Barrett-Jackson Auction Company Returns To Las Vegas; Collector Car Sales Exceed $23 Million
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Oct. 16, 2009 – The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company made an impressive return to Las Vegas as their 2nd Annual Collector Car Auction rolled into town from Oct. 7-10 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Bidders worldwide generated more than $23 million in sales (including Buyer’s Premiums) on over 400 collector cars that all sold at No Reserve. SPEED captured the action live with 19 hours of high-definition TV coverage.
A rare 1965 289 Shelby Cobra Roadster (Lot #704) took the top spot, selling for $440,000 on Saturday evening. The “Father of the Mustang,” Lee Iacocca, took the second spot, selling the No. 5 Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang (Lot #3000) for $352,000. The Colorado collector who purchased the Iacocca Mustang will also be treated to dinner with the automotive icon. American racing and manufacturing legend, Carroll Shelby, took the stage alongside hall-of-fame drag racer, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, to auction the Prudhomme Edition Shelby Super Snake concept car (Lot #711) for $302,500.
“The success of our second Las Vegas event has proven that we will become an annual fixture on the Vegas calendar for many years to come,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO, Barrett-Jackson. “Our attendance was up from the previous year, and we sold some of the most impressive vehicles we’ve ever offered. The energy and excitement of Las Vegas as a destination city where people really let loose helps create an auction experience that’s unlike any other.”
Celebrity involvement helped fuel the excitement as talk show host and comedian Jay Leno made a special appearance, donating all $120,000 from the sale of a Yamaha Star V-Max Motorcycle (Lot #716.1) from his personal collection to Bailey’s Café, an arts education program in Brooklyn, NY. “Dukes of Hazard” star John Schneider surprised the crowd when he jumped on the hood of “Bo’s General Lee,” a 1969 Dodge Charger (Lot #691), to sing the show’s theme song, helping the car sell for $258,500.
Because no collector car auction in Las Vegas would be complete without a nod to Elvis Presley, the race car used in the 1964 film “Viva Las Vegas,” the 1961 Ol’ Yaller VIII (Lot #709), fetched $198,000. Action movie stars Bruce Willis, Don Johnson and Sylvester Stallone also took part by either selling or buying vehicles. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the sale of a 1963 Ford Galaxie (Lot #63), a 4-door Sedan created for one of the nation’s leading Barney Fife impersonators, which sold for $121,000.
“The collection of exclusive, one-off vehicles and experiences offered this year in Las Vegas surpasses anything we have done before,” noted Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “From concept cars and rare classics to dinner and track time with legends, you will only find it at Barrett-Jackson. And I’m also proud of our steadfast offering of entry to mid level collector cars, which continues to attract fresh faces to this amazing hobby.”
The company’s philanthropic efforts continued at the Las Vegas event, where more than $740,000 was raised for various charities, adding to the more than $20 million Barrett-Jackson has raised since 2006. Including Leno’s motorcycle, a total of four vehicles and nine specially-designed NASCAR hoods were sold for charity, with all proceeds going directly to the beneficiary. Bidding became frenzied when one of only two 2006 Mercury Milan Volgas (Lot #363) crossed the block, raising $300,000 to benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation; a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro (Lot #669) raised $245,000 for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Florida Suncoast Affiliate; and a 2009 Ford Flex Limited (Lot #678.1) raised $50,000 that was split between the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Urban Arts Partnership. Two charity cars were also on the top ten cars sold list.
The top ten cars sold in Las Vegas include:
- 1965 Shelby Cobra Roadster – $440,000 (Lot #704)
- 2009 No. 5 Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang – $352,000 (Lot #3000)
- 1967 Shelby GT500 SE Super Snake – $330,000 (Lot #701)
- 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition – $302,500 (Lot #711)
- 2006 Mercury Volga Milan – $300,000 (Lot #363)
- 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air – $297,000 (Lot #715.1)
- 1969 Dodge Charger – $258,500 (Lot #691)
- 2005 Ford GT – $253,000 (Lot #690.1)
- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro – $245,000 (Lot #669)
- 2006 Ferrari F430 – $200,200 (Lot #716)
Automobilia sales were also strong, bringing in over $260,000. The event attracted more than 1,000 bidders – with over 50 percent being first-timers – and 51,000 attendees. To better accommodate the crowds, all cars were moved indoors, along with approximately 100 vendors and sponsors that displayed a variety of items including aircraft, custom cars, racing gear, collectibles, jewelry and clothing.
Organizers reconfigured this year’s event to take better advantage of the distinctive offerings of Las Vegas, and to allow for a more comprehensive experience unique to the city. “We learned last year that in Las Vegas, people have dinner plans, tickets to shows and other gatherings to attend during the later hours,” added Jackson. “To help accommodate this, we offered about 100 fewer cars than last year to help us end the auction around 8 p.m. each night, and focused on providing a series of free daytime activities.”
The event kicked-off with the first official Barrett-Jackson Road Rally on Oct. 7, where thousands of locals and tourists lining Las Vegas Blvd. saw about 100 classic and collector cars – many of which were consigned to the auction – travel 3.3 miles down the famous Las Vegas Strip. Post-Rally, a free car show was held at Mandalay Bay where guests enjoyed seeing the vehicles up close, as well as Ride n’ Drive and Drifting programs offered by event sponsors Ford and General Motors. The weekend before the event, a free Cruise-In was held at a local car dealership, and a series of fashion shows featuring Barrett-Jackson merchandise were held at a local mall.
During the event, Barrett-Jackson executives made a special announcement, confirming that they have signed a letter of intent with the OC Fair & Event Center to add a fourth event to the company’s annual auction lineup. The Orange County auction will take place June 25-27 or July 1-3, 2010, at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. The 39th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., will take place Jan. 18-24, 2010.
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces the “World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™” in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Fla. and Las Vegas. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance offering for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.
Media Contact
Eric Kreller, R&R Partners, 702-318-4384, eric.kreller@rrpartners.com
Luke DeRouen, TPRM, (214) 520-3430 ext. 301, lderouen@tprm-usa.com