Barrett-Jackson's First Live Auction Amid Pandemic Breaks Records

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Barrett-Jackson's first live auction in months was a record-breaking event.

The famed Scottsdale-based car auction broke 27 world auction records at its fall event. From Oct. 22 to 24, Barrett-Jackson brought in $24.9 million in car and memorabilia sales, the company announced in a news release. The auction had limited in-person guests, with only bidders, consigners and their guests allowed in the venue.

For Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, the success of the fall auction signals that car enthusiasts aren't letting the pandemic keep them down.

“We’re so thankful for the bidders, consignors and guests who joined us for our first in-person event since January,” Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, said in a statement. “The feedback from our attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Our guests were sincerely appreciative of the efforts we took to put health and safety at the forefront during this auction. Working closely with the City of Scottsdale and officials from WestWorld, we demonstrated that we could host live events and maintain the highest standards of safety."

Over 23 cars and 349 unique pieces of auto memorabilia were sold. Approximately $845,000 was raised through the sale of three cars.

The top seller was a 2018 Ford GT, which sold for a whopping $1.21 million. World-champion rallycross driver Ken Block was on hand to help auction his 2016 Ford Focus RS RX for charity. It earned $200,000 for Team Rubicon, which mobilizes veterans to assist communities impacted by natural disasters.

The three-day auction was broadcast live across A+E Networks, including FYI and the History Channel to make up for the limited number of guests allowed at the venue.

“We applaud the great lengths Barrett-Jackson took to follow local, state and federal health and safety protocols and guidelines during the auction,” Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said in a statement. “They’ve demonstrated how an in-person event can be successfully managed. We appreciate their commitment to protecting the health of everyone who attended the event and look forward to working with them on their next Scottsdale auction.”

The company's January 2021 auction is set to take place at WestWorld in Scottsdale again from Jan. 16 to Jan. 24. Car collectors can register to be bidders on the Barrett-Jackson website.