Prototype - Mille Miglia 1954, 1955 & 1956
Prototype - Mille Miglia 1954, 1955 & 1956
Over the decades, the Mille Miglia has acquired an almost mythical reputation. Not merely for its speed and spectacle, but for the passion of the crowds and the astonishing variety of machinery that once thundered away from the start line. Amid all the household names, there is one car that often slips beneath the radar yet commands genuine respect among connoisseurs: this 1954 Autobleu 750 Mille Miles Coupé.
Autobleu began life as a small Parisian concern, best known for tuning components that gave humble Renaults a welcome turn of speed, notably revised inlet and exhaust manifolds. But the people behind the marque clearly had greater ambitions. The result was this singular project: a 750cc prototype built around a lightweight tubular chassis and clothed in a strikingly aerodynamic aluminium body. The design was penned by Marcel Riffard, an engineer with deep roots in aviation — a pedigree immediately evident in the car’s flowing, purposeful lines.
What makes this Autobleu truly extraordinary is its singularity. Only one was ever built, and its history requires no embellishment whatsoever — it is fully documented, chapter and verse. The car lined up alongside the giants of the sport at the Mille Miglia in both 1954 and 1955 (as seen in the iconic period photographs), each time driven by Jean Bianchi, with a further entry recorded in 1956. That same year it appeared at the 12 Hours of Reims, finishing solidly mid-field — no small achievement for a privately conceived French prototype. Its last known competitive outing came a decade later at the Coupe de Belgique in Zolder in 1964, confirming a remarkably long racing career of ten years for a one-off prototype.
After its frontline competition days, the Autobleu passed through the hands of several collectors, yet it was never relegated to static display. Quite the opposite: it returned to the Mille Miglia in its modern incarnation, taking the start on numerous occasions — including 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and again in 2024. Within Mille Miglia circles, the Autobleu has attained near-cult status, precisely because it is so rare, so charming, and so unexpected. It is a car that genuinely makes people stop and look. A recent, meticulously executed restoration (at a cost of approximately €120,000) has ensured mechanical robustness and reliability, all while preserving its essential authenticity.
Despite a handful of discreet mechanical upgrades over the years, the chassis remains entirely original, and the car as a whole is superbly preserved. For the knowledgeable enthusiast seeking a rare, fully documented and event-ready Mille Miglia-eligible car, this Autobleu represents an exceptional opportunity.
Marreyt Classic Cars is therefore delighted to offer this remarkable 750 Mille Miles. We warmly invite you to our brand-new showroom in Ternat to discover this extraordinary automobile at your leisure. And who knows — perhaps in 2026, you could experience for yourself what it is like to thread through Italy in a truly unique piece of motor racing history. We very much look forward to making that dream a reality together.
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