Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rare Citroen DS convertible feches $440k at Retromobile auction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/rare-citroen-ds-convertible-feches-440k-at-retromobile-auction/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/rare-citroen-ds-convertible-feches-440k-at-retromobile-auction/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/rare-citroen-ds-convertible-feches-440k-at-retromobile-auction/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Click above to view the 1973 Citroen DS23 Chapron convertible in high resolution

Bugattis, Ferraris, an Maseratis are commonly among the blue-chip properties at classic car auctions, but Citroens don't usually rank among the big-ticket items - especially not Seventies models - but at Bonhams' recent Retromobile auction in Paris, one rare Citroen sold for a high bid of 337,500 Euros (about $440k), assumed to be a record for the French marque. The car in question is a rare 1973 DS23, converted by coachbuilder Henri Chapron to a convertible - one of only three DS23 convertibles built, and the only one with fuel injection.

The sleek profile cut by the special drop-top DS prompted Citroen to add a convertible option to their regular catalog, selling 1365 examples over the course of some fifteen years. The sale of this original could hardly have come at a better time, as Citroen prepares to re-enter the premium segment by reviving the DS nameplate, to be previewed next month by the DS3 Inside concept at the Geneva show. Click below to view hi-res images of this unique Citroen drophead.

Gallery: 1973 Citroen DS23 Chapron convertible


[Source: Bonhams via Hemmings]

Rare Citroen DS convertible feches $440k at Retromobile auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1973 citroen ds23 chapron convertible1973CitroenDs23ChapronConvertiblebonhamsbonhams parisBonhamsParischaproncitroencitroen dscitroen ds convertiblecitroen ds23CitroenDsCitroenDs23CitroenDsConvertibleconvertibledecapotablehenri chapronHenriChapronretromobileWed, 11 Feb 2009 10:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Event Alert: February Calendar of Automotive Events]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/31/event-alert-february-calendar-of-automotive-events/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/31/event-alert-february-calendar-of-automotive-events/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/31/event-alert-february-calendar-of-automotive-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


This year's Chicago Auto Show should be even bigger than last year despite dropouts
Thanks to your suggestions, we added a Google Calendar after the jump so you can bookmark it and constantly receive updates as we add them. We appreciate all of your input and hope you find our calendar a useful tool. We also appreciate your comments listing events we might have overlooked or that are just near-and-dear to your hearts. Event cancellation notices are also greatly appreciated.

Highlights for February include the Chicago Auto Show, which we will be covering obsessively from McCormick Place; the kickoff of the NASCAR and NHRA seasons with the Daytona 500 and the Winternationals, respectively; and the RetroMobile show in Paris. There's plenty of other fun stuff scheduled all over the country and indeed around the world.

As always, we want to give a shout-out to our two favorite sources; The New York Times automotive calendar for national and international stuff, and for local stuff here in Southern California, our buddy Dave Lindsay's SoCalCarCulture pages. Dave's photographic coverage of these local events is fantastic. So check out the February event calendar we put together for you after the jump and start adding to it. Happy Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day to everyone as well!

Continue reading Event Alert: February Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: February Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automotive calendarAutomotiveCalendarchicago auto showChicagoAutoShowdaytona 500Daytona500event alertEventAlertmotorsports calendarMotorsportsCalendarretromobilewinternationalsSat, 31 Jan 2009 16:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/barn-find-of-the-decade-1937-bugatti-type-57s-atalante/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/barn-find-of-the-decade-1937-bugatti-type-57s-atalante/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/barn-find-of-the-decade-1937-bugatti-type-57s-atalante/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for image gallery of this rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Close your eyes and imagine opening a deserted garage door, only to find a forgotten four-wheeled treasure sitting there in perfect condition. What would it be? We have a feeling we'll get all sorts of answers in the comments section, but for many enthusiasts, the answer would be, without hesitation, the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante. And that's exactly what the children of the late (and appropriately named) Dr. Harold Carr found in their father's garage.

The Atalante is among the most beautiful, the most coveted and the most iconic of Bugattis ever produced. Not to be confused with the even rarer Atlantic, of which only two of the original three remain in existence, the 57S Atalante was made in a limited run of 17 examples, and a quarter of them are housed in a museum in rural France. This one went missing half a century ago, only now to be found again. It was originally owned by Earl Howe, first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, and changed hands several times before the reclusive Dr. Carr mothballed it. Estimated values for the car are all over the map, with values as high as £6 million (about $8.8M USD) being discussed. Naturally, as rare as it is for a classic like this to change hands, its real value will be determined by how much a well-heeled collector is willing to pay for it when it rolls onto the block in February at Bonhams' "Retromobile" auction in Paris. Follow the jump for all the details.

Gallery: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante


[Source: UK Telegraph; Bonhams]

Continue reading Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atalantebonhamsbonhams bugattiBonhamsBugattibugatti 57bugatti atalantebugatti atlanticbugatti type 57bugatti type 57sbugatti type 57s atalanteBugatti57BugattiAtalanteBugattiAtlanticBugattiType57BugattiType57sBugattiType57sAtalantecarr bugattiCarrBugatticlassicharold carrHaroldCarrretromobileFri, 02 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Christies postpones Auto Union auction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/14/christies-postpones-auto-union-auction/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/14/christies-postpones-auto-union-auction/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/14/christies-postpones-auto-union-auction/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wow. This is kind of a letdown. What was expected to be among the most valuable vehicles ever sold at auction, the Auto Union Type D, has been pulled at the 11th hour. Auction house Christie's made the announcement that they had postponed the Auto Union's sale "pending further exploration into the car's race history." No other explanation was given. The Auto Union GP car was expected to draw insane bids at the upcoming Retromobile auction in Paris.

While we wouldn't want to make any assumptions about the vehicle's authenticity, that is frequently the cause of lots being pulled or vehicles failing to attract interest from bidders. Hemmings relates the words of Philip Powell at Classical Drive who supports the notion that the postponement could be a sign that the Type D is not 100% kosher.

The car's history is known, from being totally rebuilt after being reduced to just a driveline in an accident, to being found in the former Soviet Union, but the questions can linger in the minds of potential owners. It should be noted, however, that Christies is investigating the car's race history, not its authenticity, per se. We saw something similar in Arizona last month when a rare Ferrari Dino SP failed to crack the $1 million mark and didn't meet its reserve, going unsold. The car had been well-documented, but because it had been nearly totaled in a racing incident, the rebuilt car can sometimes raise doubts among buyers who would rather have the genuine article than one rebuilt by a non-factory team years after its birth.

[Source: Hemmings]

Christies postpones Auto Union auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Auto UnionAutoUnionChristie's Auction HouseChristie'sAuctionHouseretromobileWed, 14 Feb 2007 19:29:00 EST