Paris, 9 –18 February 2001
Unmolested Maserati
Not to be Outdone
... and then there was Ferrari!
... On Display
A year has passed already since the last Retromobile with its marvellous Ferrari
display. The 2001 event celebrated the centenary of Mercedes Benz, thus there was
not the same feast for Ferrari enthusiasts, but there were a few delicacies to titillate
the palate, perhaps in need of something to savour after a winter of enforced
abstinence.
Unmolested Maserati
There was also a fine selection of other Italian machinery, with Christies displaying
a magnificent unrestored Maserati Tipo 60 ”Birdcage” that is to be offered in their
upcoming London auction. This car, chassis number 2460, has been in the same
ownership for the last 35 years, and is reputedly in the same condition as when it
was last raced in 1964, albeit receiving regular mechanical maintenance to enable
the owner to exercise it at will. Another Maserati with a fine patina was displayed by
the Musee Nationale deL’Automobile, who brought their 250 F Formula 1 car,
chassis number 2530, to the show to publicise the recent revamping of the display
layout of the museum in Mulhouse. This museum should be a ”must” to visit for any
classic car enthusiast, the breadth of models displayed and the ornate decoration
create a surreal atmosphere not to be missed. A distant relative in the form of a
one-off Fiat Fissore OSCA 1600 cabriolet was also to be found at the show, as was
a closer relation, a 1957 OSCA 237 S sports racing model that shared Rudy Pas’
stand space with a 1956 Maserati 150 S sports racing model. A further fine example
of the marque that carries the Trident of Bologna, was the 8 CLT model on J. Braam
Ruben’s stand. This looked quite stunning with the bonnet removed, to reveal the
beautifully cast cam covers, from which beneath sprouted on the left side a sixteen
port exhaust manifold from the eight cylinder engine. The Club Maserati France had
a more modern display comprising of Mistral, Bora and a current 3200GT road car.
Not to be Outdone
The Alfa Romeo contingent certainly did their best not to be outdone or fazed by the
Maserati presence around the show. Apart from some nice pre-war sports and road
models on various vendors stands, the Club Alfa Romeo de France had two
exquisite examples on loan from the factory museum. The earlier of the two models
displayed was the unique 1934 Tipo B Aerodinamica, with a 3 litre in-line 8 cylinder
engine that produced 255bhp at 5400rpm via twin superchargers to give a top
speed of 262kph. This car won the 1934 Avus G.P. driven by Frenchman Guy Moll.
The second car was a 1952 Disco Volante 1900 Spider, whose Superleggera body
by Touring must surely be one of the automobile world’s aesthetic masterpieces.
This model is almost as rare as the Tipo B, with only three examples produced, two
in the Spider form as displayed, and a single coupe.
... and then there was Ferrari!
LDA Assurances had originally planned to exhibit the 2000 championship winning
F1 car on their stand, but their plans were thwarted at the last moment, so instead
they had a much earlier single seater on display courtesy of the Collection Mas Du
Clos. This was a 166 F2, chassis number 006C, and formed the central attraction at
a cocktail party on the first Friday evening of the show hosted by the proprietor,
Lucien Bernard, who had former Ferrari F1 driver, Rene Arnoux amongst the guests.
Pierre Bardinon’s Chapal Leather stand with it’s traditional Le Mans pit scene
setting, hosted his 330 TRI/LM, chassis number 0808, another example from the
Collection Mas Du Clos making a rare public appearance. This is the unique
example that won the 1962 Le mans 24 Hour race driven by Phil Hill and Olivier
Gendebien, the last front engined Ferrari to win the Sathe classic. Elsewhere there
was a 288 GTO, a yellow F40, a trio of Dino road cars, including an example of the
rare 206 GT, and Pozzi Ferrari France had loaned their 250 GT LWB TdF berlinetta,
0607GT, to help publicise the 200 Ferraris Contre Le Cancer event in May.
Alfa Romeo Models On Display
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