A record 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Alloy and the first 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 were the top results at the Scottsdale Arizona 2022 collector car auctions.
The Scottsdale, Arizona, 2022 auctions seemed to signal a return to growth in the collector car market. Fewer cars were on offer but earnings were higher with average sales prices increasing from pre-pandemic results. Barrett-Jackson sold the most, earned the most, and raised the most for charity at the Scottsdale 2022 auctions. RM Sotheby’s sold the most-expensive car — a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Alloy for a model record $6,825,000. The second most expensive car sold in Scottsdale 2022 was the First Retail Production 70th Anniversary Edition 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that Barrett-Jackson sold for $3.6 million as a charity lot. Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, various Porsches, and Ford GTs sold very well in Arizona 2022.
Auction House Results at Scottsdale Arizona 2022 Sales
The sales results of the top-performing auction houses at the Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, collection car auctions in January 2022 were as follows:
| Auction House | Earnings ($ million) | Sell-Through Rate | Lots | Average Price* ($) |
| Cumulative* | 266.7 | 99%% | 2,107 / 2,135 | 126,556 |
| Barrett-Jackson | 195.9 | 100% | 1,841 / 1,841 | 106,202 |
| RM Sotheby’s | 43.3 | 95 | 66 / 70 | 655,803 |
| Bonhams | 11 | 95% | 81 / 89 | 139,846 |
| Worldwide* | 9.7 | 91% | 72 / 79 | 135,391 |
| Gooding | 7 | 88% | 50 / 70 | 139,249 |
*As reported directly after auctions by Hagerty, final published results may be slightly different.
Battle of the Auctioneers
Barrett-Jackson was the clear winner at Scottsdale 2022 — at its 50th-anniversary sale, it earned almost $60 million more than in 2020 while the average price increased from $71,833. In addition, Barrett-Jackson raised a further $8.8 million in charity lots.
RM Sotheby’s also had a very successful Arizona 2022 sale — it not only sold the most expensive car but nearly tripled average prices from 2020. Bringing top cars to auction while offering less interesting cars in online auctions is clearly paying off (with live bidders probably preferring the shorter auctions too!)
Worldwide Auctions was the only auctioneer with more cars on sale in Scottsdale 2022 than in 2020 — earnings increased from $6.1 million but the average price per car was $9,000 less than two years ago.
Bonhams did not offer any million-dollar cars at Scottsdale 2022 but still increased earnings and increased the average price from $95,872 two years ago. Bonhams had several cars selling well above presale estimates.
Gooding only had an online auction but had cars on-site for inspection in Scottsdale. Like Bonhams, no million-dollar cars were on offer leaving the top end for the market to RM Sotheby’s that sold 12. In 2020, Goodings sold 8 cars for over a million dollars and half of the top-ten cars in Scottsdale. Gooding has already announced several top Porsches and Packards for Amelia Island 2022 in March.
Million-Dollar Results at Scottsdale 2022 Auctions
The following 26 cars sold for over a million dollars at the various Scottsdale, Arizona 2022 collector car auctions:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Auction House | |
| 1 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Alloy | 6,825,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 2 | 2023 | Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe DIN001 * | 3,600,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 3 | 1931 | Duesenberg Model J Tourster | 3,415,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 4 | 1964 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster | 2,315,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 5 | 1929 | Duesenberg Model J Berline by Derham | 2,260,000 | Worldwide |
| 6 | 2004 | Porsche Carrera GT | 1,980,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 7 | 1967 | Ferrari 330 GTS | 1,957,500 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 8 | 1965 | Ferrari 275 GTB | 1,875,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 9 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,870,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 10 | 2015 | Porsche 918 Spyder | 1,815,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 11 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,710,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 12 | 2014 | McLaren P1 | 1,705,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 13 | 2019 | Ford GT Heritage | 1,650,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 14 | 2015 | Porsche 918 Spyder | 1,600,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 15 | 1987 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 1,600,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 16 | 2005 | Porsche Carrera GT | 1,545,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 17 | 2019 | McLaren Senna | 1,512,500 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 18 | 1935 | Delahaye 135 MS | 1,435,000 | Worldwide |
| 19 | 2017 | Ford GT | 1,430,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 20 | 2020 | Ford GT Carbon Series | 1,375,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 21 | 1988 | Cizeta-Moroder V16T | 1,363,500 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 22 | 1994 | Porsche 911 Turbo S Flachbau | 1,325,000 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 23 | 2014 | Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6 Brabus B63S 700 | 1,210,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 24 | 1967 | Shelby Cobra 427 CSX | 1,210,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
| 25 | 2019 | Ford GT | 1,077,500 | RM Sotheby’s |
| 26 | 1968 | Ford Mustang Custom Fast Back * | 1,000,000 | Barrett-Jackson |
*Charity lot
Million-Dollar Cars at Scottsdale 2022 Auctions
Barrett-Jackson and RM Sotheby’s each sold 12 cars for over a million dollars and Worldwide sold two. Some of the outstanding results at the various Scottsdale 2022 classic car auctions included:
The top result in the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2022 auction was $6,825,000 paid for the extremely rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing. It set a new Gullwing model record and is the most expensive post-war Mercedes-Benz ever. It is also the most expensive car sold at any Scottsdale 2022 auction and the most expensive car sold thus far in 2022 at public auction. Two further Gullwings sold for very strong prices but the 1964 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster at RM Sotheby’s was particularly impressive too as it achieved the fourth highest Roadster result ever — only a handful has ever achieved over $2 million at auction.
