A dream assembly of cars are on display, The Rolling Stones are playing over loud speakers, and there’s complimentary Bloody Marys. Welcome to a Mecum auction.
This week, HotCars is covering all the auction action (in-person and on-site) in Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play. Usually there’s a grass field in the middle of the stadium. But the football season is over, and this week it’s a car collector’s haven.
Everything Under The Arizona Sun
Everyone has a dream car. Chances are, you’ll spot yours cross Mecum’s auction block this week. And they’re on display around every corner. In place of where you'd usually see sports fans congregate in lines waiting for concessions, there's classic and modern cars on display instead.
Take the stadium's main entrance, for example. Just through the front doors there's an impressive showcase of Fords including a bright yellow Ford GT (formerly owned by John Elway, who's had a penchant for powerful vehicles), numerous Shelby Mustangs, and a trio of 1950s T-Birds. Keep going right, and you'll come across a Ferrari 512 BB, Pontiac Trans Am SE—even a DeLorean DMC-12.
First Day's Results: 6-Speed Converted Ferrari 575M Takes The Crown
For an idea how diverse the offerings are, look no further than the auction’s top ten sellers. Yesterday, the auction's first day, saw three completely different vehicles take the top three spots.
Further reminding gearheads of the obvious (while continuing to remain out of reach for many), classic, high-performance muscle cars continue to attract big interest and big values. A 428 Cobra Jet-equipped 1969 Shelby GT500 convertible landed in the day's overall fourth spot selling for just over $100,000. Third place saw a rotisserie restored 1970 Dodge Challenger sell for $132,000.
In a departure from classic muscle cars, a yellow 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 with 26,706 original miles took second; only 1,036 left the factory in North America wearing this paint finish. But the king of the day was a 2004 Ferrari 575M going for nearly $200,000. While the 5.8-liter V12 and Factory Fiorano Handling Package it boasts is appealing enough, this Ferrari's gone through a special conversion: it's got a 6-speed manual transmission. Just 23,207 original miles doesn't hurt, either.
Covering The Auction's Unique Cars And 'Dodge Thrill Ride' Course
Beyond the auction results, our own Senior Staff Contributor Michael Van Runkle is highlighting multiple vehicles (and the stories behind them) that are catching our attention. One includes a fuel-injected, one-off German-bodied 1937 Ford with a rich background and unique coachwork (look out for our video providing a complete walkaround of this street rod and more details surrounding its owner and history). Others attracting our attention so far include a Trans Am SE, Hennessey Mammoth 900 TRX, and many more.
We also got a chance to drop by Dodge Thrill Ride just outside the stadium's main entrance where there's a constant cycle of Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcats going for loud and rowdy spins around a course. We got a chance to get behind the wheel and tested how fast we could go.
Keep an eye out for our continued coverage on the HotCars YouTube Channel.