60,000 euros for a Golf and almost 74,000 euros for a Clio: Artcurial has auctioned the hottest items from the 80s and 90s in Paris. Some prices exceeded expectations.
Artcurial auctioneer Hervé Poulain auctioned off a whole range of fast and rare youngtimers on October 16 at 4 p.m. in Paris during the "Automobiles sur les Champs" auction. During the fall auction, 99 lots came under the hammer. After automobilia such as model cars and racing suits, the first spectacular result quickly followed.
Renault Clio Williams: 73,904 euros
Immediately after a Velosolex and the model of a Renault V10 engine, a Renault Clio Williams was called up with lot number 19. The blue small car with gold-colored rims was an achievable dream car of the 1990s and hasn't gotten any cheaper since: Artcurial had called an estimate of 25,000 to 45,000 euros. That's more than the small and fast Frenchman cost new in 1995. But it did not stop.
The offered Williams from the Renault works collection has the mileage of a young used car with 31,000 kilometers. It is thus a time capsule from the middle of the nineties, when a two-liter naturally aspirated engine in a special model in honor of a Formula 1 title was enough to make car-loving youngsters whizzy. Apparently that still works today: including the premium for the auction house, the final selling price was 73,904 euros.
VW Golf 16S Oettinger: 60,792 euros
For an equally spectacular sum of 60,792 euros, Poulain sold a black Golf I GTI from 1983, which at first glance looks like a tuning car from the 80s and at second glance it is exactly that. It is, however, a very special tuning Golf: in France, VW had the GTI with a four-valve head from Oettinger in its range in order to stand up to the domestic competition.
Such cars are rarely found in original and good condition. The auction car has a reasonable, documented history, was restored in 1988 at 95,000 kilometers for around 60,000 French Francs and had 153,700 kilometers on the clock at the time of the auction. The dashboard was completely redrawn after a theft. The expected hammer price was correspondingly high: Artcurial had estimated the Golf at 45,000 to 55,000 euros. Including the premium, the final selling price was 60,792 euros. For a very special old Golf.
Mercedes 190E 2.5-16: 34,568 euros
In the 80s, Mercedes stirred up the DTM with the 190E 16V . The road version, which has been on the road since 1984 as the 2.3-16, had 200 cubic more cubic meters in 1988 with 2.5 liters. The four-cylinder with Cosworth four-valve head now made 195 hp. In January 1989, Mercedes-Benz delivered exactly such a 2.5-16 in 199 blue-black metallic to Bayonne, France.
The simple four-door car with checked fabric upholstery and Getrag 275 Dogleg remained in first hand until 2020. To date it has clocked up 98,539 kilometres, the last inspection included fresh tyres, filters and fluids in addition to the usual adjustment and maintenance work. The invoice for 5,000 euros is available. In view of the history and mileage, the estimated price of 28,000 to 38,000 euros seemed broad, but not too high. Apparently the audience saw it that way too: In the end, the sales price of 34,568 euros was right in the middle of the estimate.
BMW 325iX E30 Touring: 29,800 euros
Good BMW E30 six-cylinders have long since become expensive. Touring are quite rare. The first BMW station wagon is an attractive classic with additional benefits. The E30 now auctioned at Artcurial was delivered by Emil Frey AG in Geneva in 1991: 325iX automatic in lazure blue metallic with gray leather interior - not much more was possible at the time. The rare four-wheel drive version can be recognized by the wider track and the slightly flared wheel arches, which are further emphasized by a later fitted M-Technik 2 package.
The blue touring covered most of its 126,600 kilometers in first hand. The son of the first owner got the car back on the road. Transmission, rear axle and shock absorbers were recently overhauled as part of an extensive service that cost 12,000 Swiss francs. Fresh tires are mounted on the 15-inch cross-spoke aluminum wheels. For this, 29,800 euros is a high but fair price – find a second copy first.
Peugeot 205 handles: 36,952 euros
Collectors pay at auctions Record prices for Peugeot 205 GTI . The small, brisk Frenchman is one of the icons of the brand and is highly valued in good condition. The Hot Hatch has tripled in value in ten years.
One can speculate about why this is so. The mileage and status of the special model indicated that the green 205 GTI that Artcurial auctioned in Paris on October 16, 2022 could be expensive. The handle is painted green and has a black leather interior. Since 1990 it has had three owners and covered 86,500 kilometers. The sales price of 36,952 euros is not low, but it does not represent a new record for a 205 GTI either.
Conclusion
Classics from the 80s and 90s have recently been auctioned for a lot of money. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that these vintages are now recognized classics and at the same time can easily survive in today's everyday life. On the other hand, those people who dreamed of an E30, 190E-16V, Clio Williams or 205 GTI as children and teenagers 30 years ago often have a little money left over. At the Artcurial auction, the high results for the Clio Williams and the rare Oettinger Golf are particularly noteworthy.
