Paris, France – In the post-global motorshow era, Rétromobile stands out as a breath of fresh air. Though not as design-focused as Geneva once was, nor as broad-reaching of the new car industry as the mammoth Frankfurt IAA of yore, this classics-focused automotive trade show represents a rare thriving gathering that includes any number of new car manufacturers seeking to touch heart strings one just can’t achieve by hawking transportation appliances. In all these ways, it is a breath of fresh air.
Held from February 5-9, Rétromobile 2025 welcomed a tallied 146,000. That was up 12% over last year’s event, evidence the classic car space and the passion that fuels it is alive and well. Exhibitors include the aforementioned manufacturers, dealers, auction houses, restorers, clubs, event organizers, insurance companies, parts manufacturers and distributors, scale model firms, automobiliia dealers and more.
Perhaps the biggest news for Americans will be the addition of an American edition of Retromobile. Presented in partnership with Dupont Registry, the event will be held November 19-22, 2026 in New York.
Continuation of the Speed Six, the most successful Bentley race car in history, with two Le Mans wins in 1929 and 1930
Every car handcrafted from scratch using period-correct tools, fixings and techniques – over a process of 10 months from start to finish
Continental GTC with the all-new 782 PS, 1000 Nm ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ powertrain
81 km of electric range, and CO2 emissions of 29 g/km*
[source: Bentley]
Munich, Germany – Bentley Motors will showcase the Bentley Speed Six Continuation Series following the successful completion of twelve Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged ‘Blower’ Continuation models, the world’s first pre-war continuation series. The build of each car will take a total of ten months from start to finish.
The Continuation Series Speed Six takes two original Speed Sixes as its template: the company’s own Speed Six, GU409, and ‘Old Number 3’, a works Speed Six driven in the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hour race by Sammy Davis and Clive Dunfee. The latter was generously loaned by its owner and gave the Mulliner team invaluable data on dimensions, materials, and components.
The Speed Six was introduced in 1928 as a more sporting version of the Bentley 6½ Litre. The engine was modified to liberate more power, with twin SU carburettors, a higher compression ratio and a high-performance camshaft. A contemporary road test in The Morning Post concluded, “I consider this car to be one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the century, the balance of speed, silence and flexibility having been maintained in a unique manner.”
182 Speed Six models were built between 1928 and 1930. Two wins at the Le Mans 24 Hour race, in 1929 and 1930, cemented the Speed Six’s pre-eminent place in Bentley racing history.
Bentley Motors is also proud to reveal the fourth generation Continental GTC Speed in Jetstream, following in the 21-year tradition of the Continental GT family by redefining the ultimate blend of supercar performance, handcrafted luxury and everyday usability.
For the new Continental GTC Speed, a brand-new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain has been developed. The new powertrain combines a new 4.0 litre V8 engine capable of producing 600 PS (584 bhp) with a 190 PS (187 bhp) electric motor. Performance of the Continental GTC Speed is breath-taking for an open-air Grand Tourer.
The Convertible features Bentley’s seven-bow fabric roof system, available in a range of seven exterior colours (including tweed) and deployable in 19 seconds at speeds up to 48 km/h. With a completely new 400-volt electrical architecture enables the most advanced suite of powertrain technology to be offered by a luxury automotive brand today, delivering emissions of 29 g/km of CO2 and an electric range of 80 km on the WLTP drive cycle.
What: 1972 Aston Martin DBS V8 Color: Hermès Orange (unknown) Chassis #: V8/10519/RCA Mileage: 72,528 kilometers, 45,066 miles Estimated Price: US$130,000 – US$180,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Bonhams Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Auction, Paris, France Auction listing:Link
Why we love it:
Spoiler alert. The car you see here has been repainted, but in grand style and a truly unique shade that makes it so very one-of-a-kind that we can’t not report on it. The car you see here was actually delivered new as a right-hand drive coupé painted Cairngorm Brown with an Olive interior – a very subdued British car for a British customer who lived not far from the Aston Martin factory.
After shuffling through a few well-accounted for owners, the car shifted to the ownership of a prominent Emir in 2010 who commissioned a conversion to left-hand drive and a color change inside and out to Hermès orange.
From there it went to its current owner, who had it restored by Le Clos de Calatrava in collaboration with Aston Martin Works UK, completing that job in October 2024. Even still, the unique orange on orange color choice was retained.
The car is now ready for its next owner and will be sold as part of Bonhams’ Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Auction in early February.
