Auctions America enters a new realm of collector-car sales in November when it launches its “Live Virtual” online auction that takes place exclusively on the Internet.
Called BidAnywhere, the sale will be a one-day event with an actual auctioneer calling the bids online but with the potential buyers placing bids remotely through a special platform created by Proxibid, the online marketplace that specializes in high-value merchandise.
The online auction, which takes place November 21, will feature about 75 collector cars. Although the vehicles are not available for physical inspection, each one will be accompanied by descriptions and photos, plus extensive first-person reports from Auction America specialists, who will also be available to answer questions.
Donnie Gould, president of Auctions America, a division of RM Auctions, said the specialist reports are designed to provide assurance that the collector car being auctioned is as advertised.
“As we worked to overcome concerns associated with online sales and buying sight unseen, the availability of professional condition reports for each lot has received great early feedback,” Gould said. “These reports are completed by our own expert team of specialists, who have over 180 combined years’ experience buying, selling, racing and restoring collector vehicles – meaning bidders can participate confidently, knowing the vehicles have been reviewed by qualified experts.”
The BidAnywhere auction comes on the heels of the unprecedented virtual auction held in Monterey, California, in August by Rick Cole. In that sale, the cars were displayed in a hotel ballroom, but all the bidding was done via smart phone and a special auction app. Bolstered by a number of multi-million Ferrari sales, the Cole auction reached more than $58.9 million.
Auction industry watchers say that virtual online sales could be the wave of the future, becoming as common as bids placed by phone or website are at today’s actual live auctions.
Among the early highlights of the Auctions America BidAnywhere sale are a low-mileage 1991 Ferrari Testarossa with factory manuals and tools, and a well-documented 1987 Buick GNX that shows fewer than 100 miles.
A classic beauty with Hollywood provenance also will cross the block: an award-winning 1937 Cadillac V16 Custom Imperial, one of two built and reportedly used as the MGM Studios car for many of the era’s movie stars, including Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh during the filming of Gone with the Wind.
For more information on the BidAnywhere auction, see auctionsamerica.com.
I don’t know if y’all auction off replica cars ?
Come on guys , Why not show the inventory ? You tout the action , List the cars don’t leave us hanging
James, just click on the Auctions America website link in the last paragraph.