Tour of Cars and Charity Gala Kick-Off Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction
Palm Beach, Fla. – March 28, 2007 – Palm Beach became a hotbed of automotive passion as Craig Jackson and Steve Davis of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company hosted a private tour and sneak peak of the event on Wednesday evening for select South Florida media and VIPs at the 5th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Palm Beach, Fla. Renowned designer Chip Foose and executives from Metalcrafters and Unique Performance, the dynamic team behind the Foose Coupe, joined Jackson and Davis to highlight the auction’s premier vehicles and discussed their love of collectible automobiles. Over 600 of the world’s finest collector cars will cross the block at No Reserve from Thursday, March 29 – Sunday, April 1, 2007, in Palm Beach, Fla.
“South Florida has become the East Coast epicenter for world-class automobile collectors, which has validated our commitment to bring in and offer the most diverse group of vehicles ever in South Florida,” said Jackson, CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. “We’re offering something for everyone, from hardcore muscle car gurus and sports cars fans to those searching for the ultimate hot rod like the Foose Coupe. Chip has become the leader in automotive innovation and making dream cars a reality.”
The Foose Coupe, which is built by Metalcrafters and available through Unique Performance, was unveiled to the Palm Beach audience shortly after the tour at the Opening Night Gala. Rights to the first production model available to the public of the hot rod muscle car combination will be auctioned on Saturday evening.
“I created the Foose Coupe because people said you could not combine the elements of a hot rod, sports car and muscle car in one vehicle,” explained Foose. “The response to this car proves that it could be done and that there is a market hungry for a new hot rod. I’m thankful that Barrett-Jackson has given us the opportunity to showcase the Foose Coupe and share my dream car with their customers. The Barrett-Jackson auction is truly a one-of-a-kind event, and we’re thrilled to be part of the action.
Along with hot collector cars, Barrett-Jackson will feature something for everyone. More than 1,000 VIPs enjoyed live entertainment by renowned singer Valeria Tyson while dining on food from Dave’s Good Ole Boys BBQ, Rachel’s Steakhouse, Legal Seafood, Blue Martini and Professional Concessions, Inc. Barrett-Jackson also displayed an impressive array of live auction items, such as a Cal Ripkin Jr. autographed baseball bat and ball, Superbowl XLII tickets, an Ultimate NASCAR Experience and a rare Peter Max art piece. All donations will benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children, (A John Walsh Charity). Last year (2006) Barrett-Jackson Auction Company donated more than $744,000 through their charity auction.
“Automobiles will always be the nucleus of this event, but we offer a plethora of non-auction activities for the whole family,” added Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “Guest can enjoy test drives with some of America’s hottest new GM & Ford models, tours of a private jet fuselage, access to a myriad of automotive parts and accessories, food and entertainment.”
Barrett-Jackson continually reaffirms its leadership position in the collector car market by elevating consignment standards, challenging annual records and serving as the barometer for market trends. Last year, more than 275,000 attendees and millions of television viewers from around the world witnessed over 1,600 cars being auctioned off for approximately $135 million at the two 2006 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Events held in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Palm Beach, Fla.
About Barrett-Jackson
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 and Palm Beach, Fla. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.
Media Contact
Luke DeRouen lderouen@timepiecepr.com or 214.870.8635