Shop Visit from Cobalt Automobiles

Feb 11, 2020

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your work?

Well, I started restoring cars when I was 17 years old. Cars, like skateboarding, were my thing ever since I was little, even if this was not the case for the rest of my family. I ended up repairing and reselling cars all by myself, to make a living from my passion. Then, this activity ended up overtaking my other work. From there, I started my company Cobalt Automobiles.

Take us over the history of this Porsche which we shot together

This is a car that was in the hands of Robert Buchet, a private racing team driver. He did Le Mans in 1966 with it, and crashed. He didn‚Äôt want to repair the frame and bought another one from Porsche. The next season, he won the French circuit championship. Afterwards, as cars evolved with the passing years, the 906 changed hands many times, eventually ending up in the possession of Eugene Paoli from 1970 to 1974. In 1974, he was touring around Corsica. He had his picture taken, which made the cover of Echappement Magazine. Two turns later, he blew out the steering and ended up in a ditch. He finally left the car in a barn until Dieter Eisner stumbled upon it in 1994. This guy is a huge connaisseur of these kinds of cars. He entirely restored it, starting from the original frame and engine, made it new again. He ran around with it from 1995 to 2003, adding on 100 000 kilometres in races: Le Mans Classic, Goodwood, Targa Florio, Silverstone Classic, Nuremburg Classic, Spa Classic, etc. The car was acquired in 2006 by the current owner, and even more original parts have been restored.

Give us a little story about the sale

It was a Spanish guy, he told me ‚Äúthat‚Äôs great, I‚Äôll take the car, there‚Äôs a truck showing up tomorrow‚Äù. He was a farmer, and the next day a truck arrived, filled with potatoes. They loaded the car, put the potatoes on top, and took off.

What is the future of your garage?

I subscribe to a movement that is breaking down traditional business codes. We each do this in our own way. No suits and ties. Jeans and sneakers, this either makes sense for you or it¬†doesn‚Äôt. I do it like this because of who I am. The majority of my clients are attracted to me, my expertise, and not my brand. Some of them don‚Äôt even know the name of my company. I run a garage as I see fit, that is to say sticking to the things I am best at : new Ferraris, 2 or 3 beautiful Aston Martins. I am less specialized in newer Porsches, as there are too many people in this market.

How do you identify with Deus Ex Machina?

We knew each other through mutual friends, then became friends ourselves. I have the impression of being on the same wavelength as you, we go against traditional business ideas. We are part of the same movement, and we both respond to the different needs of a different clientele. We don‚Äôt think according to a marketing plan, we think and act as we do because that‚Äôs who we are. You will never see me give a bottle of champagne to someone who has bought a car from the collection, namely because I don‚Äôt want to, but also because I think it‚Äôs stupid to give them alcohol. Another important point shared between us : if tomorrow I sell my business, give up my position, put it under new management without me, Simon Duchassin, Cobalt Automobiles would mean nothing. It‚Äôs like the creativity of Carby (co-founder and artistic director of DeusEx Machina), it is beneficial for Deus, he is making its own photos and creations, and you could tell yourself that the brand is the representation of one person. The soul of our brands is linked to one single person. And lastly, I‚Äôve never had the feeling of what we do together being truly ‚Äúwork‚Äù, and I like that a lot.

What‚Äôs the next car you are going to bring us?

I would really like to leave a Groupe 4 Rallye for you, it works with your upcoming Summer 2020 collection. Then for some in-store atmosphere my Africa Twin, which I am restoring right now as Rothmans and the T√©n√©r√© sitting in the store here, those would be nice too !

A little bird tells us you are going to start racing again.

I did already in a very loose way, some competitive rallys. I did the Tour Auto two times, some little local races, some track days, but nothing in a professional manner. It was really for the pleasure of it. But yes this year I‚Äôm taking it seriously ! What is the most beautiful car you ever sold? It was a Porsche Carrerra GT, midnight blue, brown interior, utterly unique. It was my unicorn as one says. Other than that, I have sold other cars like my 205 GTI, which was bought by the President of the Peugeot Museum. That was extremely gratifying for me.

All photos by Vincent Perraud

Contact

Cobalt Automobiles ‚Äì Simon Duchassin

63 Avenue du Mar√©chal Juin, 64200 Biarritz

06 58 09 23 80

Instagram : @cobalt_automobiles

Website : https://www.cobalt-automobiles.com/

Photos : Vincent Perraud

http://www.vincentperraud.com/

Instagram : @vinceperraud

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!