Driven by Style: The Cars that Defined Alain Delon
Some of the most iconic shots of legendary actor Alain Delon, who passed away last Sunday at the age of 88, feature the star behind the wheel of cars equal in charm. Though Delon may not have been as car-obsessed as his Hollywood counterparts McQueen, Newman, and Dean, his association with esteemed marques became an extension of his on-screen persona, embodying the cool, effortless elegance for which he was famous.
Written by Archie Hill for The Apex by Custodian.
*THAT* Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
The most emblematic car in Alain Delon's life remains without a doubt the Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider. A car that sparked a frenzied bidding war at the Artcurial Auction, Retromobile, in 2015.
Chassis 2935GT was originally purchased by Gerard Blain, Delon's fellow compatriot and film actor, at the Paris Motor Show in 1961. Blain already had some twenty films to his name and a passion for Ferrari convertibles. In fact, he had just returned his Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 to the Ferrari importer Franco-Britannic Autos, when he spotted the magnificent 250 GT California SWB Spider, in dark blue with dark blue hard-top and black leather interior, displayed on the same Ferrari importer's stand. The Ferrari was bought by Blain and registered on 21 October 1961, just six days after the Motor Show had closed.
Impressed by the look of his friend's stunning Ferrari, Delon decided to purchase the car and registered it in Monaco in May 1963. That same year, he starred alongside Jane Fonda in 'Les Félins' (Joy House) and Shirley MacLaine in 'La Rolls-Royce Jaune' (The Yellow Rolls-Royce). The Ferrari was a part of these memorable moments, with photos capturing Delon at the wheel of the Spider 2935GT, often in the company of these two actresses.
In 1964, Delon and his wife Nathalie travelled to California. The actor had the car sent out so that he could enjoy driving it around the streets of Los Angeles. In July 1965, Delon parted with the Ferrari, and it was bought on 2 August 1965 for the sum of 30,000 francs by Paul Bouvot, having covered just 37,000 km. At that time, Paul Bouvot ran the Style Centre of Peugeot.
In 1971 the car was acquired by Jacques Baillon, and the car entered a prestigious collection that had been started during the 1950s by Roger Baillon, his father. Jacques Baillon drove the Ferrari very little, and like the majority of his cars, it soon found itself stored away. When Jacques passed away in 2013, the true extent of the collection was uncovered, and as you’ll see in the video below, it was a barn find in the truest sense. You can spot Delon’s Ferrari at 2:21.
During the Baillon Collection’s auction and the auction that followed, 10 different world records for auction prices were broken, including three model world records, with a total of approximately $52 million worth of cars sold. The estimate for the California was set at €9,500,000 - €12,000,000. The final sale price? €16,288,000.
The new owner has since commissioned a stunning restoration undertaken by Paul Russell & Company, and the California now presents in all its former glory.
Stunning photos captured by Keno Zache (@kenozache) at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este // Credit: Keno Zache (@kenozache)
Delon's Testarossa & Mini Moke
Two years earlier, in 2013, another of Delon’s Ferrari’s went under the hammer. On this occasion, it was his 1987 Ferrari Testarossa. The car was delivered new by the Ferrari dealer in Meyrin, near Geneva, on 29 April 1987. It was registered for the first time on 19 September 1989, in the name and personal address of Alain Delon in Geneva. Despite estimates between 40-80,000 Euros, the Testarossa sold for €162,025.
Perhaps the car that saw the most action was his Mini Moke, used by Delon to get around the grounds of his French Chateau, Domaine de la Brûlerie, a property he acquired in the early 1970s. The property was over 100 hectares, so the Mini Moke was the perfect form of transport for Delon and his 14 dogs.
His Mini Moke was just like this one, currently for sale with Hangar136, and available to view on The Showroom.
A very early production example delivered to its first UK owner in 1965. Recently emerging from a full ‘nut & bolt’ restoration by marque specialists Nippycars, the car is presented in ‘as new’ condition. The 998c engine has been fully rebuilt, with only ‘run in’ mileage since // Credit: Hangar136
90’s Time Capsule: Bugatti EB110 Launch
In 1991, Delon was an ambassador for the Bugatti EB110 launch in Paris. His ties to the Bugatti name were not insignificant, as Delon was at one point, the world’s biggest collector of the works of Ettore Bugatti’s furniture-making Father, Carlo, and his sculpture brother, Rembrandt, who’s Bronze sculptures of wildlife adorned Delon’s Douchy Castle.
While the launch of the EB110 did little to save Bugatti from bankruptcy, the launch did provide us with some epic pictures of Delon taking a passenger ride across the Seine towards the Arc de Triomphe and into the Champs Elysées.
Source: Bugatti Newsroom
Maserati Ghibli: “Paris to St Tropez in 7 ¼ Hours”
On screen, Delon also got behind the wheel of some brilliant cars. The driving sequences in Jacques Deray's 'La Piscine' depict Delon's character, Jean-Paul, driving a 1960’s Maserati Ghibli along a beautiful stretch of the Cote d’Azur. The car in the film belongs to Delon’s rival character Harry, played by Maurice Ronet, and Delon doesn’t hold back after he convinces Harry to let him ‘try out his speedster’.
The Businessman
In the 1970s, Delon expanded his commercial interests and promoted a variety of products sold under his name including wristwatches, clothing, eyewear and perfume. He utilised motorsport as a means of generating interest, and sponsored a number of iconic racing cars, including the Lancia Stratos and Porsche 935.
Delon leaves behind an immense legacy that will be remembered for generations.
