Auction Recap: Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2015
Barrett-Jackson’s 13th annual auction in Palm Beach was held April 17-19 and attracted more than 60,000 guests to the South Florida Fairgrounds. Total sales came to $22 million and a sell-through rate of 98.3% thanks to the high number of no-reserve lots. The sale was, as always, heavy on American muscle but many of the auction’s top and more notable sales came from other categories.
More and more unbelievable low-mileage Ford GTs are popping up at the high-volume U.S. collector car auctions, and when they sell they bring prices that put them near the top sellers for each event. The highest spot in Palm Beach this year went to a 19-mile red and white 2006 model, while the next two spots were taken by European exotics, most notably a Dutch Spyker C8 Laviolette from 2009 bringing $220,000, or only a bit less than what it cost when it was new. Other notable sales included a Plymouth Superbird with a 440 that sold for $165,000, a 1969 Dodge Hemi Charger 500 for $165,000, a 1954 Buick Skylark Convertible for $170,500 and a Kaiser Darrin for $165,000, a strong price for the model.
World record prices were also achieved for a Buick GNX and a Volkswagen Beetle. Barrett-Jackson’s previous record price for a GNX of $132,000 at this sale back in 2009 was broken this year when a 362-mile car brought $165,000. Count on seeing more GNXs and Grand Nationals at auction through the summer. The Volkswagen, meanwhile, was no ordinary Bug but a car used in two of the Herbie films, and it brought $126,500.
Top 10:
- 2006 Ford GT sold for $319,000
- 2012 Ferrari 458 Spider sold for $308,000
- 2009 Spyker C8 Laviolette sold for $220,000
- 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom sold for $192,500
- 1954 Buick Skylark Convertible sold for $170,500
- 1987 Buick Grand National GNX Coupe sold for $165,000
- 1970 Plymouth Superbird 440/390 Hardtop Coupe sold for $165,000
- 1969 Dodge Hemi Charger 500 sold for $165,000
- 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible sold for $165,000
- 1954 Kaiser Darrin sold for $165,000
- 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton sold for $165,000
Barrett-Jackson’s next collector car auction will be in Reno, Nev., on August 6-8, 2015.
