Storms and chilly breezes in Arizona: RM and Bonhams rather battered, Barrett-Jackson healthy

Is there a chill in Arizona, or has the clock turned back, restoring Scottsdale to its original glory as a major auction hub for relatively commercial vehicles with an average price around £100,000, firmly under Barrett-Jackson’s steady control?

The modest, to put it kindly, results of RM and Bonhams call for a cautious interpretation: in the aftermath of Kissimmee’s excess and anticipating Retromobile, we remain quietly at the window. However, it’s true that RM’s revenues have fallen from around $40m in 2023 to just $22,746,760.

Bonhams, starting from approximately $19.5m, only achieved $11,800,800, with nearly half of that from just one lot. Perhaps Scottsdale is simply returning to its roots from about fifteen years ago: a gigantic Barrett-Jackson marquee surrounded by a few other sales. And there was a certain charm to that era.

To try to understand, let’s take a closer look: