The 1979 Porsche 928 “Risky Business” Movie Car sold for a model record $1,980,000 to top the results at the Barrett-Jackson Houston 2021 sale.
Barrett-Jackson held its first-ever Texax auction in Houston in September 2021 with several record results. The top result was the most expensive Porsche 928 ever — the 1979 Porsche 928 driven by Tom Cruise in the movie Risky Business. Two 2019 Ford GTs also achieved results above a million dollar. The Automobilia auction featured 279 pieces that sold for over $1 million, marking the most successful non-Scottsdale Automobilia Auction in the company’s history.
Barrett-Jackson Houston Sale 2021
Barrett-Jackson held its inaugural Houston Auction at NRG Center in Houston, Texas, September 16-18, 2021, with $37.5 million in total sales. Strong prices for collectible vehicles combined with a large turnout led to many world auction records and a rising demand for American-made Resto-Mods, quality customs, and vehicles with celebrity provenance.
Barrett-Jackson’s first auction in the Lone Star State featured a 100-percent No Reserve docket with nearly 500 collectible vehicles that sold for more than $35.4 million. The Automobilia auction featured 279 pieces that sold for over $1 million, marking the most successful non-Scottsdale Automobilia Auction in the company’s history. Barrett-Jackson also continued to trailblaze with the auction of two NFTs, which brought in a combined $14,000. Over a million dollar was raised for charity from a 1956 Chevrolet 150.
Top Results at the Barrett-Jackson Houston 2021 Sale
The top vehicles sold during the Inaugural Houston Auction included:
- 1979 Porsche 928 “Risky Business” Movie Car (Lot#749) – $1.98 million
- 2019 Ford GT Lightweight (Lot #759) – $1,199,000
- 2019 Ford GT (Lot#748) – $1,001,000
- 1966 Shelby GT350 Sir Stirling Moss Race Car (Lot#741) – $495,000
- 2006 Ford GT (Lot #726) – $440,000
- 2006 Ford GT (Lot #728) – $440,000
- 2005 Ford GT (Lot #727) – $412,500
- 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window Custom Coupe (Lot #733) – $396,000
- 1967 Ford Mustang Eleanor Tribute Edition (Lot #767) – $357,500
- 1967 Ford Mustang Eleanor Tribute Edition (Lot #443) – $330,000
- 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom (Lot #762) – $330,000
- 1956 Ford F-100 Big-Window Custom Pickup (Lot #756) – $275,000
Most Expensive Porsche 928 Ever
The top result in the Barrett-Jackson Houston 2021 sale was $1,980,000 paid for the 1979 Porsche 928 (Lot#749) driven by Tom Cruise in the film “Risky Business.” The result set a new world record auction sale for any Porsche 928 from any year and is also the second-highest Porsche result at auction thus far in 2021.
This 928 is one of three cars driven on set, and one of two cars used during the film’s signature chase scene that culminated in Tom Cruise, looking straight into the camera, declaring the German carmaker’s slogan, “Porsche. There is no substitute.”
The other million-dollar results were for two 2019 Ford GTs — after weaker results in 2020, most of the Ford GTs are again achieving results above a million dollar with the Lightweight clearly the preferred version. Prices for the 2005-2006 era Ford GTs also seem firmer at recent sales.
Charity Lot at Barrett-Jackson Houston Sale 2021
Barrett-Jackson has an admirable record for selling charity lots and this tradition continued at Houston 2021.
Lot #3000, a 1956 Chevrolet 150 sold to benefit charity for $425,000 and was immediately donated back, igniting a second round of bidding that raised an additional $400,000. Another $175,000 was donated, bringing the total raised from the sale of the Chevrolet 150 to $1 million benefiting Honor Flight. To date, Barrett-Jackson has helped raise over $135 million for charity.
Automobilia Results at Barrett-Jackson Houston 2021
During the three-day auction, Barrett-Jackson sold 279 authentic automobilia items for more than $1 million, the highest sales ever achieved during a non-Scottsdale Auction. Top automobilia pieces in Houston included a 1940s-50s Flying A Service animated porcelain neon sign (Lot #7297) that sold for $77,050, and a 1950s Mobiloil Pegasus left-facing animated porcelain neon sign (Lot #8299) which sold for $69,000.
Barrett-Jackson also continued to fill the demand for collector car NFTs with two movie-themed Motoclub SparkNFTs. The 1959 Cadillac “Ghostbusters Ectomobile” Re-Creation NFT (Lot #4001) sold for $8,000, and the 1994 Toyota Supra from “The Fast & The Furious” franchise NFT (Lot #4002), hammered in at $6,000.
“This was a banner year filled with historic events made up of over 200 world-record auction sales that are forever etched into automotive history,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Thanks to our sponsors, consignors, bidders and guests, our Inaugural Houston Auction was an extraordinary extension of this year’s success. We’re far more than a car auction; we’re an immersive automotive experience with exhibitors, thrill rides and activities that rivals any event. We can’t wait for our January 2022 Scottsdale Auction, when we’ll celebrate everything we’ve accomplished over our 50-year history, in true Barrett-Jackson fashion.”
