A 1925 Bugatti Type 22 rescued after 70 years underwater was easily Bonhams' most unusual consignment to this year's Rétromobile in Paris.
But the auction house also enjoyed a number of high-profile sales of cars which still have their upholsteries intact; among them the 1935 Hispano-Suiza T56 Torpedo.
 The 1935 Hispano-Suiza T56 Torpedo (€475k) |
This vintage classic was the result of a two-way exchange between the Spanish and French arms of the Hispano-Suiza car company.
Production of the Type T56, a Spain-manufactured variation of the French 46CV, began in 1929 and ended in 1940.
Over these 11 years, only about 200 examples of the T56 were sold.
 Only 200 T56s were sold during its 11-year production run |
The example which graced Rétromobile, bearing a chassis number 341-6800, features bodywork constructed by Baltasar Fiol, the legendary Barcelona coachbuilder.
Fiol was one of the most highly regarded Spanish coachbuilders and worked on the chassis of numerous prestigious marques such as Rolls Royce, Dodge, Cadillac, Packard and Hispano-Suiza.
The car's owner history is also impressive, including featuring in the collection of Jacques Harguindeguy, the late aesthete and connoisseur.
Unsurprisingly, the historically unique automobile wooed its audience of international bidders, eventually realising €475,000.
