March 2024: Volume 15 No 1

SALON RETROMOBILE 2024

Story and images by Rob Alen and Jay Koka

In January it’s time to return to Paris… this year for the 48th edition of Salon Retromobile. For classic cars, car art, models, books, parts and thousands of enthusiasts.

It is a cross between cars and commerce.

Associated auctions were of particular interest both on and off the show site. Bonham's returned to the Grand Palais Ephemera, a temporary space while the Grand Palais is remodeled for the Olympics this year; and RM Sotheby's returned to Salles du Carrousel in the Louvre complex. Last year the best cars were at Bonham's, this year it was RMSotheby's. They grouped Porsches and Ferraris in one room, and other marques in an adjoining room. While expensive cars got sold, some did not. Sales felt subdued with some cars just eking over the low estimate. The patter and optimism of the auctioneers is not to be missed in what turns out to be 3-minute dramas.

It came home there are Statement Cars and Cars with Character. The Lamborghini Miura is both. This one sold for about a million euros. It was a "bitsa" car, bits of this-and-that, an engine from another one. No matching numbers. Still, who cares?

Retromobile brings the world's best dealers to Paris. Simon Kidston had a powerhouse group of cars, like the white Ferrari GTO with 5-star provenance and a NART Ferrari 275 Spyder, one of ten built for Luigi Chinetti. Together worth more than the GNP of a small country somewhere.

As always, in addition to the cars came automotive celebrities. Jacky Ickx for example remembered his time in Dakar-rally Porsches (1986 Paris-Dakar winning Porsche 959 shown above).

Galerie des Artistes

Galerie des Artistes saw the return of the ArtistAuto member group as well as a few non-member artist/photographer exhibitors. A total of 35 artists participated this year.

Benjamin Freudenthal

Francois Bruere

Patrick Brunet

de la Maria

A continuing feature of the Retromobile show, Romain Grabowski, the director of Retromobile recognizes "Galerie des Artiste" as a major part of the show. He said "La Galerie des Artistes est un véritable salon dans le salon" (The Artist Gallery is a real show inside the show).

Nicolas Dubost

Yahn Janou

Jay Koka

Xavier Parent

ArtistAuto held a group meeting taking advantage of the rare opportunity of most of its member being in one spot at one time. A key part of this meeting was discussion about a new president going forward. Yahn Janou, president for the past 8 years has decided it’s time to hand over group leadership. Benjamin Freudenthal undertook a brief presentation and will be the next president after a formal member vote in mid-March. The Galerie des Artistes will continue to be the major annual show of the group. “Our relationship with the Retromobile organizers is good and the Galerie will continue to appear in the coming years.” says Freudenthal.

Stanley Rose

Sebastion Sauvadet

Rafael Varela

Klaus Wagger

"The Galerie artist area holds surprises each year. For example, Rafael Varela spent a good part of the show working on a very large, about 2x4m canvas on site." says Jay Koka, "Another aspect of this show that I enjoy is the opportunity to see colleagues from year to year. I last saw the Argentine painter de la Maria at the Meadow Brook Concours (Michigan, USA) in the late 90's. What a surprise to run into him in Paris this year... the other side of the globe for both of us... after all these years!"

"Retromobile 2024 proved to be an exceptionnal year with some outstanding cars presented including two Ferrari GTO's, a replica Bugatti Atlantic, Aston Martin DB3's, Pegaso Z102, Porsche 917." says Yahn Janou, current ArtistAuto president. In the Gallerie des Artistes, we had 3 new artists with a total of 35 artists participating in the show."

"After 8 years as Artist'Auto president, I have decided to step down and pass on the position to Benjamin Freudenthal." Janou coninues, "I have great memories of this time working to bring the group greater exposure at Retromobile and other exhibitions. In short, to enhance Artist'Auto "influence" in collectible car area. As an example, Techno Classica Essen will, for the first time, have our group as part of the show."