This September RM Sotheby’s will be offering up for sale one of the most impressive and eclectic car collections around; the Portuguese Sáragga collection, with 130 cars ranging from a 1911 De Tamble Model G Roadster to a 2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage AMR. In between these extremes, there are plenty of the usual suspects from Mercedes, Jaguar, Porsche, and Ferrari.
Selecting our favorites is a daunting if entirely enjoyable pastime. Yet Mr Sáragga clearly has a penchant for the unusual too, and over the three decades during which he amassed this collection he has made some fascinating left-field choices. We’ve picked some of the more intriguing cars on offer, all from French manufacturers both existing and long gone.
While the 1920 Rochet-Schneider Type 16500 is the oldest French car on the list, it is the bright blue 1964 Citroën 2CV that caught our eye first. Not exactly off-piste you might say, but this is one of the 693 4×4 Sahara variants. Equipped with twin engines, it was a quirky and surprisingly capable off-roader. The engines could be operated independently of each other effectively, and the car’s rarity would make it a real talking point of any collection. It is estimated to sell for between €80,000 euros ($88,000) and €100,000 ($110,000).
Next up is another familiar face, the Alpine-Renault A110, in this case a 1972 model. These fiberglass-bodied sports cars made their mark on the rallying scene with numerous high-profile wins at events like the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally as well as securing the 1973 World Rally Championships. This one is fitted with a 1.3-liter Renault Cléon Fonte engine from the Renault 12 and comes fitted with three-point harnesses and rally-style headlamps, primed and ready to tackle the next historic rallying event. It is listed at between €60,000 ($66,000) and €80,000 ($88,000).
The 1967 Matra Djet V may bear a passing resemblance to the A110 and while it too has a fiberglass body and Renault-sourced engine, it is a far rarer sight and also happens to be the very first mid-engined production car ever sold. This example is one of the last cars built and it is presented in classic French Blue paintwork. The estimate of between €30,000 ($33,000) and €40,000 ($44,000) should see this little sports car attract a lot of attention at the upcoming sale.
The final car on our list is the beautiful 1939 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet with Chapron bodywork. It is a matching numbers car and has spent its entire 80-year existence in Portugal. In addition to it featuring the rare Chapron body, this Delahaye was also finished in the ‘Grande Luxe’ specification, which added around 50 percent to the price and included redesigned doors, wings, hood and a luxury interior made to the client’s requirements. Perhaps unsurprisingly it is also one fo the highest valued vehicles in the collection, being listed at between €400,000 ($440,000) and €450,000 ($500,000).
These fascinating French classics and much more besides will be going to auction without reserve at RM Sotheby’s sale taking place between 20 and 21 September in Monteira Portugal.
Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
