A 1972 Avanti II Coupé originally owned by Raymond Loewy, the designer of the Coca-Cola bottle, Gray Hound bus, Air Force One livery and the Avanti Coupé, is one of the highlights of prestigious ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’ sale held by Bonhams in Monte Carlo on the 11th May.
Estimated to sell for €35,000 – 50,000, Loewy purchased the Avanti II Coupé that he himself had designed directly from the Avanti Motor Corporation in Indiana in 1972. The car was then sent via New York to Loewy’s home in Paris, where the car was one of the very few Avantis to come to France. Loewy later retired to Monaco and passed away in 1986.
The car has had three owners from new including the Loewy and is offered for the first time on the open market. It forms part of a small private collection of cars offered in the sale and is sure to be of interest to fans of design as well as collectors’ motor cars.
Robert Glover, Senior Motor Car specialist at Bonhams comments, “Loewy is a legendary figure in the world of design and whilst the Coca-Cola bottle is probably his most famous, the number of iconic 20th century designs he created is astonishing. We expect interest in this car not only from established car collectors but also from collectors of 20th Century design.”
Now in its 26th year, Bonhams celebrated sale in Monaco is once again under the patronage of the Grimaldi Family and will be held at the Musée des Voitures du Prince. Monaco’s reputation as the heart of the luxury lifestyle provides a truly international and cosmopolitan platform for the classic Motor Car market
For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com