Barrett-Jackson, RM, Gooding, and Bonhams
Rev Up Arizona Classic Car Week 2016

 


No fewer than six auction companies held their first events of 2016 during Auction Week in Phoenix and neighboring Scottsdale, AZ. Whether attending as a spectator, buyer, or seller, this week-long event was a classic car enthusiast's dream-come-true, not only because of the diversity in this year's dockets, but because of the quality of the vehicles offered. Here are the fan favorites and newsmakers from four of the major companies, Barrett-Jackson, RM Sotheby's, Gooding & Company, and Bonhams.

 

Barrett-Jackson (Total Sales: $105 Million)

 

Barrett-Jackson celebrated its 45th anniversary in Scottsdale this year by offering approximately 1,800 vehicles for sale, but as usual, this event was much more than your traditional auction. With more than 200 vendors, 100+ sponsored interactive exhibits, and celebrities, such as Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Michael Bay, Rich Rawlings, and Burt Reynolds, it's understandable that Barrett-Jackson dubs this Scottsdale event as a "Life Style Event." There was lots of excitement inside and outside the auction hall, as people partied at establishments, such as Rich Rawling's "Gas Monkey Garage" bar and watched the following star cars bring in six and seven figures.

 

1962 Chevy Belair Bubble Top Custom, Lot 1362.1

 

1962 Chevy Belair Bubble Top Custom This 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner at Hot August Nights in Reno was built by Andy Leach of CAL Automotive Creations, and features a LS9 and Bowler T56 6-speed transmission. Sold for $253,000.

 

 

1957 Chevy Pickup Custom (Quicksilver), Lot 1362

 

1957 Chevy Pickup Custom (Quicksilver) Built by Hot Rod Garage, this 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner features a 540 big block Chevy, fed by a Crower 8-stack intake. It is mated to a Gearstar 4L60E automatic transmission. Quicksilver sold for $214,500.

 

 

1977 Trans Am, Lot 7004

 

1957 Chevy Pickup Custom (Quicksilver) This is one of the promo cars from the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit." Burt Reynolds drove onto stage and told the audience they would get his red jacket and cowboy hat with the sale. The Bandit Promo Car sold for $550,000.

 

 

1938 Coddingham Custom Roadster (French Connection), Lot 1387

 

1938 Coddingham Custom Roadster (French Connection) This one-off custom-made car 1937 Delahaye styling, was Boyd Coddington's last build before he passed away. The custom Roadster (French Connection) sold for $407,000.

 

 

1955, 1956, 1957 Corvette Convertibles (All VIN #1s), Lots 1351, 1352, and 1353

 

1957 Corvette A very unique offering at Barrett-Jackson was a three car package of the first Corvettes produced in 1955, 1956, and 1957 (all VIN #1s). The three Corvettes sold for $1,815,000.00.

 

 

 

RM Sotheby's (Total Sales: $62.8 Million)

 

As a follow up to their successful auction in 2015, in which a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM was sold for a record breaking $9,625,000, this year RM Sotheby's once again solidified their influence on the collector car industry. In another high-end auction war, the bar was raised when a German prewar classic, a 1937 Mercedes-Benz, set a new record and claimed the top spot for all sales during Auction Week 2016. Here’s the new record holder, and other cars featured in RM Sotheby's 17th Annual Auction in Phoenix.

 

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen, Lot 242

 

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster The show-stopping pre-war car that took home the prize as the most expensive car sold during 2016 Arizona Auction Week. This 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster sold for $9,900,000.

 

 

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB by Scaglietti, Lot 145

 

rm-sothebys-1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Leading the charge this year from Italy was a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB by Scaglietti. This prancing horse sold for $2,117,500.

 

 

Real Deal Cobras -- 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra and 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, Lots 140, 219

 

1965 Shelby Cobra 427 This 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Shelby Cobra 427 sold for $2,255,000.

 

1964 Shelby 289 Cobra This Shelby 289 Cobra slab-side sold for $1,072,500.

 

 

1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible, Lot 133

 

RM Sotheby's 1929 Duesenberg Estimated to be a multi-million dollar vintage American entry, this elegant 1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupe by Murphy, has the notable distinction of having a boattail rear design. Sold for $3,000,000.

 

 

 

Gooding & Company (Total Sales: $43 Million)

 

In its 9th year in Scottsdale, Gooding & Company offered an assortment of stunning vehicles, approximately 150 in its two-day auction. Top marques were Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Packard, and Rolls-Royce. Here are some of the highlights from the 2016 auction.

 

1950 Ferraris 166, Lot 33 and Other Exotics

 

1950 Ferrari 166 MM Top sale at this year’s Scottsdale auction was a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans. This early V12 Ferrari competed in events in both Europe and America, and has a well-documented owner and race history. Sold for $6,490,000.

 

 

1969 L88 Corvette, Lot 147

 

1969 L88 Corvette One of the rare race-ready cars produced by Chevy, this 1969 L88 Vette is a low mileage Tuxedo Black example. It achieved Bloomington Gold certification in 2004, followed by an NCRS Top Flight award at the November 2004 Texas Regional meet. Although it did not reach the reserve price during the auction ($575,000 high bid), post-auction negotiations resulted in a sale. The sale price has not been disclosed.

 

 

1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton, Lot 51

 

1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton As colorful as the car itself, this Duesy traces its history to the first owner, a member of the Dodge family who broke with the family marque to buy an Indiana car. It has appeared at (and won awards in) several concours events across the country. This Grand Gatsby era Phaeton sold for $2,420,000.

 

 

Porsches (Lots 16, 35, 52, 106, 108, 110, 119, 136, 146, 148)

 

Porsches This auction featured a long list of Porsche models ranging from early 356 Speedsters to a late model 997 GT3 RS. There were loads of whale tails and more from the Stuttgart factory. The most expensive Porsche sold at this auction was a 2005 Carrera GT for $980,000.

 

 

 

Bonhams (Total Sales: $18 Million)

 

This year Bonhams hosted its 5th Annual Scottsdale auction by offering 115 vehicles, spanning 110 years. Included were 10 Ferraris from the '50s to the '80s, and 21 Porsches that span six decades. Over 60% of these cars were sold at no reserve. Here are some of the highlights from the 2016 auction.

 

1966 Ferrari 250 GT Alloy Coupe (Lot 44)

 

1956 Ferrari 250 GT This 2013 restored Ferrari, coachwork by Boano, is 1 of 12 of this type built. It is well-documented, has matching numbers, and raced in both the California Mile and Colorado Grand. The Ferrari received a high bid of $1,300,000, but did not reach the reserve.

 

 

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (Lot 21)

 

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Offered with both hard and soft tops, books and tools, this matching numbers 4-speed, manual transmission Mercedes is a highly desirable late production, alloy block. The selling price was $1,485,000.

 

 

1953 Fiat 8V Elaborata (Lot 60)

 

1953 Fiat 8V Zagato Elaborata 1 of 5 8V "Double Bubble" Zagato Elaboratas built, this matching numbers Fiat, recently underwent a complete restoration. It was a former Pebble Beach Concours winner, and a participant in the Colorado Grand. Selling price was $1,870,000.

 

 

2015 McLaren P1 (Lot 12)

 

RM Sotheby's 1953 Fiat 8V Zagato Elaborata The last US-market McLaren P1 built, this is arguably the supercar of today. It is factory-equipped with a host of options and extras, and has less than 300 miles on the odometer. Selling price was $2,090,000.

 

 

 

All sale prices include buyers commission.