A 2015 Porsche 918 and a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet were the top results at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson classic car sale in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Classic Car Sale 2016
The Barrett-Jackson classic and collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona was a multi-day extravaganza from 23 – 31 January 2016.
In 2016, Barrett-Jackson grossed $105 million and offered 1,469 cars for sale. This was down on the 2015 figures when the auction grossed a record $132 million with 1,617 cars offered. In 2016, Barrett-Jackson sold only three cars for over a million dollar compared to nine in 2015.
Million-Dollar Cars at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2016 Sale
The following three cars sold for over a million dollar at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale:
| Year | Car | Price ($) |
| 2015 | Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach | 1,760,000 |
| 1939 | Mercedes Benz 540 K Cabriolet A Conversion | 1,485,000 |
| 2017 | Acura NSX Vin #001 | 1,200,000 |
2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach
A new model record was set when a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Edition sold for $1,760,000, as the top result at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. The car has covered only 595 miles since new. This high-tech Porsche with hybrid technology has a top speed of 345 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds. It can run for around 30 km on purely electric power.
RM Sotheby’s sold a similar Porsche 918 for $1,595,000.
1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A Conversion
Barrett-Jackson’s second highest result at Scottsdale 2016 was $1,485,000 for a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A. Mercedes-Benz built only around 400 of the 540K cars with only five originally wearing Cabriolet A coachwork. This particular car started life as a Cabriolet B and was only later converted to a Cabriolet A body.
Mercedes Benz 540K models in various model variants are the most-expensive German passenger cars in the world. RM Sotheby’s set a new Scottsdale auction week record when a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special roadster sold for $9,900,000 – just missing out on the $10 million club that includes the two most-expensive Mercedes Benz cars ever.
2017 Acura NSX VIN #001
A new model record was clearly set when Barrett-Jackson sold the first Acura NSX to be produced by 2017 for $1,200,000 in a charity auction that will benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground. The car was bought by NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick. Honda, under which brand the car will retail outside North America, claims the new Acura NSX will be the only supercar designed and produced in the USA.
Barrett-Jackson sold 11 cars for charitable causes and raised $3,406,000 for a variety of charities during the Scottsdale 2016 classic car auction week.
Chevrolet Corvette Convertibles “Serial One”
In a package deal, three Corvettes sold for $1,815,000. These Chevrolet Corvette Convertibles were dubbed “Serial One” as they were the first (VIN#001) of these cars produced in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
The 1955 model was the first Corvette fitted with Chevrolet’s small block V8 and equipped with 12-volt electrics. The 1956 model was the first with Chevrolet’s V8 dual 4-barrel configuration and the first with a power top and power windows. The 1957 model was the first production 283ci Chevrolet.
Unsuccessful Million-Dollar Bids at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2016
The following three cars attracted highest bids of over a million dollar at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale:
| Year | Car | Highest Bid ($) |
| 1953 | Delahaye 235 Saoutchik | HB 1,760,000 |
| 1950 | Ferrari 195 S Inter Superleggera | HB 1,705,000 |
| 1959 | Chevrolet Corvette “Purple People Eater” | HB 1,100,000 |
If the bids on the 1953 Delahaye 235 Saoutchik or 1950 Ferrari 195 S Inter Superleggera were accepted, these would have been the most-expensive cars sold at Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Scottsdale sale. The other auction houses at Scottsdale 2016 also struggled to match buyers’ offers and sellers’ demands on similar cars.