BARRETT-JACKSON SHATTERS RECORDS AT 2008 SCOTTSDALE EVENT
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – January 22, 2008 – Barrett-Jackson once again showcased its position as the world’s premier auction company by setting record breaking numbers at the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Ariz. Preliminary figures indicate over $88 million in sales, which includes sales from the Showroom Pavilion, in addition to record breaking attendance of 280,000 and over 100 million Web site hits. Hailed as “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Events™,” the Scottsdale auction featured 1,163 collector vehicles, over 100 fewer cars than the company sold in 2007. SPEED broadcast 39 hours of live auction coverage during the event.
“Despite premature predictions, Barrett-Jackson showed that the collector car market remains strong and viable for collectors across the board,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. “For example, Corvettes fetched strong prices, as did ‘tri-five’ 1955-57 Chevys throughout the week. And the average hammer price of these two groups increased by 13 percent. We also broadened the docket to make collector cars more accessible to the general public and let first time buyers in on the action.”
Shelbys, MOPARS, Corvettes, Rolls Royces, Mustangs, Cadillacs, Bel Airs and Mercedes joined classics, concepts from Italy, customs from Barris, Robosaurus and cars of the stars on the block. Muscle cars, pre-war gems, resto-mods, entry level cars and outrageous custom machines from across the globe were also well-represented at the 2008 Scottsdale event.
“This year’s Scottsdale event demonstrated the resiliency of the collector car hobby,” added Jackson. “Our record attendance and Web site hits, as well as the prices for crown jewel cars were very strong with three cars hitting at least $1 million. There were also some good values and a few surprises this year. As the prices indicated, the bids for the vehicles were fair, pleasing both consignors and buyers.”
Demand for automobilia skyrocketed this year as sales increased an astounding 47 percent to $851,000, when compared to 2007. Total sales via the Internet were $2,464,525, doubling the total from Scottsdale in 2007; the number of cars sold to online bidders also increased by 45 percent. The Barrett-Jackson Showroom Pavilion, where cars are sold at set prices, enjoyed enormous success, selling 34 cars for a gross total of $1,879,157.
One-off concept cars from the ’50s and ’60s were very popular. Barrett-Jackson snagged prime examples of these classics in the 1963 Pininfarina-bodied Chevrolet Corvette “Rondine” that fetched $1,600,000 and the 1963 Ford Thunderbird “Italien” that sold for $600,000.
A new generation of muscle cars took center stage on Saturday when Ford, General Motors and Chrysler sold their latest performance vehicles at No Reserve and raised nearly $2 million for charities. The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR sold for $550,000, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 for $1 million and the 2008 Dodge Challenger for $400,000.
“With proceeds from our annual gala, car sales and generous individual donations, we raised in excess of $5 million for local and national charities,” stated Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “For instance, Tony Stewart’s 2007 winning NASCAR Monte Carlo racecar sold for $300,000, not including extra donations that brought the contributions to nearly $500,000 for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation.”
Muhammad Ali headlined a banner list of sports and entertainment stars who added to the lifestyle appeal of Barrett-Jackson. In addition to the boxing legend, “Tonight Show” host and avid car collector Jay Leno drove the Corvette ZR1 across the block. TV and film star Patrick Dempsey was also on the block when the 2005 Mustang race car that he drove sold for $200,000, and John Schneider serenaded the Barrett-Jackson crowd before his “General Lee” fetched $450,000. Automotive icon Carroll Shelby addressed the crowd during the sale of the GT500KR, along with Dempsey.
The iconic “Monkeemobile” incited a bidding frenzy and sold for $360,000 and the “Batmobile Re-creation” fetched $185,000. Famous rocker and auto enthusiasts Alice Cooper sold his 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing custom re-creation for $185,000, while Carroll Shelby’s personal 1969 Shelby GT500 hit $675,000.
“Despite our efforts to limit the number of cars offered in Scottsdale, the demand for a diverse, high-quality selection of vehicles dictated that we exceed our original plan,” commented Davis. “From Robosaurus to the ‘Rondine,’ our goal was to make sure that there was something for everyone at Barrett-Jackson this year. We’ve become a one-of-a-kind entertainment venue for collectors, families and enthusiasts.”
Download Scottsdale 2008 Top 100 List in Adobe Acrobat format.
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 Events™” in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Fla. and Las Vegas. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.
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Luke DeRouen lderouen@timepiecepr.com or 214.520.3430 ext. 301 (www.timepiecepr.com)