The 10 most expensive cars at 2022's red-hot January auctions

[Hagerty]

More than 5000 collector vehicles crossed an auction block this January, bringing a total in excess of $480M. In case there's any confusion, that's a really big number. Frankly, a surprisingly big number, even given how hot we knew the market was going into the sales.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/market-trends/hagerty-insider/the-10-most-expensive-cars-at-2022s-red-...

[HV24]

Looks like the madness continues. Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Jan 28th 2022. 2019 McLaren Senna - 902 miles on the clock - sold for $1,512,500. In the UK you can buy right now a 2019 McLaren Senna with 209 miles (yes 209 and not more discalculia !!) for £750,000 or $1,012,000 at today's exchange rate. OK, the UK McLaren has the steering wheel on the wrong side and the Barrett-Jackson Senna had a bespoke interior and special exterior paint. But the UK car is from the McLaren dealer network and has a specification as long as your arm. So, is the Barrett-Jackson car worth the 50% extra - you decide. Lower down the McLaren pecking order - well as low as you can get - Barrett-Jackson also sold 2 McLaren MP4-12C models, both coupes . The 2012 white model with 3779 miles sold for $180k, whilst the red 2014 model sold for $160k. In the UK, the 12C (we dropped the MP4 bit years ago) sells for an average price of $110k. So again we are seeing an approximate 50% premium for having the steering wheel on the wrong side !!

[OnScout]

Interesting, but how about a story on the ten LEAST expensive cars at the auctions? Or, at least, the 10 best values? Honestly, I was kind of put-off this year by the millionaires-only-club prices everything was selling for.

[MustangJim]

Thats a good idea. I do enjoy seeing the highest, they are interesting cars but agree that the lowest would be good to see as well

[DaveH]

Agree. But that's why I prefer Mecum over BJ, as Mecum always has a ton of cheaper/less exotic cars- and multitudes of cars as BJ as well. Problem is Mecum didn't have their auction feed going on You Tube this year, and Motor Trend just showed small random snippets here and there.
It's nice to go to Mecum's website, find interesting cars and watch them go through, or later on go back to the Tube channel and watch them run through.

[MATTMERICA]

Mecum showed the entire auction on NBCSN

[DaveH]

Wasn't on YouTube..

[PhillipinSD]

BaT has listed the cars which sold for less than $20k at auction. There are few surprises in the list. I guess it seems like anything less than $20k is chicken feed. Just remember all of these car sold at the prices listed above have auction commission fees that are higher than a nice house in most of the country.

[Dad_jokes]

Do you really want to see a list that looks something like this:
1. 1974 AMC Pacer (matching numbers) $1800
2. 2003 Mustang V6 automatic ($2250)
3. 1995 Chrysler Sebring convertible (1st year!) $2275
4. 1987 Bronco II (tie: $3000)
4. 1988 Ford Escort GT (tie $3000)
6. 1974 Pontiac Ventura ($3300)
7. 2009 GMC Envoy ($5000)
8. 1990 Cadillac Allante “cream puff” ($8800)
9. 1955 Crosley Hotshot “barnfind” ($12,500)
10. 1992 Honda Civic EX hatchback 1 owner, 155k original miles ($13,000 internet bidder drove up the price)

Actually, it’s fun making up the bottom 10. Lol

[MustangJim]

Thank you for this article. I was dissapointed, that for the first time I was unable to find it on television. Normally I record it and then watch over the remainder of the winter.

[D64]

All that money that was printed out of thin air had to go somewhere besides the stock market...

[Gary]

Probably not on tv because they want to charge for that also. After all it has nothing to do with cars, it’s all about money. They would be auctioning onion if thought they could make millions

[MustangJim]

Yeah, they will have it as a pay per view event someday.. or a new subscription only live stream. I will pass. 

[motolargo]

It's easy to go through the auction results listings and see where the bargains are lurking. In my experience, auctions are not the best place to find good value. Local car shows and swap meets will often turn up good leads. If there is a specific make or era that interests you, join a club, go to the events and meet the people. You do not have to be burdened with deep pockets to mess around with old cars. A clapped out old Morris Minor can be as satisfying as D Jag and will go almost as fast with a little effort. Festival of the Unexpected, Concours d' Oilegance and such like are as interesting as Pebble Beach in my humble opinion.

[RG440]

[RG440]

Absolutely! They ARE out there! Along with new family, collage, student loans, unemployment, divorce, trade up/down and on and on and on THEY are showing up in vast numbers on a daily basis, it’s just up to you to find them. Let’s see….what am I doing after coffee today?

[Dad_jokes]

If you believe that, either you aren’t a car enthusiast at all, and maybe this a bot sent here to annoy me. Anyway, here goes.
A Morris Minor is a neat, important car, with 40 or so horsepower on its best day. Your clapped out example makes considerably less. At best it’s the automotive equivalent to “self-abuse”.

