The 2023 Mecum Kissimmee collector car auction in Florida, USA, features over 4,000 cars including top million-dollar European classics and Mopar wing cars.
→→ See also: Top Results at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Auction
The Mecum Kissimmee car auction in Florida in early January 2023 include over 4,000 cars of which several are expected to sell for over a million dollars. Top European classics on offer include a a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Centerseat, a 1959 BMW 507 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs (two roadsters and a gullwing), and a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4. Modern Ferraris sold for high prices in 2022 and similar results are expected from the 1992 Ferrari F40 and the silver 2003 Ferrari Enzo. Top American offerings include several wing cars, various Shelby Cobras, and Dan Gurney’s 1968 Eagle Offenhauser Indy Car. An interesting lot is the non-flying 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar plane that once belonged to Elvis Presley.
→→ See also: Top Results at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Auction
Mecum Kissimmee Sale 2023
Mecum’s Kissimmee 2023 collector car auction: 4 to 15 January 2023 at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, USA. Over 4,000 cars, 40 motorcycles, around 1200 items of art and memorabilia, as well as a Lockheed Jetstar plane that once belonged to Elvis Presley are on sale.
In 2023, Mecum earned $234 million at Kissimmee — the first time an auction achieved over $200 two years running. A record 3,180 cars were sold
In 2022, Mecum earned a single-event sales record of $217 million in sales over 11 days. This figure included the $72 million Mecum earned on the final Saturday — a single-day record for the company. Vehicle-only earnings were $213 million with 2,954 vehicles sold — a sell-through rate of 90%.
In 2021, Mecum sold just over 2,000 cars in its Kissimmee sale to earn $122.8 million — the highest single-auction total ever achieved in Mecum’s 34-year history. It was a remarkable single-auction total and a result rarely seen outside the annual Monterey and Scottsdale auctions. In 2020, Mecum earned $105.1 million with 2,140 vehicles changing hands throughout the 11-day auction.
Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida, Collector Car Auctions
The Mecum Kissimmee collector car auctions are different from many traditional car sales. Not only is the sale huge with over 4,000 cars and over 1,200 road art or automobilia on offer in 2023 but Mecum is already earning while other auction houses are still preparing to start the auction year at Scottsdale, Arizona, later in January. Cars for all budgets are on sale.
Increasingly, Mecum is also offering the type of quality European classic cars that are more commonly seen at RM Sotheby’s, Gooding, or Bonhams auctions. While American muscle cars were always on offer at Mecum, several are at the million-dollar-plus level — prices that such cars are likely to struggle to obtain at other auctions.
Top Collections at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Sale
Large car collections play a leading role in the Mecum Kissimmee 2023 auction, especially at the top end of the market. More than 30 private collections comprising 530-plus vehicles, of which 430 are offered without reserve — will be on offer.
For European classic car enthusiasts, the most exciting collection is The Rick Grant III Estate Collection includes amongst others a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Centerseat (estimate: $3,500,000 – $4,000,000), 1959 BMW 507 Roadster (estimate: $1,800,000 – $2,200,000), a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (estimate: $2,250,000 – $2,600,000) and a 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster, CSX2516 (estimate:$1,000,000 – $1,250,000), the first production 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (estimate: $1,000,000 – $1,200,000), and a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (estimate: $850,000 – $1,100,000). The 50-lot collection includes a variety of well-preserved classic sports cars from Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, MG, and Bugatti.
Joining the Rick Grant III Estate Collection are the Chuck Cocoma Judge and GTO Ram Air IV Collection—headlined by a rare Orbit Orange 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible and several further private collections featuring a wide selection of collector vehicles. Among them are:
- The Gary Edwards Wing Car & Mopar Collection, featuring 12 meticulously curated wing cars from Dodge and Plymouth, along with four other mighty Mopars (1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona, estimate: $1,300,000 – $1,600,000);
- another dozen vehicles From the Lindley Collection, including two other wing cars (1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona, estimate: $1,100,000 – $1,400,000, 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird, estimate: $900,000 – $1,200,000);
- nine vehicles offered at no reserve from The David Disiere Collection;
- nine vehicles From the Wendlinger Collection, including several benefiting from frame-off restorations; and
- six Select Vehicles From the Wellborn Musclecar Museum Collection.
Further Million-Dollar Cars at Mecum Kissimmee 2023
Some further cars on offer at Mecum Kissimmee 2022 collector car auction that are expected to sell for more than a million dollars include:
- a 10,994-miles 1992 Ferrari F40 (estimate $3,700,000 – $4,000,000)
- a 7,334-mile, Argento Nurburgring silver 2003 Ferrari Enzo (estimate $3,500,000 – $3,700,000);
- a late-production 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (whopping estimate of $2,300,000 – $2,500,000);
- a restored 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (not modest estimate of $1,900,000 – $2,100,000);
- the 1968 Eagle Offenhauser Indy Car (estimate: $950,000 – $1,100,000) driven by Dan Gurney to a second-place finish at the 1968 Indianapolis 500;
- a 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona Nascar driven by Bobby Allison (estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000);
- a 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster, CSX2517 (estimate $1,100,000 – $1,300,000);
- a 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster, CSX3270 converted to S/C spec four decades ago (estimate $1,500,000 – $1,700,000); and
- an 18-mile 2020 Ford GT (estimate $1,000,000 – $1,200,000).
Elvis Presley’s Plane at Auction
Unique and main attraction offerings in Kissimmee will further include the 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar (Lot L104) previously owned by Elvis Presley. This aircraft is basically the plane equivalent of a garage find — the P&W engines and many cockpit components have been removed and no replacement parts are included in the sale. The buyer will need to dismantle the plane to move it from the Roswell International Air Center (ROW).
Motorcycles and Road Art at Mecum Kissimmee 2023
Motorcycles play a relative small role at the Kissimmee auctions with only around 50 on offer. These include a group of newly imported European models seldom seen in the U.S. Headlining the diverse selection of vintage and collector motorcycles is a rare and desirable 1926 BMW R42 Twin (Lot F34) and an even rarer 1922 Brough Superior Mark I 90 Bore (Lot S172).
More than 1,200 lots in total of Road Art will be offered at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 including 125 items From the Lindley Collection. Among the featured lots From the Lindley Collection are a 1960s Pontiac Goodwill Single-Sided Porcelain Neon Sign (Lot Z654), 1960 Chrysler Airtemp Double-Sided Porcelain Neon Sign (Lot Z667) and a 1930s Polly Gas Fry Visible Gas Pump (Lot Z761).
→→ See also: Top Results at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Auction