__________________________________________________________________
Barrett-Jackson (Scottsdale-2009)
The opening night gala for Barrett-Jackson was perhaps the best way to experience the inventory available at this year's auction. If you have the ability to snag an invite, it allows you to wander through all the vehicles without being pushed and shoved by the thousands of individuals that show up on the auction days.
Although the vehicle selection is always impressive at Barrett-Jackson, a few vehicles in particular caught my eye:
Lot #1535
2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10
175 Miles
Sold for: $31,900
Lot#1333
Ford Raptor SVT
0 Miles
Sold for: $143,000
All statistics courtesy of Barrett-Jackson.com
In addition to the vehicles listed above, this year's auction also included a nice selection of Bentley's along with a personal favorite of mine, the Ferrari 512tr. The vendors at this year's auction were fantastic but not on par with that of auctions past. In particular, I felt the Spyker exhibit in the middle of the field was a waste of space. Also, all the interactive entertainment options like the Hummer off-road exhibit and Chrysler test-drive experience were gone; a shame if you bring the family along.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Russo and Steele (Scottsdale-2009)
I was really impressed with the Russo and Steele auction. There were a variety of great finds this year. Since Russo and Steele is mostly a reserve auction, a variety of vehicles remained unsold. One of the most interesting was the
Vector W8. It was bid up to around $475,000 with the reserve not met.
Vector W8
My favorite vehicle at the auction was the 1989 Lamborghini Countach (Anniversary Edition). Although many purists will argue that an early 80's Countach (devoid of the anniversary editions fin and additional body work) epitomizes Countach design, I feel entirely the opposite. I believe the 89' Countach is the ultimate representation of the 80's supercar.
Lamborghini Countach
All statistics courtesy of RussoandSteele.com
What I found most interesting about the Russo and Steele auction was the interaction with the vehicle owners. I was more than once approached by the owner of a vehicle and was able to engage in conversation regarding its history. Unlike the Barrett-Jackson, I felt this event was geared much more toward the car enthusiast. It is less of a theme park experience and more about the cars themselves. __________________________________________________________________
Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge SRT (Street and Racing Technology)-Driving Experience (Phoenix, AZ-Firebird Raceway/Fontana, CA-Fontana Speedway)
The SRT driving experience is one of the greatest amateur racing opportunities available today. It is a first class operation where average individuals get to experience extraordinary cars on some of the world's greatest tracks.
What impresses me most about the SRT experience is the sheer number of new vehicles that are available. This year's venue included every SRT vehicle, short of the Challenger. It is rumored that next year's SRT Experience will be receiving a number of SRT Challenger's equipped with standard transmissions.
Although everyone is most excited to drive the Viper's (the experience usually has about five on hand), attendees are often most impressed with the Jeep SRT-8. A combination of the high center of gravity, coupled with four-wheel drive, give a much more impressive representation of speed. It is amazing to watch a 4250lb SUV slalom around a course at speeds approaching 80-90 MPH.
The event is free for new SRT owners to experience, or around $650 for non-owners. In my opinion the event is a great way to try all the vehicles in the SRT line-up along with the ability to gain new driving skills.
__________________________________________________________________