25 Rétromobile
To be in touch with fellow enthusiasts, friends, and customers, we attend every year several Swiss and international salons, auctions, swap meets, and races.
For some events, we share pictures of classic motor cars that caught our eye, to complete our presence on Instagram, Threads, and YouTube.
To only scroll pictures, use the picture gallery (click here to close it when open).
Pictures
See the pictures for a nice sample of cars. DS balloon, three beautiful Citroën Kégresse, Delahaye 235 Cabriolet Mylord 1952 by Antem, CX 25 Limousine Turbo 2, "rare de chez rare", Renault Dauphine Gordini, Pontiac, Bentley, GS 1015 with the "round" door handles, Simca Rallye 2, Alfa Romeo Disco Volante, Mazda Miata Coupé, and a splendid Cadillac.
Links
More about the is event on the official webpage. Zwischengas also provides a good summary and nice pictures of this event.
More about this event can be found on our Instagram account or below in the virtual phone. To see the pictures, swipe them with your finger (mobile devices) or your mouse (desktop).
Skoda Felicia, Type 994. The Felicia was offered with a 1089 cc (37 kW) four-cylinder engine with - if correct - an overhead cam. Not bad.
The carbs are 2 Jikov... I have to admit... never heard of this brand. That's right, I know almost nothing about cars produced behind the iron curtain. Never too late to learn. The model designation was derived from the Latin word "felicitas" meaning happiness. I like this Felicia a lot, and the green color perfectly fits the end of the 1950s and beginning of the 1960s.
Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupe by Dubos Frères 1949, seen here in Paris, and soon on sale in May at The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2025.
The sale documentation of the auction house gives a very good description of the car. Not need to write a novel, here.
What is the value of this car? Not an easy question. This car is basically unique, the 32 SWB T26 Grand Sport had individually coachbuilt bodies. You know, I personally have some serious concerns about auctions, but for such a jewel, I have to admit, it may be a good way to feel the market pulse. Good luck to the bidders.
Simca 1000 Rallye 2 1977. With the square headlights. And probably one of the last because the third series was launched at the end of 1977.
It should have the 1300cc engine (actually 1294cc), two Solex carbs "double corps", four disc brakes, and the radiator in the front, the Poissy engine remaining in the back. This really was sport. And French car producers were good, here. Thanks.
Delahaye 135M 1938 by Joseph (Giuseppe) Figoni. Fantastic car to present your restoration competences as a shop. But it was also the expression of the French quality, "grandeur" and expertise before WWII.
This example is relatively sober knowing what the two gentlemen Giuseppe Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi did in the mid-1930s with their famous tear drop shapes. It was a nice moment in Paris staring at this beauty. Thanks.
Salmson S4E 1949, four-seater cabriolet. Being knowledgeable about this great brand is not easy, so let's try... and feel free to correct me.
The S4E, which started before WWII incorporated the technically advanced features of the previous DA such as an engine with twin overhead camshaft, hemispherical heads with central spark plugs. Still quite progressive after WWII. The front suspension had the addition of longitudinal torsion bars, an approach seen on the Traction.
All these enhancements offered a nice combination of performance and road-holding that was excellent for the time. Regarding the transmission, either a 4-speed manual or a Cotal preselector transmission were available. Splendid. Thanks to the "Amicale Salmson".
I like it, I do not, you do, you do not, that is not the point. The focus is on the doors. They are asymmetrical. The passenger door is four inches longer than the driver’s door. The intent was to make it easier for back seat passengers to get in and out of the two-door car. Was is a good idea? I have some doubt, but it is up to you to decide.
AMC introduced the bulbous Pacer in 1975 with an ad campaign that claimed "When you buy any other car, all you end up with is today's car. When you get a Pacer, you get a piece of tomorrow". However, four years later tomorrow was already yesterday. By end-1979 the final Pacer rolled out of AMC plant in Kenosha WI.
The Pacer is nearly half as wide as it is long. It has large wrap-around windows, which became known as "the fish bowl" or "the boiling lobster pot" depending on the sources. Enjoy this unique car.
Panhard Dyna X84 1949, actually Dyna 100 chassis X84, alloy body, 610cc, produced between 1945 and 1949, a very clever car.
The flat twin engine was quite revolutionary for the time since it offers very high efficiency. For Panhard: a rebirth after WWII, but also a dramatic change of direction compared to prewar production.
