Fritz Neuser was known for many things: former cyclist (he scooped 11 German national titles and competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics), racing driver, and, most notably, one of Germany's most successful Ferrari dealers and classic car collectors. He began as a successful Goggomobil salesman in the late 1950s before founding his own dealership, Auto Neuser, in Nuremberg in 1962, forming close, long-term relationships with the Ferrari marque.

But Neuser did not just sell cars, he dedicated his life to them. He was a successful amateur racing driver – winning 52 out of 68 hill climbs and circuit races between 1965 and 1969, often driving Abarth, Porsche, and Alfa Romeo cars – and an obsessive car enthusiast and collector, specialising in classic Italian sports cars, particularly Ferraris. Now 93, the veteran took the decision to auction his private "life's work" collection at Artcurial Motorcars Paris on 15 March. The sale, which included 30 collector cars, achieved €5mn ($5.7mn) with 100% of the lots sold.

Among the standout results, the top lot of the sale, a 1970 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona in a Verde Medio shade, went under the hammer for €602,000 after a spirited bidding battle. Another highly sought-after model, the 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB, one of the most exclusive and coveted versions of the Berlinetta Boxer line, presented in its original Blu Sera colour, fetched €367,220.

A rare 2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica, with just 16,000 km on the clock and in near‑new condition, attracted keen interest, while iconic models from the 1970s also proved popular, including a 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina, which sold for €176,988 / $203,490.

Other notable results included a rare 1970 Alfa Romeo GTAm 2.0, built by Autodelta in a limited run of just 40 examples, which found a buyer at €201,068 plus several well-preserved models sought after by youngtimer and classic Italian car enthusiasts, such as an Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 with its hard-top, in a rare colour, showing just 84,000 km, which fetched €31,304.

Artcurial 7 rond-point des Champs-Élysées, 75008, Paris, France; artcurial.com