There is nothing quite so effortlessly cool as a classic car.
The marriage of antique artistry and the engineering of another era makes them intoxicating time capsules. Collectors willing to put the same care into maintaining their mechanical integrity are rare, but keeping a classic car in working order is essential to its magic. These are machines meant to be driven, and much of their character comes alive only when they are.
On 5 February 2027, Artcurial Motorcars will offer one of Europe’s most remarkable private car collections at auction. In Praise of Excellence, taking place at the auction house’s headquarters on Paris’s Champs-Élysées, brings together 60 collector cars, more than 100 pieces of automobilia and a fully operational 1953 Belgian carousel. The collection is estimated at €15–25 million.
Built over more than four decades, the collection belongs to Belgian entrepreneur Thierry Dehaeck, whose approach to collecting has been defined by an insistence on finding the finest and most functional surviving examples of each particular model. His cars are accompanied by extensive historical dossiers containing factory archives, correspondence, ownership records, period photographs, technical documents and expert reports.
The result is a collection with a uniquely strong documentary dimension. “Every car was acquired as the benchmark example of its model,” says Matthieu Lamoure, President of Artcurial Motorcars. “Each tells a unique story and is distinguished by exceptional provenance or outstanding historical documentation.”
Among the most striking groups is Dehaeck’s collection of Citroëns, particularly the SM. It includes one of only seven SM Opéra saloons, one of five SM Mylord convertibles and the extraordinary SM Espace, designed by coachbuilder Heuliez. There is also The Rig, the highly modified SM that reached 325.6 km/h (202.3 mph) on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in 1987.
Several Henri Chapron DS Cabriolets add further depth to the French contingent, including cars that were displayed at major international motor shows when new. Italian marques are represented by five Ferraris covering five generations, with particulr attention likely to fall on one of only six 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spiders delivered in its original specification. Maserati is represented by several significant cars, including a rare Quattroporte II that appeared at international motor shows.
The collection then moves across the Atlantic and back again: Rolls-Royce and Bentley convertibles, Jaguars ranging from the XK120 to the E-Type, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings and Roadsters alongside the later SLS AMG, and American cars including a Chevrolet Impala and two Shelby GT500 King of the Road models.
Dehaeck applied the same standards to the collection’s automobilia. Vintage enamel signs, advertising material, documents and period accessories offer a glimpse into the wider world surrounding the cars. The 1953 carousel, meanwhile, brings an unexpected element to the sale. Fully operational and complete with its original fairground vehicles, it was acquired with the same attention to condition and provenance as the automobiles.
The collection developed alongside the success of Pidy, the family-owned Belgian company that grew into a global leader in ready-to-fill pastry products. Dehaeck’s approach to collecting followed similar principles: careful selection, high standards and an attention to detail that extended into the preservation of each acquisition.
Although they are decades old, these cars, such timeless feats of engineering, demand to be driven. A dedicated in-house workshop and team of mechanics have maintained them in running condition, allowing Dehaeck to enter them in rallies, concours d’élégance and events including Villa d’Este, Chantilly Arts & Élégance, Hampton Court, Knokke, Château de Coppet and Pebble Beach.
There is an uncanny feeling upon seeing these cars in a showroom condition but knowing they’ve still “got it”. Their modern counterparts may be faster, safer and technically more sophisticated, but they do not quite conjure feelings that words fail to encapsulate. The weight of the steering, the mechanical feel and the distinctive designs all demand a greater degree of involvement from the driver; of closeness to the machine. Keeping them in running order means those qualities can still be experienced as they were intended, rather than reduced to something to be admired behind glass.
After more than 40 years of collecting, Dehaeck has decided to part with the entire ensemble. “This collection represents the achievement of a lifetime devoted to the automobile,” he says. “Today, I wish to travel and part with this collection, entrusting it to fellow enthusiasts so that these automobiles may continue to live on—to be driven, admired and inspire future generations.”
The public exhibition will run from 3–5 February 2027 at Artcurial’s headquarters, 7 Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées, ahead of the sale on 5 February.
