Classic cars are some of the common luxury items among auction lots. We are talking about limited edition vehicles or vehicles with unique characteristics for which collectors are willing to spend a significant amount of money. What may not be so common is hunting down a movie star's old car at an affordable price. That is why the French auction house Aggutes has surprised us with the sale of a convertible that belonged to Jean Paul Belmondo for less than what a packaged Volkswagen Golf is worth.
The charismatic French author, famous for films such as À bout de souffle or Empire of the Lion, always had automobiles among his passions. Although there was a notable car in his collection it was a Panther Lima that he ordered in 1979 from Etablissements Jacques Savoye, the official distributor of the defunct British manufacturer in Paris. It is a sports car, not too expensive, but extremely rare, that Belmondo registered at his house on Saint Pères Street in the 6th arrondissement of the French capital when he was at the peak of his film career, as the attached documentation demonstrates. by Aguttes.
Jean Paul Belmondo chose his classic fiberglass body for this Panther Lima, inspired by the lines of the Bugatti Type 55, with an elegant combination of light gray and dark blue colors. This was a car of which the French manufacturer only produced 907 units between 1976 and 1982. Specifically, the actor acquired the Mk2 version, the highest of the range, with a 2.3-liter engine that it shared with the Ford Granada, of the that only 360 copies were produced. The car retains the original engine, with a power that reaches 110 HP and a maximum speed of 177 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 in 7.4 seconds. The Lima is an example of aerodynamics, given its 885 kilos of weight.
This two-seater sports car has a chrome roof rack mounted on the spare wheel, a necessary element due to the absence of a trunk. As for the interior, the wood finish on the dashboard and its beautiful two-tone polyester upholstery on the seats stand out, which was restored in 2014 by its current owner.
The documentation provided by the auction house shows that Jean Paul Belmondo put only 21,900 kilometers on this roadster between 1979 and 2006, the date on which he sold it to a collector. The current owner drove it until 2014 and since then has dedicated himself to carrying out small restorations. The odometer currently reads 32,500 kilometers.
Belmondo's Panther Lima will be exhibited to the public at the Champerret Space in Paris from March 8 to 10, when it will be auctioned by Aguttes. The estimated sale price is between 25,000 and 35,000 euros, a bargain for a classic of this type. If we take as a reference the price of a new Volkswagen Golf, which is around 30,440 euros for the 110 HP Life and 67,750 euros for the special edition of the Golf R with 333 HP, it is more than likely that a collector will get this movie car. for less than what one of the most affordable current cars on the market costs.
