For most people who happen to be in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area during the latter part of January, “auction week” only means one thing – Barrett-Jackson.
Bonhams? Sotheby’s? What are they? To anybody who isn’t deep in the hobby, they’re peripheral, semi-exclusive events for rich folks. Barrett-Jackson, on the other hand, is the oldest, largest and biggest of the Arizona auctions by quite a bit. This event was also the first to bring car auction excitement to TV broadcasts, and for people who attend Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in person, it’s as much about simply scoping out cool cars, having a few drinks, or spotting the occasional celebrity as it is about seeing a car auction.
We’re more interested in the auction than the food trucks and hot tub vendors, however, so here are the numbers. Barrett-Jackson achieved $183.6M in total sales, a few million off of 2022 but still higher than any other year. Nearly 1900 vehicles changed hands at an average price of $97,032, while top lots were a mix of modern exotics and high-spec classic muscle, but it’s worth noting that a significant portion of Barrett-Jackson’s consignments – about 40 percent – was some sort of modified or restomod.
We outline some of the most interesting and significant cars at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on the pages below.