The European classic car season begins with the winter vintage vehicle exhibition in Paris.
Salon Rétromobile has, for years, captured the hearts of car enthusiasts around the world with its unique displays, stands from clubs dedicated to rare and long-forgotten car brands, and of course, its vibrant atmosphere. Beyond the cars themselves, visitors come to enjoy each other’s company, great food and wine, and the inimitable Parisian charm.
There’s a subtle hint of spring in the air, mingling with the scent of petrol, paint, and leather — sparking a familiar yearning among enthusiasts to scrub their vehicles clean and prepare them for the season ahead.
A key highlight of the event is the vintage and exotic car auction, organized by Artcurial Motorcars, which always features exciting vehicles — many of which find new owners at reasonable prices.
This year, Artcurial was the true star of the show, hosting the sale of the most expensive car ever auctioned in euros: a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti race car, once driven by the legendary Stirling Moss. A single strike of the auction house’s honorary president’s gavel sealed the deal — the car sold for more than €32 million. In total, vehicles worth over €56 million were sold during the auction.
It was especially gratifying to see that nearly all of the finest examples — both at the auction house stands and across the exhibition — had been detailed using Meguiar’s outstanding products. The record-breaking Ferrari itself received its final polish the day before the auction, thanks to the skilled team from Meguiar’s France.
Coinciding with the exhibition was also the 2nd Meguiar’s European Conference, attended on behalf of Estonia and Latvia by the undersigned and our Meguiar’s specialist Koit Saar. We spent a full day at the show, explored the Artcurial display, and brought back some truly fascinating and unique photos, which we’re happy to share with you here.
If you’re planning a trip to France next early spring, I highly recommend making a detour to Paris and spending a day at Salon Rétromobile. It’s the perfect way for a true car enthusiast to kick off the year.
