When it comes to Car Auction Websites, eBay has set the gold standard. Even with enthusiast automotive auction websites like Bring aTrailer and Cars and Bids gaining popularity, eBay can still hold its own. With a user base of 182 Million, eBay is not going anywhere any time soon.
One part of eBay's huge success is through their automotive auctions also known as eBay Motors. From Ferrari to Rolls-Royce, eBay Motors has produced some of the highest-priced car auction sales in recent history.
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California - $3.2 Million
Fans of the 1980s classic movie Ferris Bueller’s day off will immediately recognize this car. However, the car in that iconic '80s movie was not a real Ferrari 250 GT California but a replica car with a Chevy V8 under the hood.
The real 250 GT California featured a SOHC naturally aspirated V12 producing 237-hp. This gem of a V12 produced one of the most amazing exhaust notes in automotive history.
Considering that former Top Gear host Chris Evans bought a similar one for $12 million in 2008, $3.2 Million is a steal!
1933 Duesenberg Model SJ Speedster- $2.6 Million
The Duesenberg Model SJ Speedster was a rare sports car that was built from 1928-1937. Its extremely long hood allowed room for a straight-8 engine, which is an engine configuration that is not very common.
The SJ model added a supercharger to the regular Duesenberg Model J to help it produce 320-hp and an impressive top speed of 135–140 mph. Since only 36 Duesenberg Model SJs were built, it is understandable why one would sell for $2.6 million.
2003 Ferrari Enzo - $1.1 Million, $990,099, $820,500
In 2002, Ferrari released the Enzo which was an incredible supercar that was named after the founder of the company. It featured a 6.0-liter naturally aspirated engine that produced 651-hp.
The Ferrari Enzo was Ferrari’s last supercar that featured a naturally aspirated V12 without assistance from an electric motor. Like most Ferrari flagship supercars, the Enzo only had 593 examples built. eBay sold three of these masterpieces at $1.1 Million, $990,099, and $820,500 respectively.
1967 Chevrolet Corvette - $850,704
1967 was the last year that the second generation (C2) Corvette was built. In the automotive world, the last model year of a car is usually the most desirable. While the C2 generation Corvette was not a rare car in its time with over 117,000 examples built from 1963-1967, a special model known as the L88 produced only 20 examples.
Powered by a specially tuned and modified naturally aspirated V8 engine, the claimed 435-hp was underrated and actually closer to 600-hp, The 1967 standard Corvette produced a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds, so the L88 would theoretically be faster. That’s even pretty impressive for today!
The $850,704 sales price on eBay in 2005 may seem like a lot for a Corvette, but the recent sales of the 1967 L88 Corvettes have been $2-$3 million! That’s just the price you pay for rarity.
1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman - $750,000
The Mercedes-Benz 600 was a high-end luxury sedan built from 1963-1981. The Pullman 600 is a longer wheelbase version that features 4 door and 6 door limousine configurations. The example sold on eBay was the 4-door version
Mercedes have been known to be a little bit heavier and the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman is no exception weighing in at 7,231 lbs. The Mercedes-Benz 600 was known to be owned by famous musicians like Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. With only around 500 examples made, it is easy to see why this 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman sold for three-quarters of a million dollars.
1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn - $715,100
The Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn was a full-size luxury sedan that was built from 1949–1955. Two inline-6 cylinder engines were available with 4.2 L and 4.6 L displacements.
The low power and higher weight of Silver Dawn gave it a 0-60 time of 15.2 seconds. While that seems slow even for 1953, Rolls-Royce was known for luxury and style, not speed and acceleration.
A total of 760 examples of the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn were built which made them highly desirable on the used market.
2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren - $624,700
The SLR McLaren was built as a joint venture between German automaker Mercedes-Benz and British automaker McLaren. It featured a 5.4 L supercharged V8 engine that produced 617 horsepower(460kW).
Being able to hit 0-60 times of less than 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h) are impressive for today and even more impressive in 2003. With only 2157 total cars produced, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was one of Mercedes- Benz’s most desirable models on the used market.
1972 Lamborghini Miura - $600,200
The Lamborghini Miura holds a special place in history as it was the first supercar that had a rear mid-engine two-seat layout. It featured a 3.9L V12 engine that produced 385 horsepower(283 kW).
Acceleration numbers were strong at 0-60 of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph (290km/h). Many car enthusiasts consider the Miura to be one of the most beautiful designs of all time
The market for the Miura will continue to go up as fewer examples are now available. Used prices of the Miura are now well over $1,000,000 and that is not likely to change any time soon.
2004 Porsche Carrera GT - $469,997
Porsche Carrera GT is a unique supercar that was built by Porsche because it features a high revving naturally aspirated V10. This glorious V10 engine sounded like a Formula 1 car and produced a blistering 603 horsepower(450 kW)
Famous Car Youtuber and Automotive Journalist Doug DeMuro recently called the Carrera GT his favorite car ever made. With only 1270 examples built from 2003-2007, The Carrera GT is still one of the most sought-after modern Porsches.
Currently, the Carrera GTs are selling for $1.5 to $2 Million. With that kind of increase in value, it would have been a smart move to pick one up when they were $469,997.