Claude François’s 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 – the car shot at during a 1977 chase – is being offered for sale for the first time in more than a decade, as part of Broad Arrow’s Global Icons: Europe Online auction on 30 January 2026.
The French pop star acquired the 450 SEL 6.9 following his rise to prominence with Comme d’habitude, later adapted into English as Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
At the time, the 450 SEL 6.9 represented the flagship of Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class range, powered by a 6.9-litre V8 derived from the earlier 6.3-litre engine and marking the first use of hydropneumatic suspension with automatic level control on a Mercedes passenger car.
Originally finished in Milan Brown Metallic, the car was later repainted dark blue at François’s request. It gained notoriety on 26 June 1977 when François was mistakenly pursued by armed men in a Citroën CX, during which the Mercedes was struck by seven bullets over the course of a 20-km chase. François escaped unharmed.
The car was subsequently repaired to François’s standards and remained in use for his touring commitments until his death in 1978 following an accident at his Paris apartment.
Following François’s death, former Cartier International chairman Alain-Dominique Perrin and his wife Marie-Thérèse Dehaeze took ownership of the 6.9. The couple were close friends of François and Dehaeze worked in his public relations team. Perrin and Dehaeze kept the Mercedes until 2015, when it was purchased by the consignor.
Mercedes-Benz restorer Kienle Automobiltechnik completed a near €60,000 refresh in 2018 that included a full inspection and servicing, brake overhaul, steering system rebuild, suspension restoration and fuel system repairs. The invoice is included in the car’s history file.
Offered for sale for the first time in over a decade, François’s former car is presented with 118,074km on the clock and is expected to fetch between €110,000 and €150,000.
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