The Scottsdale and Phoenix collector cars sales in Arizona are the first major classic car auctions each year. Several auction houses, including Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, Gooding, and RM Sotheby’s participate in this weeklong event that usually sees well over 3,000 cars on offer.
The first significant collectors’ car auctions of the year are held each mid-January in Scottsdale, Arizona. This weeklong commercial event currently have all major classic car auctioneers competing (except Mecum, which usually starts selling at Kissimmee, Florida, a week or two earlier). RM Auctions, Gooding & Co, Bonhams, and Barrett Jackson regularly achieve over a million dollars on select vehicles but many other smaller auctioneers also participate covering cars in all price classes.
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Scottsdale Classic Car Auctions
The annual January classic and collectors’ car auctions in Arizona are generally referred to as Scottsdale, even though many of the sales are in adjacent Phoenix, Arizona. It is the first major classic car event of the year for most auction houses and one of the biggest car sale events on the calendar.
In contrast to many other classic car auction events, the Scottsdale week has purely commercial origins. The auctions have been an annual event since the 1970s but the first Arizona Concours d’Elegance was only held in 2014 but cancelled from 2018 as not commercially viable
Scottsdale, Arizona Classic Car Auction Results
The Scottsdale week is big. The combined number of cars on offer at the various auction houses often exceeds 3,000. Although only a small number achieves over a million dollars, the Scottsdale auction week is only second to the Monterey Motor Week in August, where most of the top cars in the world are sold.
In 2020, a relatively week year, Barrett-Jackson earned nearly $130 million from 1900 vehicles sold, plus $7.65 million raised for charity. Gooding earned $35,867,560 while RM Sotheby’s earned $30.4 million.
In 2023, Barrett-Jackson earned $184.2 million from selling 1907 cars and $6.41 million from automobilia. Barrett-Jackson also raised $1.89 million for charity from five cars. Bonhams grossed $30 million and RM Sotheby’s $45 million.
Scottsdale Classic Car Auction Record Holders
The auction record for Scottsdale / Arizona is $9,900,000 achieved by a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016 auction.
The Mercedes-Benz increased the Scottsdale record from the $9,625,000 paid for a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM sold at the 2015 RM Auctions Arizona sale. This car broke the previous record $9,405,000 set only a day earlier for a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione at the 2015 Bonhams Scottsdale classic car auction and the $8,800,000 achieved for a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti at the RM Auctions’ Arizona sale in 2014.
Results Achieved at Previous Scottsdale / Arizona Auctions
Scottsdale and Arizona Car Auctions 2024
Many auction houses have sales during the annual Scottsdale week in Arizona, USA, in late January 2024, including amongst others:
- Barett-Jackson: 20 to 28 January 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- Bonhams: 25 January 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- RM Sotheby’s: 25 January 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Gooding & Company: no Scottsdale auction scheduled in 2024.
Scottsdale & Arizona Auction Results
- Overview of Top Million-Dollar Car Results
- 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction Sale Results
- 2024 Bonhams Scottsdale Auction Results
- 2024 RM Sotheby’s Arizona Auction Results