The Dyna set the pattern for Panhard passenger cars until the firm stopped automobile production in 1967. The original bodywork and its rather baroque style earn the car the nickname of "Louis XV". A great entry ticket into the world of Panhard. Thanks to the fan club Versailles.
OK, already seen a zillion times. But it is so nice. MX-5 2003 Serie NB Coupé. The rarest of NB produced only for the Japanese domestic market in just 179 units. This should be car number 9, seen in Paris.
The base car came with Mazda 1.6-litre engine producing around 110 HP, but some versions had the 1.8 offering up to around 160 HP through a manual 6-speed gearbox. According to several sources, the car seen at Rétromobile 2025 had this larger engine. Why was the car never sold in Europe? Good question.
Not my cup of tea, I mean, Delage yes, but the old ones. But I have to admit the shape is amazing. A clean yet aggressive and futuristic design, probably inspired by F1 and fighter jets, wide and ultra-low. Delage D12. Yes, it should have a V12... and a little bit of electricity.
Delage D8-120 Chapron 1936. Quelle classe. I always wonder how life was in 1930s in France and you had the mean to order such a car, visiting Chapron from time to time to see the progress made on your car.
This Delage has the 4.7-liter (larger than the 4.3-liter) inline 8-cylinder engine, with a Cotal gearbox. This box is operated by a very simple dashboard or column-mounted switch called in France "le moutardier" or as LJK Setright said "a cherry on a cocktail stick".
The Cotal box is a preselector, epicyclic-designed gearbox using - no band brakes as in the Wilson setup - electromagnetic clutches to engage the gears. This implies you need electricity to move the car. It may help to know it.
Jean Rondeau, Le Mans winner. He is probably the last "garagist" to won the Le Mans 24 Hours. Yes, grit, determination and against-the-odds endeavor propelled the French gentleman from near-obscurity to international fame.
If I am not mistaken, the winning car M379 was powered by a 3-liter, 460 HP (340 kW) Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 F1 engine.
Dear Jean, I did not know you personally, but your success made several bright days in my youth. Thanks a lot.
Look at this beautiful race car. The Rondeau adventure is for me the proof of courage, commitment, determination and humility. More pics later on.
The AGTZ (Zagato) Twin Tail is limited to just 19 units worldwide, making it extremely rare. Based on the Alpine A110, the car pays homage to the 1960s Alpine A220 racer.
The removable rear section allows the Twin Tail to be configured for both layouts. Yes, the long tail section of the AGTZ is demountable, meaning you can have either extended or chopped Kamm-tail versions depending on mood... or space requirements.
A real, moving, breathing art piece. It is not really a track car or a racer, more a piece of rolling automotive artwork, in homage to some of the greatest racing cars France has ever produced. Congratulations. And thanks for being in Paris.
Zorglub? Not really. However, he would have liked the car design. No, Carrozzeria Zagato, more pics about the new Alpine following soon.
FYI, if needed. Zorglub is a fictional character in the Belgian comic strip Spirou et Fantasio. He is an impressive bad villain, actually a sort of visionary evil genius. But at the end only the comical aspects of the character come through and remain. Great comics.
DB (Deutsch-Bonnet) HBR 1953 "barquette" exposed in Paris. From the pictures, I cannot tell which "barquette" it is exactly, correct me if I am wrong, but it should have an alloy bodyshell - fiberglass came later - and be powered by the famous Panhard 2-cylinder boxer engine.
A beautiful and rare car, provided by an excellent address. Thanks for bringing this piece of history to Paris.
1969 McLaren M9A, Cosworth engine. Yes, a 4x4, yes a four-wheel-drive F1 car (among other aborted experiences by Lotus and Matra). Early in 1969, Jo Marquart was recruited from Lotus to take over as chief designer, and he was charged with turning McLaren four-wheel-drive concept into reality.
The idea of McLaren and Maquart was to increase grip and traction on the track. However, the main challenges were the weight and the reduced space for the pilot due to the double drive shafts and differentials. The driver sat very far forward, with his ankles underneath the front drive shaft. A nice journey without success.
And here a few more details about this beautiful Ferrari 712 Can-Am 1010 ex-512, configuration 1971. The engine is a V12, displacement 6860 cc, or unitary displacement around 572 cc, implying 680 HP at 7000 rpm. Not bad. Twin overhead camshafts per bank and four valves per cylinder. Really not bad. And it has a dry sump, of course.
