Auction season on the way

The annual January collector car auctions are just around the corner.

The Scottsdale auctions are looked upon by many as the predictor or barometer of what the classic-car market might look like for 2013.

Considering the uncertainty of the economic climate, the 2012 auction total sales figures were quite amazing.

Today’s buyers are a lot more educated and far less impulsive than the buyers of 2008. Today, a lot of research goes into making a calculated purchase.

This is the way I would describe the market for 2013. The top-end cars, the $5 million to $10 million European sports cars, will always be highly sought after; this is where the wealthy collectors are investing.

I don’t anticipate seeing too many world records broken in Scottsdale, as this usually occurs later in the year when the serious players attend the auctions in Monterey, Calif.

I do expect to see a lot of movement in the $40,000-to-$100,000 range of cars from the muscle-car era cars, pickup trucks and late ’50s and ’60s European sports cars because there is an abundance of never-been-seen-before vehicles coming to auction. These are the cars that will be the staple at the Barrett-Jackson auction, which will offer in excess of 1,000 vehicles for sale at no reserve prices.

The $100,000 to $500,000 Jaguar XK120-XK150, Ferrari 330 and up and coming cars like the Maserati 3500GT and some American Grand Classics will represent emotional purchases by retirees who have either inherited money, made wise investments or perhaps have just sold their business and will be looking for the cars of their dreams at Bonham’s, Gooding & Co and the RM auctions.