Auction Recap: Auctions America Auburn Spring 2015

Auctions America concluded its three-day spring sale in Auburn, Indiana, on May 9 with a sales total of $4,962,808. Of the 299 lots offered, 199 sold for a sell-through rate of 67 percent. This was an ideal sale for anyone looking to buy a car – either classic or modern – at a more attainable price, as the average sale was $24,939.

This year’s spring event at Auburn was significantly smaller than 2014 and 2013, and the numbers are down as a result. Last year featured a huge boost in lots offered thanks to the consignment of the John Scotti collection, and reached total sales of $18,856,775 with a sell-through rate of 83 percent (626 of 758 offered). The 2013 sale was closer to this year’s total with sales of $5,564,405 and a sell-through rate of 56 percent (240 of 431 offered).

Several of this year’s anticipated top cars failed to sell, including three high-dollar Porsches, several desirably equipped Corvettes and a 1970 Hemi Challenger R/T that was bid to $300,000 but still failed to find a home. The cars topping the sales list are an interesting mix of modern and classic, as well as American and European.

The No. 1 spot went to the Ford GTX1 TT, one of 30 collectible open cars by Genaddi Design, at $330,000. Second highest was a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, one of the rarest and most desirable Mercedes of its era, at $299,750. After Barrett-Jackson achieved a record price of $165,000 for a Buick GNX with its 362-mile example only a few weeks ago, Auctions America brought out an ’87 GNX with only 119 miles. It didn’t spark the same bidding frenzy seen at Barrett, but it still achieved a strong result of $110,000.

This auction wasn’t short on tantalizing sales that didn’t break the bank, and some of the more notable examples included a pretty three-tone 1957 Nash Ambassador Custom Country Club Hardtop for $27,500, a 1952 Morgan Plus 4 Roadster for $19,250, a 1942 Lincoln Continental Coupe for $15,400, and a 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Convertible for $16,775.

Top 10:

1. 2006 Ford GTX1 TT ‘Spyder’ sold for $330,000
2. 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet sold for $299,750
3. 1987 Buick GNX sold for $110,000
4. 2005 Maybach 57 Base Sedan sold for $87,450
5. 1932 Ford V-8 Deluxe Roadster sold for $86,000
6. 2004 Ferrari 360 F1 Spider sold for $77,000
7. 1957 Imperial Crown Convertible sold for $76,450
8. 1965 Ford Mustang GT Fastback sold for $68,750
9. 2006 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe sold for $66,000
10. 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 sold for $65,000

Auctions America’s next collector car auction will be the California sale in Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar, July 17-18.