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Jacques Nicolet's collection consists of eight race cars that have all competed in the top races in the World Endurance Championship, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the highlight. This incredible event has contributed to some of the finest chapters in motorsport, creating legends, providing everyday heroes with technical innovations and uniting people who share the same passion on and around the track.

This dynamic collection is a real saga involving creative talent, challenges and successes, where the common denominator is the story of several lives inextricably linked with a powerful race that celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2023.

"It’s not just a collection that Aguttes will be promoting on 27 April: it’s a whole story. It’s the tale of a childhood dream come true, which in under ten years has enabled Ligier Automotive to gain a foothold on every step of the endurance pyramid.”
Jacques Nicolet, Chairman of the Everspeed Group & Ligier Automotive

"A few weeks before the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this collection, closely linked with the most famous endurance race in the world, will respond to the growing market demand for historic race cars. All remarkable in many ways, they are now must-haves for participating in the top events of the world historic calendar.”
Gautier Rossignol, Managing Partner of the Aguttes auction house

The Jaques Nicolet Collection
As the Jacques Nicolet Collection is increasingly concerned with innovation and reducing energy consumption, and to mark the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was decided to sell some of the treasures of this extraordinary collection to focus more on the demands of today's world. These eight race cars will thus be presented by Aguttes at an exceptional auction on 27 April in Paris.

In line with the rapidly expanding historic sector, each car meets the growing expectations of gentlemen drivers keen to access the most exciting races in the world historic calendar. Three of these cars have each participated nine times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and each one, without exception, has competed on some of the most splendid international circuits.

All eligible for historic races, they have performed brilliantly with Jacques Nicolet at the wheel in highly popular series, like the Classic Endurance Racing by Peter Auto, the Le Mans Classic and the Daytona Classic. For the most recent cars, the Masters Endurance Legends USA, the Masters Endurance Europe and the Endurance Racing Legends (whose opening race is held on the 24 Hours of Le Mans racetrack) are now among the most prominent meetings, with racing classes open to cars produced from the 1990s up to 2017.

All eligible for historic races, they have performed brilliantly with Jacques Nicolet at the wheel in highly popular series, like the Classic Endurance Racing by Peter Auto, the Le Mans Classic and the Daytona Classic. For the most recent cars, the Masters Endurance Legends USA, the Masters Endurance Europe and the Endurance Racing Legends (whose opening race is held on the 24 Hours of Le Man racetrack) are now among the most prominent meetings, with racing classes open to cars produced from the 1990s up to 2017.

Jacques Nicolet
In the business world and on the racetrack alike, Jacques Nicolet believes that life is only worth living at 200 ideas (or kilometres) an hour. With his characteristic fire, this entrepreneur into everything has transformed the Everspeed group into a remarkable industrial and family adventure dedicated to the love of cars.

Jacques Nicolet was already a car addict at a very young age. He discovered driving alongside the French rally driver Jean-Pierre Nicolas, while studying at the same time. He began his career with Pierre & Vacances, then co-founded Altarea in 1994, a real estate group initially specialising in the design and management of shopping centres. After various successes like the creation of Bercy-Village, Altarea gradually broadened its scope, went public in 2004, bought Cogedim in 2007 and is now positioned as one of France's leading property companies.

In 1998, he began to take part in historic races driving an Alfa Romeo Giulia. Then he started to buy a few cars, displaying a penchant for rare models with a unique history. It was the right move. As an inveterate entrepreneur, he approached motorsport as a business sector where passion and reason could mingle at a hectic pace. He gradually turned away from real estate and invested in the automobile sector. In 2007, he took part in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans. This was a dream come true, but he already had a clear vision in mind as well: "In my view, a racing team must absolutely be backed up by a manufacturing activity that creates added value.” He put this plan into action by creating the OAK Racing team and building chassis designed for the LMP2 category under the name Pescarolo, then Morgan. In 2013, the Morgans designed by Onroak Automotive achieved a memorable first and second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 class. A string of successes followed, and another chapter in motorsport history was written by him and the family who now joined him in the adventure.

Over the course of historic and then modern races, Nicolet, who took over the Ligier brand in 2013, revealed himself to be an outstanding gentleman driver and built up a superb record, with no fewer than nine participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans to date, and in 2009 a place in the top three in the LMP2 class.

Ligier Automotive
In 2014, Onroak Automotive designs its first Ligier LMP2. The Ligier JS P2 competes for the first time in the same year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans with three different engines. It scored pole position and finished second in its class. Even better, the following year, it achieved a historic triple by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Petit Le Mans.

Ligier then tackled the LMP3 market, with the success we all know. Ligier also started to produce a GT car for a single-brand cup – the JS2R – and for track days, as well as a low-cost prototype: the JSP4. The brand is also present in the US single-seater market. In under ten years, Ligier has produced over 580 race cars.

Each of these cars has an extraordinary story!

