Tours-based specialist Auto Classique Touraine displayed a freshly built recreation of a long-lost Figoni body on a correct 1934 Delahaye 135 chassis. The project took 2000-3000 hours working from a handful of original photographs to replicate the swooping one-off.

Dealer Porez Auto Retro had one of three Chapron bodied 1938 Delahaye 135 S models along side a beautifully original Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio of the same year with bodywork by Le Tourner et Marchand that came third in class in the 2003 Pebble Beach concours preservation class.

Tucked away among the smaller stands was a 1939 Hotchkiss 686 GS Megeve, one a small number of cars built that year from leftover bodies after production officially ceased in 1938. This handsome design was introduced at the 1936 Paris Salon, based on the shorter Grand Sport chassis and powered by a 130bhp straight six of 3.5-litres.

For more Retromobile highlights, see the April issue of Classic Cars magazine, on sale February 24.

To read about Bonhams' Retromobile auction click here