Celebrities and celebrity vehicles join a star docket of 1,400 collector cars, an expected 200,000-plus car fans, approximately 270 vendors and unprecedented FOX Network television coverage at the 43rd-annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction, Jan. 12–19, 2014.
For the first time in its permanent facility at WestWorld of Scottsdale, the weeklong Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™, starts up Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, with Family Value Day, beginning a week of lifestyle events for everyone, including fashion shows, live demonstrations, ride ‘n drive events with Ford and GM, celebrity sightings and live music.
The following evening, Monday, Jan. 13, is the annual Opening Night Gala, with a performance by rocker Bret Michaels and an appearance by actor Billy Baldwin, who will offer ticketed and invited attendees a chance to bid on a 2015 Super Bowl package, with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund.
That night a 1987 Oldsmobile Firenza, Warren Johnson’s NHRA Pro Stock racecar, will also be auctioned off to benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, which provides support for people with paralysis and prevent spinal cord injuries. Other charity vehicles will be offered throughout auction week, including singer-songwriter Steven Tyler’s two motorcycles and NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace’s car.
Gates open at 8 a.m. daily. The Automobilia auction opens the event every morning at 8:45 or 9 a.m., depending on the day. The collector car auction begins at 10 a.m. Jan. 14 and continues into the evenings, through Jan. 19, until all cars cross the auction block.
“After concluding a highly successful 2013 auction season, we’re very happy to continue the momentum by offering such a high caliber of automobiles at our worldwide stage in Scottsdale,” says Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Scottsdale-based Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, which also produces annual car auctions in Palm Beach, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Reno, Nevada.
“The cars we’ve consigned showcase true automotive passion from around the world, and I look forward to sharing the excitement as it unfolds on the block with those equally passionate about these beautiful cars,” adds Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “Our elite collectors have been part of the Barrett-Jackson family for generations, and I’m very proud of this year’s docket.”
Permanent Home, Premium Coverage
This year’s event debuts the long-awaited permanent 1-million-square-foot state-of-the-art auction facility. Twenty-five years in planning, the new Barrett-Jackson home will include expansive in-place bathrooms and a sound-engineered environment while eliminating negative elements such as unattractive generators at the former tent facility. The auction will share the new home with other major local events such as the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.
“Our new world-class facility is a new deal and a new day for us and fans of our Scottsdale event,” Jackson says. “This was made for us and tweaked for us with the much-appreciated help from the last two city councils, Dan Worth, Mayor Lane and City Manager Fritz Behring,” he adds, noting that the permanent facility and the tents added to it for staging cars and other auction activities will total almost 950,000 square feet.
“With the adjacent tents, we are staying true to our great 43-year tradition –– the carnival, lifestyle atmosphere we are world famous for,” he says.
Barrett-Jackson 2014 Scottsdale has also found a new home on FOX, which will cover the event on five channels within its family of networks: FOX, the FOX Business Network, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and the National Geographic Channel.
This represents 36 hours and six-consecutive days of live high-definition auction coverage, starting with FOX Sports 2 Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. Mountain Time. A highlight of this week-long partnership –– delivering the largest television audience in collector car auction history –– is Barrett Jackson’s first-ever appearance on the network’s lead channel, FOX, Saturday, Jan. 18, beginning 1 p.m. Mountain Time.
“Because of this unprecedented partnership with FOX, Barrett-Jackson’s 2014 Scottsdale auction will be available in more than 100 million homes, as our legendary auction expands to an event carried live on nationally broadcast television across the larger platform of the FOX network,” Jackson says.
He notes that Saturday afternoon, in particular, should offer the best hours ever in televised collector car history and shouldn’t be missed by those planning to enjoy the event remotely.
“During our FOX coverage, a series of incredible American muscle cars are set to cross the Barrett-Jackson auction block. Immediately following is ‘Super Saturday’ on the National Geographic Channel, which includes the prestigious Salon Collection, an exclusive collection of rare cars,” Jackson says. “It will be a great showcase for the hobby.”
