A unique Maserati Boomerang yesterday sold for €3.3 million ($3.68 million) at a sale of rare and unusual motor cars held by Bonhams at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille concours d’elegance in France.

The inaugural black-tie sale featured a total of 28 exclusive cars and fetched a total of €7.5 million ($8.36 million). 

The only example of its kind, the Maserati Boomerang was the signature concept car of the 1970s. Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro used geometric shapes and ruler straight lines to create its angular appeal, ensuring the unusual Boomerang emerged from the decade to be one of the great style influences of the motoring industry. 

After intense bidding in the room and on the telephones, the Boomerang sold for €3,289,500. 

Elsewhere from Maserati, the 1968 Maserati Mexico 4.7-litre coupe sold for €646,300. Named in honour of Cooper-Maserati's victory in the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix, the Maserati Mexico was unveiled at the 1966 Turin Motor Show to much fanfare. 

The motor car offered however was a bespoke creation and the most attractive of the three one-offs produced in the longstanding relationship between Maserati and car designer Pietro Frua.

Retaining the general Mexico lines, but more sharply defined, the Frua Mexico in many ways recalls the Quattroporte. Restored to its initial light green paintwork, with original Bordeaux leather, the Mexico won the Best of Show award at the Maserati 100th Anniversary celebrations, and is the quintessential example of Maseratis Grand Touring excellence.

Further highlights include eight motor cars from the personal collection of French businessman and art collector Alain Dominique Perrin. Most notable of the collection is a car steeped in French pop music history – the 1977 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 originally owned by famous French singer and composer Claude François.

Claude, or CloClo to his fans, was one of France’s biggest pop stars, with a legacy that remains today as he continues to be one of the country’s biggest-selling recording artists. Claude famously wrote and composed the original version of My Way, a song made internationally famous by Frank Sinatra. 

After intense bidding in the room, the 1977 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 sold for close on €100,000 ($111470) to a private European buyer.

Philip Kantor, Bonhams European Head of Motor cars, said: “For a sale just in its first year, the Bonhams Chantilly Sale has achieved an excellent result, with a total €7.5 million achieved for the exclusive collection of just 28 cars. Our first black-tie evening sale, the event was an elegant celebration of beautiful and rare motor cars, one that we hope to continue for years to come.”

James Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director added: “This auction is a welcome addition to our series of blue riband sales. We look forward to our sale at the Goodwood Revival next week and the very special single-owner sale in Denmark later this month."

Hosted in the grounds of Château de Chantilly, the Arts & Elegance event debuted in 2014, attracting a crowd of around 10,000 spectators, taking in the delights of the "concours d'elegance" competition for modern concept cars, and a superb "Concours d'Etat" for classic cars from around the world. 

The two-day Art & Elegance event, which concludes today, also plays host to fine art exhibitions, fashion shows, live music and various lifestyle exhibits, all on the grounds of the magnificent château.