1969 — Mirage M3 Spider

In just three outings, the Mirage M3 Spider revealed its magnificent potential, confirmed by two pole positions and a victory in the Imola 500 km with Belgium’s most famous driver, Jacky Ickx, at the wheel. Developed by Len Terry with financial support from the Gulf oil company, John Wyer achieved a new masterstroke after his 1968 and 1969 victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Certainly one of the finest prototypes of its generation, the Mirage M3 Spider was also one of the best-performing, thanks to its aerodynamic lines and Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0LV8 engine.
Estimate: €1,250,000 - €1,500,000

**1972 — Duckhams LM

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The first race car built by the brilliant engineer Gordon Murray at the request of British gentleman driver and playboy Alain de Cadenet, this prototype powered by a Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8 engine is a unique chassis. A symbol of a bygone era when a private team could compete with the big companies, it took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, 1973 and 1974 with three different bodies! Its lines (close to the Ferrari 312 PB coveted by Alain de Cadenet), its designer, its engine and its history (the first Le Mans car to carry a sponsor’s name, apart from Howmet in 1968) make it one of the most important cars of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and undoubtedly a star of the collection. Jacques Nicolet won the 2018 Le Mans Classic at its wheel.
Estimate: €1,500,000 - €2,500,000

**1974 — March 74 S

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Far from resting on his laurels after his historic success at the 1980 24 Hours of Le Man, Jean Rondeau tackled the World Endurance Championship and even targeted the American market. First equipped with a Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine for the 24 Hours of Daytona, this car was later given a Chevrolet 5.7L V8 for the Miami Grand Prix and the 12 Hours of Sebring. After its career ended in the US in 1985, it joined the collection in the early 2000s, when it was fully restored. It is an entry ticket to the very select Group C organised as part of the Peter Auto meetings.
Estimate: €280,000 - €350,000

**1982 — Rondeau M382 V8 5.7

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Far from resting on his laurels after his historic success at the 1980 24 Hours of Le Man, Jean Rondeau tackled the World Endurance Championship and even targeted the American market. First equipped with a Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine for the 24 Hours of Daytona, this car was later given a Chevrolet 5.7L V8 for the Miami Grand Prix and the 12 Hours of Sebring. After its career ended in the US in 1985, it joined the collection in the early 2000s, when it was fully restored. It is an entry ticket to the very select Group C organised as part of the Peter Auto meetings.
Estimate: €280,000 - €350,000

**2011 — OAK-Pescarolo Judd LM P2

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Following the takeover of Pescarolo Sport by OAK Racing, the prototypes underwent technical development in collaboration with the Pescarolo Sport design office before OAK Racing integrated all these skills in-house. Quickly evolving to meet the new regulations, this LMP2 car took part in the entire Intercontinental Le Mans Cup season in 2011, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and finished second in the LMP2 championship. In the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it finished 7th in its class, driven by three gentlemen drivers (Patrice Lafargue, Frédéric Da Rocha and Andrea Barlesi). Fully restored and refurbished, it is eligible for the Master Endurance Legends USA, Masters Endurance Europe and Endurance Racing Legends, including the opening race on the 24 Hours of Le Man main circuit.
Estimate: €400,000 - €500,000

**2013 — Art Car OAK Racing Costa

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The OAK Racing Costa Art Car created for the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a real work of art created around a Morgan LMP2 chassis, with a pedigree of four participations and two places in the top three in the Sarthe event in 2008 and 2010. Artist Fernando Costa harked back to the days when numbers were painted on the doors and bonnets, creating relief by riveting steel plates and road signs (his favourite material) to the car. This endeavour required 600 hours of work, 120 kg of steel plates fitted with 1,000 rivets, 20,000 welding points and 250 kg of enamelled plates! It tells the story of a lap around the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. This performance has been acclaimed by the prestigious Automobile Club de l'Ouest which elected it as the Art Car of the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Estimate: €400,000 - €600,000

2014 — Ligier JS P2 LMP2

Absent from the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1975, this symbolises Ligier's return to the international endurance scene. The JSP2 was successful in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, and the 001 chassis we are presenting is none other than the one that triumphed in the 2015 World Championship with the G-Drive team in the LMP2 class. Guy Ligier, present at the tests, was overcome with emotion when the Ligier set the fastest qualifying time. The 001 chassis is quite simply the most successful JSP2 in history, winning the world's top endurance races up to 2016. Its participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, ever-youthful performance and technological assets make it a formidable weapon on the historic stage.
Estimate: €400,000 - €600,000

**1966 — MGC GT Sebring

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This MGC GTS "lightweight" remains the most powerful MG seen in competition. Only six cars were developed in BMC's competition department at Abingdon, with the aim of making this a car capable of winning in its class. The chassis here is one of the last four to be produced and used a race at Castle Combe as a debugging exercise before competing in the famous Targa Florio in 1970.
Estimate: €120,000 - €160,000

Closed Auctions: how do they work?
Based on the same principles as standard auctions, apart from the final proceedings, which take place behind closed doors, this type of sale is open to all bidders who contact the auction house to register. The sale catalogue, access to information for each car and the exhibition by appointment enable interested bidders to discover each lot in more detail, and they can then contact one of the department's specialists. The sale is not broadcast live on the Internet, and no hammer prices are communicated at the end of the sale. The idea is to encourage bidding and enable collectors, gentlemen drivers, investors and brokers to participate without the results being revealed at the end of the sale, in order to preserve the exclusive nature of this collection and protect the interests of the seller and buyers.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Catalog available online: Monday, March 13 at 6 pm
Exhibition in March by appointment with the Classic Cars Department
Press material : HD visuals available on request

ENDURANCE LEGENDS - JACQUES NICOLET COLLECTION

Closed auction
April 27th  2023, Paris

Director of Classic Cars & Automobilia Department
Gautier Rossignol
+33 (0)1 47 45 93 01 • +33(0)6 16 91 42 28
rossignol@aguttes.com

Media Relations
pr@aguttes.com