American Collectibles and the Salon Collection
The offering of those 80 American cars, “A Tribute to Americana,” begins with a tribute to the country’s Armed Forces and will include iconic collectibles such as the Duntov-engineered 1967 L88 Corvette Coupe (Lot #5035), one of 20 and the only red-on-red, which might fetch as high as $3 to 5 million, Jackson says.
Other cars include a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette #57 Rebel Convertible Race Car (#5022), one of just four “lightweights” made; a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Hot Wheels “Snake” Funny Car (#5040) and its mate, a 1967 Dodge D-700 Hot Wheels “Snake” Ramp Truck (#5042), both to be sold in person by legendary dragster Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme.
Also on the block will be a 1963 Shelby Cooper Monaco King Cobra CM/3/63 (#5063), and a 1970 ZR1 (#5009), 1971 ZR2 (#5018) and 2012 ZR1 Corvette (#1328). “This year, we have one of the best collections of Corvettes ever offered, many of them low-production cars,” Jackson says.
The Salon Collection — among the world’s most rare, valuable and collectibles — includes a superlative 1929 Duesenberg SJ Lebaron Dual Cowl Phaeton (#5048); the Virgil Exner-designed concept car, a 1954 Plymouth Belmont Convertible (#5066); a 1947 Delahaye 135 Cabriolet (#5051); a 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Touring Berlinetta (#5053), which Jackson suggests may gavel as high as $1.5 million or more. Some Salon cars will be offered at Reserve; the remaining Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2014 cars will be sold at No Reserve.
Additional European classics include a 1929 Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom l Brewster Ascot Phaeton (#5060); a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (#5044); and a 1955 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport GSL Coupe (#5069). Two superlative Ferrari’s include a 1991 F40 Coupe (#5072) and a 1998 F300 (#5080), driven regularly by F1 legend, Michael Schumacher.
As part of the Salon presentation, Jackson notes, Bugatti is offering an opportunity for two people to travel to France, visit the Bugatti assembly line, dine with company officials and drive a new Veyron with a professional driver at the Paul Ricard track in Le Castellet, near Marseille. The event (#1319.1) benefits Make a Wish.
“With the Salon Collection offering in its third year, enthusiasts and collectors will once again experience the high-quality offerings they expect from Barrett-Jackson,” Jackson says.
Stars’ Cars
While cars always star at Barrett-Jackson, this year many celebrities will be offering their collectible vehicles. Television star Simon Cowell’s 2008 Bugatti Veyron Coupe (#1319.2) is an original 1,300-mile car, black on black, with a recent full service, including new tires and an extended Bugatti warranty.
In addition, the 2001 Mitsubishi EVO Custom 4 Door (#494), from 2 Fast 2 Furious featuring the late Paul Walker, will be offered as well as a 1956 Ford F-100 Custom Shelby Truck (#3006), with a Ford Racing supercharged 5.4 liter Shelby engine, a vehicle endorsed by rocker Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed.
Also on the block will be the 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Straman Convertible (#5074) driven by Michael Jackson in the Pepsi commercial “The Chopper” and Kobe Bryant’s previously owned 1963 Chevrolet Impala Custom Convertible (#1003).
The late actor James Gandolfini’s 1972 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible (#5002) is docketed as well as Michael Fox’ 1950 Mercury Custom (#5023), with more than $400,000 invested and hundreds of documented hours labor. And, the 1949 Hudson Commodore 8 Sedan (#1049) from the award-winning 1990 film, Driving Miss Daisy, will also be driven onto the block.
“For more than four decades, we’ve been offering the world’s most valuable, collectible and coveted cars and we’re proud to continue that tradition,” Jackson says. “This is as strong a market as I have ever seen in our 43 years, with sports cars, muscle cars, hot rods, and blue chip cars exhibiting great provenance particularly strong. I am expecting a remarkable turn-out, with many high individual sales and, as always, world-class fun for car hobbyists at every level.”
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, www.barrett-jackson.com, 480.663.6255
