Luckily Forgot My Cheque Book – but an afternoon at Le Salon Retro Mobile in Paris was a mind-boggling treat.

There was open access to the auction room where classics were under the hammer by Artcurial but I just missed seeing the 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti which became the world’s second most expensive car when sold for 32,075,200 Euros; who the hell increases a bid by 200 Euros when they are bidding in millions?

In the main hall there were dealers from all over Europe with a staggering selection of very expensive machinery; the DB5 Aston Martin was not for sale but every other taste and budget was catered for. The latest trend in France is called “Les Youngtimers” which includes lots of cars of the 70s for people who are becoming collectors on a very small budget – the Renault 205GTI is a new cult favourite but also the Alfa Romeo Alfasud (which I used to own and wish I still did), even the Citroen CX Break. Got to start somewhere.

The other aspect that stood out for me was the number of factory displays; the big manufacturers displaying their museum examples alongside their newest models to show a tradition of innovation or sporting success. Maserati, Mercedes, Renault, Peugeot, Land Rover, Porsche all had huge beautiful displays and most of them were boasting of the availability of factory parts to maintain their classic fleet.

Photos: Aston Martin DB5, 911s of many colours, Pinin Farina PFX, Maserati factory stand, Badges, Ferrari Testarossa sold for $140,000. Triumph TR250 with two year warranty?