Wow. Was that the best Rétromobile yet? I’d be hard pushed to argue otherwise. If the overall heightened quality throughout the show wasn’t the most common conversation starter, then the super-good vibe and buoyant energy most certainly was. I tip my hat to the Rétromobile organisers, who really engaged with us as exhibitors, facilitated meetings and were responsive and reactive throughout.

Just as we thought the excitement for the week was over, they also helped facilitate a visit from a certain Monegasque Ferrari Formula 1 driver on Saturday afternoon. Charles was polite and engaged and showed a genuine interest in the old Ferraris we’d brought to Paris. I’ve hosted global events and auctioned in front of thousands of people, but I’ve perhaps never felt as much like a fish in a bowl than when Leclerc and his entourage wandered onto the stand. Incredible.

We invested more time and energy than ever before carefully curating the selection of Ferraris we presented in Paris, working closely with our clients and international partners to find just the right cars for the show. In fact, over half the Ferraris on the stand made a trip over the Atlantic just to be with us in Paris. For the right cars, that effort and expense is absolutely worth it.

From the 1950s ‘big-banger’ Lampredi-powered 340 America and 375 MM to the millennial Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive, the breadth was no coincidence. That’s why it was so satisfying to see such strong and serious interest, both on the stand and from around the world, right across the board. One car was sold and paid for, with advanced discussions underway on a number of others.

I’ve always maintained that truly great cars transcend the ebbs and flows of the market. So this exceptional interest was so encouraging for us. 

With Covid a distant(ish) dot in the rear-view mirror, this year’s edition of Rétromobile once again felt like the international collector-car summit it always was. That the organisers confirmed a record attendance of 130,000 visitors would appear to support that. The world’s foremost collectors, clients, dealers, historians, restorers and event organisers from across the world descended on The Girardo & Co. Bar to sip coffee, catch up and paint a picture of the general mood and feeling among the most important people in our world. Over the course of the week we had seven 250 GTO owners on the stand. Our 10 Ferraris, spearheaded coincidentally by the exquisite 250 GTO, played the perfect backdrop.

Yes, Rétromobile is a trade fair and yes, finding new homes for the cars we present is, of course, our priority. But selling is only the start. The week in Paris is a springboard from which to launch our year, both transactionally and from a marketing perspective. And the face-to-face meetings and discussions we have at Rétromobile really shape the coming weeks and months for us here at Girardo & Co. HQ. In fact, our sights are already trained on a number of other fantastic Ferraris, which would not have come to our attention if it weren’t for the 10 Prancing Horses we presented in Paris.

I feel guilty for how little I was able to explore the gargantuan Expo Porte de Versailles last week. But from the short walks that interspersed the thousands of conversations on the stand, I managed to fall hopelessly in love with four cars – each thankfully far beyond my means!

I’d always loved the story of the 917K Count Rossi of Martini & Rossi persuaded Porsche to sell him as a road car in 1974, leather interior and indicators included. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d see the actual car in real life! Sure enough, Joe Macari brought the Porsche, Texas registration plate and all, to Paris. And for the chance to ogle it in the metal, I am eternally grateful.

The ex-Le Mans Ford GT40 on Lukas Hüni’s stand, which was parked in 1970 and never touched or driven since, was among the most beguiling cars I’ve ever clapped eyes on. And the display of former Dakar cars may or may not have had me calling my best friend and plotting a potential Classic adventure for 2025…

When all’s said and done, there was only one that truly  stood above the rest for me: Kidston’s Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spider – the most memorable car I ever auctioned. Twenty-seven-point-five million dollars was the all-in price back in 2013, making it then the most expensive road car ever sold at auction. Perhaps just as astonishingly, all the proceeds were donated to charity.

Photos courtesy of Tom Shaxson

You can discover more about each of the exceptional road and competition Ferraris we presented at Salon Rétromobile in 2024 by clicking here.