Auction House Smashes Sales Record As Rich People Can't Stop Buying Million-Dollar Cars

It looks like the American car collection scene is soaring to new heights if this year's Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction is anything to go by. The organization confirms that thanks to eye-catching exclusive products including the very first Chevrolet Corvette Z06 production unit and highly sought-after classics like the Mercedes-Benz 300SSL Gullwing, it was able to rake in a total sales amount of $203.2 million.

This makes it Barrett-Jackson's most successful event to date in its five-decade history. This year's Scottsdale featured 1,857 vehicles that achieved an accumulative sales total of $195.9 million while the remaining $7.3 million was brought in by historic and special automotive memorabilia and collectors' items.

With this, Barrett-Jackson also confirms that it was able to achieve a 100% sell-through rate that includes over 140 record-breaking auctions. Chairman and CEO of the organization Craig Jackson said, "Our Scottsdale Auction set an unprecedented pace with record-setting prices, and produced the energy that reengaged our hobby.

"The immersive experience that we create is truly the heart and soul of the collector car community. Over the past week, we saw incredible growth at every turn, even beating our own world auction records by double-digit percentages. That growth speaks to the trust that bidders and consignors have in our No Reserve format. We're also proud to be the new 'Autoshow 2.0', where manufacturers can introduce, exhibit, and give high-performance thrill rides, as well as auction their vehicles, giving guests a 360-degree experience."

So, which were the biggest non-charitable sellers of the event? Topping the charts was chassis number 0123 of the 2004 Porsche Carrera GT with a final sales price of $1,980,000. This example will be delivered to its new owner with just 1,547 miles on the clock.

Following this fairly closely in second place was the aforementioned Mercedes-Benz SL300 Gullwing at $1,870,000. This particular unit has an interesting history as it was first ordered by the Ministry of Police in Havana, Cuba after it left the production line on June 16, 1955. It then found itself in the hands of a professional racing driver by the name of Santiago "Chaquito" Gonzales before being sold to the current owner in the USA in 1961.

Other cars that brought in over $1.2 million include modern collectibles such as the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, Three Ford GTs (including two Heritage Editions), McLaren Senna, and the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6. The only other classic in the top 10 is the 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 CSX.

Over the nine days of the Scottsdale event, $8.8 million was raised for charity which included the aforementioned $3.6 million Corvette Z06 and the Pope Francis Center Bronco, which fetched $500,000. This adds to the pool of $144 million that Barrett-Jackson has been able to put together for organizations around the world since it was established. Another notable charitable achievement was the sale of two Tundra hybrids resulting in a combined donation of more than $1.2 million for the US Paralympic Fund.