobiles are three standout Bugattis, all meticulously documented with important history files that include Pierre-Yves Laugier reports: a 1928 Type 43, a 1936 Type 57, and a 1924 Type 23.
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Leading the Bugatti lineup is the 1928 T43 Grand Sport, offered from long term private ownership of 20 years. This sought-after collector’s piece is a road-going version of Bugatti’s most triumphant Grand Prix racing car, the Type 35. Chassis no. 43219 participated in the 1991 Bugatti Festival in Molsheim and the Mille Miglia rerun. This well-documented vehicle comes with a comprehensive account of the original components, meticulously detailing its authenticity and pedigree.
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Next in line is the iconic 1936 Type 57 cabriolet, a masterpiece crafted by Jean Bugatti, son of the founder Ettore Bugatti. With only 680 units ever produced, this model is highly coveted for its artistic design and impressive performance, as highlighted by its two victories at Le Mans. Chassis #57379, initially delivered to England, has now been under the stewardship of its current owner since 1987. This car boasts matching numbers for the engine and chassis, and a well-documented history.
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The 1924 Type 23 ‘Brescia’ Open Tourer, a significant contributor to Bugatti’s motorsport reputation, represents a classic example of early 20th-century automotive engineering. This vehicle, chassis #2064, was first received by Arnold H Wootton, an influential figure in Australia’s motorsport scene. Over the years the car participated in numerous competitions under various owners. Exquisitely restored in Victoria in the 1970s, the car was owned and regularly used by noted marque authority Peter McGann between 1985 and 2019.
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Other highlights of Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris include the 1978 Schnitzer BMW E21 1.4-litre Turbocharged Group 5 Turbo. This outstanding BMW turbo competition car is the second E21 ‘R-car’ used by the Schnitzer tuning company team. The car had an exceptional racing career from 1978 to 1988, with its peak in 1978 when team driver Harald Ertl won the Deutsche Rennsport-Meisterschaft, marking it as the first and only BMW to hold that title. The car, known as ‘E21-R1-26’, went through several hands, won various races, and has been meticulously restored to its 1978 specifications, now considered one of only two 1.4-litre turbocharged examples of the 32 BMW E21s originally built by BMW Motorsport to Group 5 regulations.
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Another rare offering is the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG 6.2-Litre V8 P900 Prototype, just one of only two test prototypes ever built. In the early 2000s, AMG, Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance division, launched the exclusive CLK DTM AMG after dominating the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) in 2002 and 2003. This limited-edition model was produced in 100 units, along with an additional 80 convertible models, and was based on the race-winning AMG cars. Among these, the exceedingly rare CLK DTM AMG P900 stands out, with only two examples surviving today; these were prototypes equipped with a new engine, the naturally aspirated V8 M156, and were used for testing and client demonstrations, making them unique pieces of AMG’s technological prowess and racing heritage.
Sale: The Grand Palais
Location: Paris at the Grand Palais Historique
Date: February 6, 2025
About Bonhams|Cars – Bonhams|Cars uniquely offers a choice of live, online and private platforms for buying and selling collector cars—platforms characterised by levels of trust, reliability, and transparency born of over three decades of experience as the premier automotive auction house. Through prestigious live auctions around the world, 24/7 online auctions, and our recently introduced Private Sales service, Bonhams|Cars makes it simple for buyers and sellers to find the platform that best meets their needs.
Bonhams|Cars host 17 live auctions annually, participates in all the significant concours around the world, and presents unique selling opportunities at international events such as the 2023 Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the official auction partner of the Formula 1 Paddock Club™, Goodwood Motorsport Events in the UK, The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula in California, The Audrain Concours in Newport, Rhode Island and The Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium. At Bonhams|Cars Online, formerly The Market by Bonhams, we provide our clients with fast, expert, accurate and agile single-car auctions, 24/7. With dedicated motoring departments in London, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Brussels and beyond, Bonhams|Cars has a world-class team with expertise in all divisions, from vintage cars to racing motorsport and automobilia to motorcycles.
For more information, please visit BonhamsCars.com
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