
Sale of Matra ‘Holy Grail’
Simon de Burton on the Le Mans winner, a McLaren first and a 200mph Citroën DS

Sold by Artcurial, £6.1m
Chosen as our star sale car for the February issue, this Matra didn’t disappoint when it crossed the block at Artcurial’s Parisienne 2021 season opener (the substitute for the usual Retromobile- based auction). Strong bidding drove the price close to the high estimate but £6.1m still didn’t seem excessive for a car that led a one-two finish at Le Mans, was driven by Graham Hill and had remained in single ownership since new. When things get ‘back to normal’ it will no doubt be giving the crowds their money’s worth at events around the world. Not least the Le Mans Classic.
