Escudier just knew there was something special about the 1928 Type 35B
Posted in General on 07. Sep, 2010
Escudier just knew there was something special about the 1928 Type 35B. What he probably didn’t realise is that by never attempting to restore it, modify it or improve it he was adding to its value Originality is all, it would seem. However, it is still an impressive barn find.Call it foresight, call it a hunch, but M. It won’t be the top Bugatti price achieved at auction – that distinction belongs to a Type 41 Royale, sold at Christie’s in November 1987 for £5.5m. For the sake of argument, let’s call that £12 in English money.The only person laughing today, however, is the 84-year-old M. Escudier, because his £12 investment is now set to return the astonishing sum of up to £2m when it comes under the hammer again, 51 years later, at Bonhams’ “Goodwood Revival” auction next month.
An old car like that? What good is it to anyone?In fact, they couldn’t resist a giggle as a couple of people not in on the act made perfunctory bids, pushing the eventual price M Escudier had to pay to the heady sum of 120 francs. He’s a scrap-merchant called Edmond Escudier, and he’s there for just one thing: an old Bugatti, which was found gathering dust in a barn among the wine casks.
He wants it so much that, over a Pastis and several Gauloises in the village bar, he agrees to stand lunch for all the other prospective buyers in exchange for their promise that they won’t “bid him up” They don’t take much persuading. The promise of a bargain has attracted the inquisitive from far and wide. But there is one person among the crowd who isn’t interested in picking through the cases of old Bordeaux or checking out the rag-tag bits of furniture.
A local wine merchant has gone bust, and his goods and chattels are about to be auctioned off by a sober-suited notaire. Picture the scene. It’s 1954 and a typically hot summer’s day in a small village in the Var region of Provence. Look after a Grand Vitara and it will look after you, both on- and off-road In general, a full-service history equals no trouble.. The bigger models come with 0 per cent financem, but you’ll need a 50 per cent deposit. Factory Outlet Cars in Durham (0191 520 8202) are offering an unregistered 2.0TD XL 7-seater at £4,295 off the list price.ANY SNAGS? No.
The 1.6 engine struggles and the side-hinged rear door means you have to think before you park. HOW MUCH? You can buy a basic one from £9,999, which is £2,000 off. It is badged as the Grand Vitara now, but that name is misleading because the specification is not that generous. The larger 5-doors are slightly more comfy.WHAT’S BAD ABOUT IT? Not a huge amount, although it is looking a little bit dated. Is there any point in bothering with an old one?
WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?Vitaras are capable, rugged and a riot to drive at the price. Off-road it is no plaything, but a proper mud-plugger that can do all the dirty stuff.
WHEN IS IT GOING?
The new Grand Vitara will be shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will probably arrive here in late 2005. Research suggests that to beat the inconvenience and cost of private ownership, car club cars have to be less than 10 minutes from the front door.. They plan to have 90 cars available for 2,500 members next year.Until now, the clubs have had limited impact because a small fleet means that members struggle to reach the car. Another experiment is WhizzGo, launched in July 2004 in Leeds, with eight cars at four locations around the city. The slogan of Carplus, a charity set up to promote car clubs, is “using cars to reduce car use”, but its members are not exempt from the London congestion charge.Probably the oldest car club in the UK is Leicester-based Rusty Car Pool, which began as an informal sharing system between neighbours in 1976 By using older vehicles, they kept costs to a minimum.