This model is actually a one-off, developed from a modified 512M which was fitted with this fantastic engine at the factory. Thanks for bringing this car to Paris.
Another beautiful Sunday. Let us begin with this beauty when race regulations had (almost) no limit... Ferrari 712 Can-Am 1010 ex-512, configuration 1971. Seen in Rétromobile 2025; was also exposed in 2019.
You do not know what excellent design is? Scroll the four pics. Now, you know. Thanks, Flaminio. You were a genius.
Midget MG 1500 1976. "Dans son jus". The rubber bumper version was an "improvement" needed for the changing regulations in the US market. This also drove the change of engine and gearbox. The engine choice immediately generated controversy, as it was the Triumph 1493cc unit fitted to the Midgets market rival, the Spitfire, and Dolomite saloons. This is also explained by the need to have an engine that complied with US regulations and still produced enough power to be respectable.
I like very much the US style of the car, and this version may be a genuine US version. I saw it at Rétromobile 2025. It would be nice if somebody restores the car.
This is not a genuine Porsche, the engine lays in the front, it has only four pots, it is made by Audi, Porsche had to produce the S, and the Turbo version to please the purists... Enough.
Actually, this is probably the only Porsche I would like to buy. 924 Turbo Type 931, introduced in 1979. The Turbo version of the 924 bridged the performance gap between the 924 and the 911. In the front section, it differs from the standard model through various air openings: vertical air slots in the front apron to supply air to the brakes and the oil cooler and four openings between the headlights, as well as an air opening on the right in the bonnet for better engine ventilation. The 924 Turbo also features a spoiler on the rear lid.
The turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder engine initially developed 170 HP. Two years later, the efficiency of the engine was improved and power output increased to 177 HP. This model was seen at Rétromobile 2025 in the section "less than 30 grand". I hope this nice car has found a new home.
And here a few detailed comments. This stunning 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, seen here in Rétromobile 2025, was named winner of the 10th annual Peninsula Classics during a ceremony at The Peninsula Paris.
This fabulous example is unusual in never having sustained any serious crash damage despite being extensively campaigned in period. The car was restored to original specifications by Ferrari Classiche a few years ago. This phenomenal 250 LM abounds in beautiful race-equipped details: six Weber 38 DCN, velocity stacks, enclosed in a cold air box, and Borrani wheels.
The color is Rosso Cina red over blue cloth upholstery. If I am not mistaken, the 6167 engine (from another chassis) in chassis 6053 is a Ferrari 3.3-liter V12 (and not 3-liter). Enjoy this sculpture.
No comment. Just enjoy this beauty sipping your Sunday coffee. Have a nice day.
NSU (NeckarSUlm) Ro(tary) 80 seen in Paris. It seems to be a model from 1975 onwards. A facelift in 1975 saw the final cars getting enlarged rear lights and rubber inserts in the bumpers. The rear license plate was also changed from below the bumper to above it. The boot lid lock was repositioned to the rear lip of the boot lid itself, instead of just below it.
The Ro80 features a 995cc twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels. The car has an automatic clutch which is commonly described as a three-speed semi-automatic gearbox. There is no clutch pedal. Touching the gear lever operates a electric switch which in turn operates a vacuum system disengaging the clutch. Therefore, the gear lever can be moved through a normal H-pattern gate. And thanks to Claus Luthe for developing this marvelous car.
This is also Rétromobile 2025. A beautiful Panhard PL17. It should be a model between July 1960 - it has normal front doors, i.e. they were hung from the front - and June 1963 when Panhard changed and simplified again the front of the car.
I am not so sure about the color... so shiny... it could be "vert luciole (émeraude)" or even better "vert tilleul". Feel free to correct me. Anyway, a splendid version of this famous model. Enjoy.
Part 1/2 and 2/2. BRM P30 V16 supercharged 1.5L 1954. Failure on track. Tony Rudd, famous British engineer, played an important role in the conception and evolution of this car. He suggested that BRM builds a lightweight version of the Mark I car, and this subsequently became the Mark II (Type 30).
This Type 30 has a shorter wheelbase and is also a good 70 kg lighter than the Mark I. Two of these leaner BRM were built, if I am not mistaken. The complex engine was exceptionally powerful for the time, but it proved a disappointment, possessing poor reliability so that cars either did not start or failed to finish races. At some point, Stirling Moss said he did not want to drive them any more. By the way, there are great books from Anthony Pritchard and Karl Ludvigsen about the V16 BRM.
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