Barrett-Jackson’s first live, in-person auction since January, held at its home arena in Scottsdale, Arizona, reached $24.9 million in the 100 percent no-reserve sale of collector vehicles, cars sold for charity and automobilia.
The Fall Auction at WestWorld was added to Barrett-Jackson’s annual schedule to make up for the cancellations of annual sales held in Uncasville, Connecticut; Palm Beach, Florida; and Las Vegas.
Breaking down the numbers at the Fall Auction, 442 vehicles sold for a total of $23.5 million, three charity vehicles went for $845,000 and 349 pieces of automobilia sold for $634,000, according to a Barrett-Jackson news release.
The highest selling car of the auction, and the only 7-figure sale, was a 2018 Ford GT coupe in sinister black that went for $1.21 million (all results include auction fees). That not only topped the Barrett-Jackson results but set an auction sales record for that model.
While the auction was live, attendance was limited to sellers, consigners and invited guests due to pandemic restrictions. Much of the bidding and spectating was conducted online and by phone, with the auction broadcast live on the FYI and History cable TV channels plus uninterrupted streaming on Barrett-Jackson’s website.
“The feedback from our attendees was overwhelmingly positive,” Craig Jackson, company chairman and chief executive, said in the release. “Our guests were sincerely appreciative of the efforts we took to put health and safety at the forefront during this auction.
“Working closely with the City of Scottsdale and officials from WestWorld, we demonstrated that we could host live events and maintain the highest standards of safety. We’re excited to carry this excitement into our January 2021 Scottsdale Auction.”
“We applaud the great lengths Barrett-Jackson took to follow local, state and federal health and safety protocols and guidelines during the auction,” Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said. “They’ve demonstrated how an in-person event can be successfully managed.”
Other top sellers were a 2012 Lexus LFA sports coupe, which went for $440,000, followed by a 2005 Ford GT sold for $302,500, a custom 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe for $286,000, and a 2017 Dodge Viper ACR for $229,900.
One of the highlights of the auction was the appearance on the block of rally driver and acclaimed hoonigan Ken Block to help boost the charity sale of his 2016 Ford Focus RS RX, which sold for $200,000 to benefit Team Rubicon.
The other charity sales were for a 2019 Ford F-350 Lariat custom pickup, sold for $275,000 to benefit Building Homes for Heroes, and a 2020 Corvette, sold for $370,000 to benefit the Heartstring Foundation.
Charity sales are a signature feature of Barrett-Jackson auctions, which over the years has raised in excess of $127 million for more than 170 organizations nationwide.
Auction president Steve Davis, the man with the dark shades who’s a regular at the Barrett-Jackson podium, expressed excitement at being back in the live-auction business.
“It was such a joy to be back on that auction block and watch enthusiastic bidders light up when their dream car crossed the stage,” Davis said. “We proved that it’s not only possible to produce a live event where guests feel safe, but that the collector car community remains vibrant and the market is resilient and healthy.”
The top-10 (actually, 11 because of ties) highest-selling cars (not including charity sales) are:
1. 2018 Ford GT, $1.21 million
2. 2012 Lexus LFA, $440,000
3. 2005 Ford GT, $302,500
4. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette custom coupe, $286,000
5. 2017 Dodge Viper ACR, $229,900
6. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette custom coupe, $214,500
7. 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda, $209,000
8. 2016 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 race car, $198,000
9. 2020 Jeep Gladiator Custom Demon Rubicon, $198,000
10. 1968 Pontiac Firebird custom coupe, $187,000
11. 1959 Chevrolet Corvette custom convertible, $187,000
(All results include auction fees)
Barrett-Jackson is currently accepting consignments and registering bidders for its 50th anniversary flagship Scottsdale collector car auction held January 16-24, 2021, at WestWorld. For more information, visit the Barrett-Jackson website.
Why didn’t they broadcast on Motor Trend TV and the Discovery channel ?
They broadcasted on FYI channel which I don’t get unless I upgrade to a more expensive TV package and they broadcasted on Velocity channel in Canada. I don’t live in Canada, I live in the U.S.
Please put Barrett-Jackson Back on Motor Trend TV and the Discovery channel.