The Renault 4cv based Le Tank Burnel.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

You may recall that last week I mentioned that for a French show it contained a lot of Italian Cars, well having finished sorting through over a 1000 photos I can now say that for a French show it also contained a lot of very interesting French cars, and British cars too, and not forgetting the Germans and even a few American cars for good measure. I also mentioned that the themed displays this year were of a very high standard with the highlight probably being the Bugatti display. Titled “Bugatti, Les Insolites De Molsheim,” aka “Bugatti, the Unusual creations of Molsheim,” simply stunning and not a Type 35 in sight.

A Hollywood star on the Kidston stand, but not for sale. Making its public debut at the show following a two-year restoration by RS Williams, this 1968 Aston Martin DBS Vantage, chassis 5234/R, featured in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service staring George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, and Telly Savalas. Two cars were loaned to Eon productions for use in the film and chassis 5234/R was the principal example. Once the filming had finished 5234/R was sold to the British School of Motoring in London and used for high speed driving tuition.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Retro 2026: The Golden Age of Rallying display covered the years 1960 through 1990. Alfa Romeo celebrated 60 years of the Duetto, Mazda celebrated the 35th anniversary of the win at Le Mans in the amazingly loud 787. It was GTis again, this time on the VW stand, celebrating 50 years of the original hot hatch. For Skoda it was 125 years of Motor Sport.

From Kidston, This beautiful 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Le Mans Berlinetta. Chassis 0048 M was first registered in July 1950 to Angelo Biemmi of Iseo, Brescia who, in March 1951, sold it to Luciano Masseroni of Milan, the son of Carlo Rinaldo Masseroni, a large scale footwear manufacturer and owner/president of ‘Football Club Internazionale Milano’ better known as Inter Milan. Six weeks after purchase Luciano and his co driver Riccardo Vignolo took part in the Millie Miglia where they finished 3rd in the 2.0-Litre sports car class, 21st overall.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

For a French show in the French capital, Retromobile, on its 50th Anniversary, contained a great number of Italian cars, as you will shortly see. The themed displays put on by the event organizers were particularly impressive this year.