You've got to be quick.
Four-wheeled fantasies at Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction are gone in 120 seconds, according to CEO Craig Jackson.
Whether you're looking to invest in a classic or finally snag your dream car, Jackson said bidders must be prepared because this year's cream-of-the-crop are expected to go faster than ever.
With a record 1,770 cars up for grabs, Jackson determines this year's lineup as the best he's seen since 2007. That year, one of only two Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snakes ever built sold for $5.1 million, the Scottsdale auction's record.
"It's going to be a spectacular year," Jackson said, noting car collectors are looking to invest money again as the economy continues to rebound.
A party on Sunday kicks off the 47th annual auction held at WestWorld of Scottsdale,16601 N. Pima Road, and as Jackson puts it, "the party doesn't stop for seven days."
With rumors swirling that Ford will introduce a new “Bullitt” Mustang at the auction — thanks to the vigilant members of the Mustang6G.com forum — the event is sure to stun. Jackson hasn't responded to inquiries on that speculation, and is being equally tight-lipped about celebrity appearances.
Jan. 20 will be a "can't miss" day at the auction, he teased, when Barrett-Jackson’s Elite Salon collection will be up for sale and celebrity sittings are expected. Last year, pop star Justin Bieber took the stage and sold his 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia for $434,500. Others celebs auctioning cars ranged from boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. to actor Burt Reynolds.
This year's auction will be bigger, beyond the number of cars. Barrett-Jackson will unveil a new tent to take the auction's total tent structures to 1.1 million square feet, earning the auction a second nod from Guinness World Records for the largest temporary tent structure.
That's 200,000 square feet larger than the Phoenix Convention Center.
Returning visitors will also note other changes to the venue as WestWorld recently went under nearly $880,000 in improvements, including more paved surfaces.
Scottsdale leaders approved the spending in part to help the growing Barrett-Jackson stay ahead of an increasingly competitive market. They also recognize the auction as one of the city’s largest economic engines, stressing the reported $167 million economic impact Barrett-Jackson creates annually when car collectors from around the world descend on Scottsdale.
"There's a reason why it used to be called Barrett-Jackson Week, not Arizona Car Week," Jackson said. "We were the epicenter that brought about copy-cat auctions. But we are the nucleus and why everyone comes to Scottsdale this time of the year."
One of the largest collector-car auctions in the world, Barrett-Jackson is more than an auction, "it's an automotive lifestyle event," he said.
This story, by Yihyun Jeong, first appeared on azcentral.com
