1954 Panhard X86 Dolomites

In the early nineteen fifties Panhard introduced the Dyna, a lightweight and technically interesting car featuring front wheel drive and a two cylinder boxer engine. Thanks to its low weight and excellent road holding several coachbuilders recognized it as an ideal foundation for a sporting berlinetta. At the Paris Motor Show in October 1953 Bernard Pichon and André Parat presented their interpretation: the Dolomites.

The bodywork was entirely new. Slim, low and clearly focused on speed. One of its defining features is the split windshield, a detail that immediately gives the car a distinctive character. The Dolomites quickly attracted drivers who were looking for a light and agile car suitable for competition.

The example we offer here belongs to the early production series and was originally ordered by Laurent Sagnier, who commissioned the car with competition use in mind. Shortly after delivery in May 1954 the car was brought to the workshop of Pichon and Parat for the installation of the bodywork.

That same year the car appeared at the start of the 1954 Tour de France Automobile. Sagnier competed together with Robert Lachaux. Participation in this event clearly demonstrated the intended purpose of the Dolomites: long and demanding rallies where speed, reliability and agility are essential.

In the years that followed the car remained active in competition. In 1955 this Dolomites, driven by Garoni and Collin, won the sports class at the fifth International Rally in Aix en Provence. The car subsequently changed ownership several times. Among its owners was André Brunel, who had the Panhard prepared by Lucien Chanchou, a well known Panhard dealer and driver based in Villeneuve lès Avignon.

From the nineteen sixties and seventies onward the Dolomites gradually became a collector’s car. It was owned by Pierre Dellière, founder of the museum in Orgon, and later by several French enthusiasts of the marque. In the nineteen eighties the car became the property of Jean Pierre Allain, a well known figure in French motorsport and involved in the organization of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Following his passing the car continued to circulate within the collector community and eventually became part of the collection of Alain Miklitarian, a collector recognized for his interest in rare French sports cars.

What stands before you today is therefore no ordinary Panhard. This is a Dolomites with a well documented history, early production origins and a clear competition background. Thanks to this combination the car is eligible for a variety of historic motoring events.

Compact, distinctive and with a story that begins at the 1954 Tour de France Automobile. For enthusiasts of French sports cars this is a combination that rarely becomes available.
Are you interested in this Panhard? Please contact Gallery Aaldering today. Since 1975 we have been active as a family owned company with extensive experience in worldwide export. We will gladly inform you about the possibilities.