A D-Type is pure sex. 245bhp in base form, and the only way any Minor can go almost as fast with little effort is out the tailgate of a C-17.
As we learned in “Crazy People”:
Jaguar: For men who like getting handjobs from beautiful women they hardly know.
The Morris topped at 73mph; the D-type 173. No way you can make up a 100mph difference.
I agree you don’t have to be rich to have fun, but don’t get stupid. A 1978 Corvette, or an early C4 can easily be made fast, cheap. A clapped out Morris Minor is barely worth even restoring. And I won’t be fast.

[Mot]

A McLaren Speedtail ! What the Fux ?
Now that they're worth 3.3 mil, every billionair is going to want one and that just going to make it even more expensive at the next auction. Oh wait that's the game.

[llabesab7]

Quit crying about the money and just enjoy the cars

[tadg47]

It's hard to "enjoy the cars" when the average guy may never see them...until the next auction that is.

[PurelyPMD]

The average guy can own these cars if he's been buying, fixing, trading and selling them for 30+ years. Of the 4 cars that sit in my garage today I likely could only buy one of them after putting both of my kids through college and paying off my mortgage. Since I've been doing it so long, always working, always improving them, always trading up, I can have them. Nothing comes easy, it takes work, more so for the average guy but can be done.

[Goforbroke]

I agree with previous post. How about some nice “average” older cars. Seriously, how many people are interested in million dollar cars that will probably never see the sunshine or driven much.

[tadg47]

What a great group of autos. Too bad most will never see the open road. They will sit in someone's garage or go on display. Of course I can't blame the owners. When you spend several million dollars you won't go zipping abound town.

[Hacksaw]

If I had millions to throw away there is only one car I would buy on that list. 1951 Hirohata Mercury Custom by Barris.

[bruold1]

These rich assholes have toooo much money to piss away, I can think about better things to throw millions away on.

[MARK400]

Like they say......more money then brains , the auction houses (Barret, Mecum etc.) just love the commission they make on these overpriced vehicles. Problem is they make the money, the more money then brains crew love to pay anything so they can say i have it and you don`t, while the average guy who would "really appreciate" these vehicles gets to scrape buy with whatever he or she drives. And the "mmtb crew" would have even "more money" if they did not "contribute" to jacking up the prices on these vehicles.by throwing money at them.

[Smithsonite]

I love cars and all, but if I had $6.825M, I'd buy a friggin jet! Could have my toes in white sand beside blue water in 3 hours flat from this frozen white tundra I live in now, lol.

[wdb]

Gotta add a zero if you want a jet. If you want to actually use it, figure $1M/year in expenses as well. The cars are cheap in comparison.

[Casey]

Red-hot is right! Thanks for putting this together. I watched much of Mecum Kissimmee on their live feed to see the Hirohata Merc sell. Wow!

[PhillipinSD]

The only one I have ever wanted would be the 1964 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Well actually I would want one from around 1954 or '55. I'm old enough to remember when these roadsters sold for less than $20k. Back in those days one could actually drive it around town or on a trip and have fun with it. Now it's just a high-end show piece that should be rarely driven if at all. It's a shame when a car is so valuable it can no longer be driven and actually enjoyed for what it was designed. Might as well hang them on the walls of your $50 million plus mansion.

[carguyjim]

I can't help but be a bit embarrassed by the silly values put on these cars. What amazing constructive projects to help other's, or even to benefit less well-heeled car guys....
High dollar investment baubles destined for climate control warehouse life... no winners except auction houses, really

[PhillipinSD]

1931 Duesenberg Model J Derham Tourster was popular among major Hollywood stars particularly Clark Gable and Gary Cooper to name a couple. Model J Dussies were considered the epitome of high class luxury during the Great Depression. I believe all of them were custom and cost around $20,000 which would be equivalent of around $350,000 today. So this one has held its value quite well. Of course one might imagine at least $1 million would have been put in to restore it. Not counting all of the other storage and maintenance expenses over 90 years.

[Javman]

Thanks to Mecum for broadcasting the Kissimmee auction on Canadian tv. Used to watch BJ but they have snubbed the thousands of car dudes up here in the great white north, guess they care more about their 30%+ commissions than giving us a mid winter car fix. And yes I know it was streamed but data up here costs a bundle. I agree with other posters that prices are getting rediculous and beyond the reach of the average enthusiast but it is great to be able to see beautiful cars on display while my baby is hibernating in my shop waiting for the tons of snow to melt and we can get on the road again. I look forward to the next Mecum auction as they will now be my go to for my car fix.

[Ta]

Wow , the 3.3 million dollar McLaren Speedtail almost looks like my 02 Collector Transam...from a distance...lol.

[SuperDeLuxe]

If you have the cash to buy a $6 million car, chances are you also have a jet, yacht, private island. Unlike the rest of us working -class slobs. 🤑

[Gary_Bechtold]

Amazing cars, ridiculous prices. I like most of these except the McLaren speedtail, it's not the prettiest bar of soap.

[MATTMERICA]

Can't wait for this bubble to pop, now that will be a good story!