Barrett-Jackson cruised to another strong auction in West Palm Beach, Fla., this past weekend, scoring a record $25 million in overall sales that included $2.35 million for charity.
Results for the 12th annual Palm Beach auction easily eclipsed figures from a year ago, when $21 million worth of cars were sold.
Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2014
| Total sales | $25 million |
| Catalog | 509 automobiles |
| Sell-through | 99.6 percent |
| High sale | $1 million (charity sale) First 2015 Corvette Z06 |
| Next 9 price range | $165,000 to $500,000 |
| Next auction | Reno-Tahoe, Jul. 31-Aug. 2 |
“Each year, Palm Beach continues to expand its impact, bringing better cars, more fans and growth,” Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, said in a news release. “We have enjoyed the years here and this year was a stellar showing, which continues the explosive start we had in Scottsdale.”
Charity sales led the top results for the Florida auction and provided a stunning déjà vu moment when NASCAR team owner and mega auto dealer Rick Hendrick stepped up once again and bought the rights to the first production 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for $1 million with all proceeds going to the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
It was one year ago during the 2013 Palm Beach auction that Hendrick bid $1 million for the first production 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible, also benefiting the Karmanos institute. Hendrick started off his million-dollar run of new Corvettes at the 2013 Scottsdale auction, where he paid $1 million for the first 2014 Corvette Stingray.
Hendrick, a North Carolina-based car dealer and major collector of Corvette and Chevy muscle cars, is a leukemia survivor and a strong supporter of cancer charities.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 sale was the top sale of the Barrett-Jackson auction at Palm Beach. Another car donated by Chevrolet, the first 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 coupe, sold for $500,000 to benefit the AARP drive to End Hunger. Barrett-Jackson charges no auction fees for its signature charity sales.
The 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang was celebrated throughout the three-day Barrett-Jackson auction. The official anniversary date for the Mustang’s debut in April 17.
Punctuating the Mustang party was the sale of one of the star cars of the Palm Beach sale, the 2013 Mustang fastback that co-starred in the recent Hollywood movie “Need for Speed.” Donated by the Ford Motor Co. and benefiting the Henry Ford Health System, the Mustang went for $300,000.
The wide array of collector cars offered at Barrett-Jackson’s only East Coast auction reflected the laid-back lifestyle of the high-end Palm Beach retirement community, with a strong emphasis on cars that can be driven and enjoyed, including late-model exotics and luxury cars. Two of the top 10 auction sales reflect that: a 2005 Ford GT sports coupe that sold for $242,000 and a 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder that fetched $181,500 (all non-charity results include the 10 percent buyer fee).
The highest non-charity sale was for a full-classic beauty, a highly desirable 1935 Packard V12 convertible coupe with coachwork by Dietrich, which sold for $330,000. The Packard was one of a handful of cars offered with reserve bidding at Palm Beach, two of which – a 1966 Shelby GT350 and a 1938 Cord 812 Phaeton – were the only no-sales among the 509 auction cars.
As with all Barrett-Jackson auctions, there was a something-for-everybody run of modestly priced collector cars, such as a 1976 Triumph TR6 roadster that went for $10,670, a 1969 Corvette custom coupe for $12,100, and a restored 1967 Mustang 289 convertible for $23,650.
Barrett-Jackson’s next auction is July 31-August 2 with the second annual Reno-Tahoe event that takes place in conjunction with the Hot August Nights old-car celebration. For more information, see www.barrett-jackson.com.
