Mecum Kissimmee: the affordable side of the record-breaking auction
27 January 2024 3 min read 8 images
Photo credit: Mecum
Mecum’s Kissimmee auction was nothing short of extravagant, which, after 139 post-auction sales, sold a total of 2,981 cars, generating a total revenue of $237 million ($236,539,705 to be exact). Adding “everything else” sold, including boats, motorcycles, and automobilia, total takings reached $275 million. To my knowledge, that is an absolute record.
A closer look at the unsold cars list reveals an intriguing detail: the two 275 GTS/4 Nart Spiders and the 275 GTB LM Competition, which failed to meet their reserve price, have mysteriously disappeared from the list. These two cars, each valued around $25 million, would have been a significant concern in this sensitive market had they gone unsold. Disappeared? I enjoy mysteries, and after some digging, it turns out they’re not gone but rather hidden, accessible only through specific search terms on Mecum’s website. These prized vehicles, it seems, are being treated with the utmost discretion and care...
Is everything clear? Good, now let’s add a mystery: one of the Ferraris, the 275 GTS/4 Nart Spider, which initially received a bid of $23.5 million, now intriguingly shows a “Sale Pending” status on its description. This indicates that negotiations are nearing completion. However, it raises the question: has the potential sale price, likely around $25 million, already been factored in to the total $275 million revenue? If it’s not included and the sale does go through, the total revenue reach $300 million. Impressive!
Moving on to the more accessibly-priced items at Mecum, let’s focus on cars that could have been taken home without having to mortgage your home – those under the psychological $100,000 mark.
This is purely a personal choice, so I’ll start with two “patrol” supercars: I love supercars used by the police, like the 2002 Chevrolet Camaro EVOC used by the CHP – California Highway Patrol, better known as CHiPs. This particular model was one of six designated for high-speed driving training. Fast? Hardly: it sold for just $22,000.
Next, the 1992 Ford Mustang SSP. It may not have been as “cool” as the CHiPs Camaro, but in South Carolina, where it patrolled the Highways, its 5.0 V8 engine was a formidable presence that terrorized criminals and easily outpacing most sedans it had to chase. Much rarer than the previous one, it sold for $33,000. May I make a pun? With prices for this model rising, it was a genuine steal.
Another category of cars that’s seeing exponential growth among collectors is the sedans from the ‘80s and ‘90s. The 1995 Chevrolet Impala SS is a prime example: not only is it a ‘90s sedan with a cool name from the good old days, but also features a powerful engine. The LT1 model was equipped with a 5.7 V8 engine, similar to those in Corvettes at the time. This particular model had been upgraded with a massive 9.2-litre engine, a significant and very costly modification. While such a car might not hold much value in a standard market, the selling price of $55,000 reflects the evolving collector’s market.
As is often the case at Mecum auctions, cars with a cinematic or television background always attract attention. Which one to choose? For fans of the classic “Viva Las Vegas!” and Elvis enthusiasts who have already visited Graceland, the King’s 1976 Cadillac Seville was perfect: a 1976 model, finished in two-tone Crystal Blue Firemist with a Light Blue Semi-Gloss trim, sold for $94,600 (three or four times the price of a standard one).
For the younger crowd born after 1985, the 2002 Ford Mustang GT used in the movie “2 Fast 2 Furious” was a dream come true: a 4.6 V8 in Liz-Stick Red with only 585 miles. The price? Sold for just $22,000, a steal for a car with such cinematic pedigree.
Speaking of the small and big screen, the Fiat 124 was often used is scenes set in Eastern Europe (or Russia) during the 1980s, thanks to its similarity to the Volga used by Russian police, which was based on the same platform. I’m not sure where Mecum found the 1973 Fiat 124 Special Sedan, a genuine rarity even in its native Italy. Would I have wanted it? Probably not, but its modest price tag of $6,600 certainly made it an intriguing consideration.
Concluding our journey through Mecum’s extensive auction offerings, we come to a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. While not yet a classic collector’s item, this particular Cayenne was truly special. At a time when the Porsche 911 is “rising” with its Dakar version for desert racing, the Cayenne can also become more extreme. It features the standard 4.5L twin-turbocharged V-8 engine, but its exterior modifications are something else: rugged tyres, a suspension lifted by around ten centimetres, a 37-inch LED light bar, aluminium roof rails (and matching roof rack), and even Hella rally fog lights. The fastest way to cross Alaska in winter was really affordable: just $18,700, though the warm, 22-degree Florida climate at the time of the auction probably didn’t help!
CLASSIC CAR MATCHER