Photo round-up
showcased its new line-up of GTi-specific
body panels and spares.
Static displays from the Le Musée National
de la Voiture et du Tourisme showed off
early attempts at mechanised transport from
long forgotten car makers like Borderel-
Cail, De Bazelaire, Lacoste-et-Battmann
and Delaugére-et-Clayette. Their gentle
perambulations were disturbed by regular
demonstrations of the ‘record breaking
monsters’ shown in collaboration with the
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Crowds
came to see Mark Walker’s 1906 Darracq
V8, built 15 miles away in the Parisian
suburb of Suresnes and they stayed for
Duncan Pittaway’s brutal 28.5-litre Fiat S76
grand prix racer.
For the first time in its history, Rétromobile
spread into two halls, supported by
auctioneer Artcurial and watchmaker Richard
Mille. In the passageway between venues,
France’s largest car group, Automobile
Club de l’Ouest (ACO), celebrated its 110th
birthday; best known for its organisation of
the Le Mans 24 Hours, the cars and people
which helped make it famous were displayed
for all to see.
The past did indeed have a future at
Rétromobile; after receiving 110,000
guests the date has already been set for
2017’s show – Wednesday, February 8
to Sunday, February 12. “2016 was a
good vintage enjoyed against a backdrop
of a very positive business climate,” a
Rétromobile spokesman added.
Jon Burgess
Just 18 miles from
the centre of Paris,
Autodrome de Linas-
Montlhéry used a
1964 Panhard CD
road car to promote
its revived festival.
Organisers Les
Grandes Heures
Automobiles brought
racing back to the
famous banked
circuit in 2015; this
year’s event, held
between Saturday,
September 24 and
Sunday, September
25 promises to be
bigger and better.
The rhomboid bodystyle was explored twice by Charbonneux over the
decades; both vehicles were on display in Paris along with Jean Pierre
Ponthieu’s 1968 L’automodule study.
Phillippe Charbonneux restyled the rear-engined Wimille JPW supercar, named
after racing driver Jean-Pierre Wimille. Bugatti also commemorated his
achievements with a special edition Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Legend Jean-
Pierre Wimille, first seen at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Weird, arcane design studies and concept vehicles were aired in public at
Rétromobile, dedicated to the globular ‘lozenge’ bodystyle that captivated
designers between the Forties and Sixties.
Club Simca France celebrated the European launch (February 5, 1976) of
the 1307/1308 hatchback on its stand.
From Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint to MkI Volkswagen Golf GTI, French-language
magazine Youngtimers put on an excellent ‘Class of 1976’ display.
Classic Car Mart Spring 2016 21