Before we preview the excitement at 2024’s Arizona auctions in today’s Market Monday, let’s take a brief look at the total results from Mecum’s 2024 Kissimmee, Florida auction. A staggering $275 million dollars in total sales was achieved during the two week event—the most ever achieved at a collector car auction—belying the rather lukewarm 69.9% sell-through rate. The high volume of cars offered this year beats any prior year and surely contributed to that success. Could this mean collectors are in sell mode during a weakening market? We’ll see, but there sure seemed to be a good number of bidders in a buying mood.

While Mecum kicks off the season the Scottsdale, Arizona auction has traditionally been the barometer for the coming year’s car market performance. Barrett-Jackson is the headlining auction house with an impressive 1,900 vehicles up for grabs at no reserve. During the weekend well over 2000 total vehicles will cross the block from 4 major auctioneers:

Barrett-Jackson – January 20-28, 2024
RM Sothebys – January 25, 2024
Bonhams – January 25, 2024
Worldwide Auctioneers – January 26, 2024

Here at Wolf and Mare our focus is on European and specifically German makes, but there’s truly something for everyone on offer in Arizona. From Lamborghini Diablos and Countaches to Ford GTs to Plymouth Cuda convertibles, there is a car for every driver. Scottsdale has a bit of a reputation as an auction where big money players like to chow down, and the sellers have certainly provided some steak and sizzle.

Wolf and Mare is tracking the results of 40 special cars that we find personally interesting but will also help us monitor market trends. During our research we were surprised to see double, even triple examples of amazing blue chip cars that could get lost among all the big tent sprawl in Arizona.

Quite literally the blue chip index car for most collector car market trackers, there are three(!) Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwings up for auction in Arizona, all in differing conditions and none of them wearing their as-built exterior/interior color combinations. Bonhams’ 300SL is perhaps the “poorest” of the bunch, with visible wear and tear, paint flaws on the exterior and lesser-desired steel wheels. This is the one we’d buy, though. Rudge wheels, while desirable, are heavy and with a recently rebuilt engine you could drive and enjoy the car a little more care-free before turning your attention toward cosmetics.

The 300SL Gullwing on offer by RM Sothebys is a little more up-spec with Rudge wheels but also had a color change to both interior and exterior with a little less scruffiness in the body. Silver over red looks great on a Gullwing, so we can’t fault the previous owner’s choices.

Concours collectors should turn their attention to the Barrett-Jackson auction for a freshly restored 300SL Gullwing in Silver Gray Metallic over natural leather interior. Fortunately the seller will have incurred much of the cost of its 3 year restoration by Coachwerks, but expect to pay handsomely for this car (and the fitted luggage).

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the ultimate street legal performance 911 variant for the 991.2 generation of the marque’s flagship sports car icon. Its 3.8 liter flat-6 turbo engine boasted 691hp making it the fastest production 911 of its time. All were fitted with Porsche’s PDK 7-speed dual clutch transmission, helping the car accelerate to 60mph in 2.7 seconds. Naysayers of non-manual transmissions have probably never heard the PDK upshift on a high-speed straight. When our eardrums first resonated from the piercing “snap” of its lightning-fast upshifts at over 100mph, we found new respect for paddle shift Porsches.

Two GT2 RSs are up for bidding at Barrett Jackson on the same day, separated only by 5 lots if our math is correct. As both cars are fitted with the Weissach Package—which adds magnesium wheels, carbon fiber roll bars, carbon roof and hood to an already impressive specs list—this should make for some exciting comparison bidding on January 27th. A 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS will be the second to cross the block and is light on information, other than notes of minor damage on the Carfax. Even the 10,010 miles on the odometer isn’t mentioned and can only be seen in the sub-standard photography.

Its sister car, a 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, benefits from very nice presentation and an ownership history that includes American Racing Series champion Paul Tracy. No mention of mileage is made, but we can only assume it is low. Its gorgeous Chalk White paint remains a coveted color among Porsche enthusiasts, especially on a GT2 RS.

Finally, some high-dollar Volkswagens for us to get excited about at a major televised auction! Of course, it’s not surprising that the VW in question is the highly desirable 23-window version of VW’s iconic bus. Originally called the “Deluxe Microbus with Samba package,” the variant was originally designed as a vehicle to provide exceptional visibility during tours of the Swiss Alps.  Only 5-10% of VW bus production included 23-window versions, making it a rare car. These have on occasion brought huge money, with bidding on one sale in 2017 reaching a record height of $291,500.

While  prices have cooled on these happy vehicles, they still represent a 6-figure investment. And again we find a single auction hosting twin vehicles for sale on the same day. Worldwide Auctioneers’ 1958 Volkswagen Type 2 Deluxe Samba 23-window Microbus is presented in flashy original colors of Chestnut Brown over Sealing Wax Red. Optioned to the teeth including an original roof rack, this would bring a lot of smiles to your local car show. The upgraded engine should make uphill travel a bit less lethargic as well.

Later on January 26th, Worldwide will be offering a 1960 23-window bus in Mango green which is equally nice, if perhaps less optioned. There’s something a little odd going on with the rear suspension to our eye, with a bit more negative camber than we’d expect for a bus that is sitting a little low in the back. For our money, we’d be raising our paddle for the ‘58 in Sealing Wax Red.

We are huge fans of Audi at Wolf and Mare, so last on our list but certainly not least is a gorgeous white over gray 1984 Audi Sport Quattro on offer at RM Sotheby’s Arizona Auction. The road-going version of the famed Group B all-wheel-drive rally car, Sport Quattros rarely come out for sale and with only 200 produced that’s not exactly surprising. In our opinion, designer Peter Birtwhistle’s shortened and more upright modifications to the Audi Ur-Quattro make the car a meaner, wider, and overall more proportioned design.

The interior design, while spartan in true German fashion, is an improvement over the awkward Ur-Quattro cockpit. With a 300hp engine and four-wheel traction, a 0-60 time of around 4.8 seconds is pretty incredible for 1984. Who wouldn’t want to drift this around a snowy mountain pass, Initial D style?

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and listing services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. If you’re interested in acquiring a special vehicle, give us a call or drop a line!