The First Retail Production 70th Anniversary Edition 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 sold for a very impressive $3.6 million (with a further $100,000 donated) as a charity lot at Barrett-Jackson. This was 20% more than the first 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray raised in 2020 and the highest DIN001 car ever sold by Barrett-Jackson.
RM Sotheby’s sold a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster by Derham for $,415,000 — the sixth Duesenberg result exceeding $3 million in the past year. Worldwide sold a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Berline by Derham for $2,260,000 a day earlier.
Porsches of all years and price classes performed very well at the various Scottsdale, Arizona sales with many far exceeding presale estimates. All six million-dollar Porsches sold for very strong prices compared to results achieved at sales in the previous two years. A Carrera GT selling for over a million used to be the exception. At Scottdale one sold for $1,545,000 and another for a model record $1,980,000 just days apart — Gooding’s estimate of $1.8 to $2.5 million on a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT suddenly looks realistic. The 918 Spyder results were also amongst the highest for the model since 2017-18.
Another collector car auction, another Ford GT selling for over a million, or in the case of Scottsdale 2022, four selling in two auctions. Mecum sold three more at Kissimmee in Florida in mid-January 2022 making it seven for over a million (and a few for just less) in January 2022. Barrett-Jackson got the three highest results at Scottsdale 2022.
On the whole, the market at Scottsdale was very strong and likely to encourage more owners to test the market again. More high-end cars are likely to be on offer at Amelia Island 2022. Porsches were hot in Scottsdale so expect many more at auctions in 2022, not only for the Carrera GT. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL owners are likely to test the market too following strong results at Scottsdale and Kissimmee 2022. And of course plenty of undriven Ford GTs.
Scottsdale and Arizona Car Auctions 2022
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2022 — Auction Results:
- RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale 2022 — Auction Results
- Bonhams Scottsdale Sale 2022 — Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2022 — Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2022 — Charity Lots Results
- Gooding Geared Online Scottsdale 2022 — Auction Results
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2022 — Auction Previews:
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2022 — Pre-Auction Announcements:
- Barrett-Jackson: Shelby Cars
- Barrett-Jackson: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
- RM Sotheby’s: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing
- RM Sotheby’s: American Prewar Classics (Duesenberg Model J Tourster)
- RM Sotheby’s: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs
- RM Sotheby’s: Tenebaum Porsches
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Auction Results
- 2021 Scottsdale, Arizona, January Auctions Results Overview
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale March 2021 Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale March 2021 Charity Lots Auction Results
- Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 Auction Results
- Gooding Scottsdale 2021 Auction Results
- RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2021 Auction Results
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales — Previous Auction Results
- 2020: Gooding, RM Sotheby’s, Barrett-Jackson & Barrett-Jackson (Charity Lots).
- 2019 Scottsdale Auctions Results Overview
- 2018 Scottsdale Auctions Results Overview
- 2017 Scottsdale Auctions Results Overview
- 2016: Barrett-Jackson, Gooding, RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams
- 2015 Scottsdale Results Overview
- 2014 Scottsdale & Arizona Collector Car Auction Results
Scottsdale & Arizona Auctions 2022
Many auction houses have sales (live, online, or a combination) during the annual Scottsdale week in mid-late January, including amongst others:
- Barett-Jackson: 22 to 30 January 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
- Bonhams: 27 January 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
- Gooding & Company: 26 – 28 January 2022 — online auction but cars on display in Scottsdale (and Van Nuys, California, 18 – 21 January).
- RM Sotheby’s: 27 January 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona — live auction.
- Russo and Steele: 26 – 30 January 2022 in Scottsdale — live auction.
- Worldwide Auctioneers: 26 – 27 January 2022 in Scottsdale — live auction.
