Mecum Kissimmee Car Auction Begins Today Through 27 Jan 2013
Mecum Auctions is set to smash another one of its own records as they offer the largest selection of collector cars in the world at their Kissimmee based auction starting today through 27th January. Thousands of vehicles will pour in to Osceola Heritage Park for the unparalleled 10-day event, staking its claim on the map and touting, “Where The Cars Are.”
With around 3,000 vehicles consigned to ride the red carpet, you can be sure there’s a very expansive and exclusive collection to be had. The lineup features hundreds of Corvettes and more than 30 Shelby Mustangs – including the featured 1966 Shelby Mustang Group II Trans Am Racer (Lot S132 – pictured above) from the famed Florida collector Rick Davis. Also taking bids will be an incredible selection of world-class Corvettes and unrestored muscle cars offered from the John Justo Collection.
In addition to the Corvettes, muscle cars and exotics, Mecum will introduce Road Art Monday into this year’s lineup on Monday, Jan. 21. It will be a day dedicated specifically to the auctioning of automotive road art and memorabilia. Each of the other nine days will still begin with 20 to 30 of these auction starters and two investment-grade pieces per hour after that while Monday is the perfect added bonus for enthusiasts. Road Art Monday will feature over 500 pieces bringing the auction total to over 1,200 pieces of memorabilia to choose from over the course of the 10-day event.
The Kissimmee auction started as a small regional event put on in conjunction with the NCRS Corvette Clubs and has since grown into a stand-alone event occurring annually on a national level. Last year the auction earned the title as the world’s largest by offering more than 2,100 consignments in a seven-day time frame; the title was held previously by Mecum’s auction at Indy in 2011.
The number of auction lots offered has grown from under 200 in 2004, to 1,500 in 2011, to the more than 3,000 lots offered this year with the most rapid growth occurring in the last 4 years. The auction will be featured on four days of live national television on Discovery’s Velocity. Due to the magnitude of the auction, Velocity made the decision to expand coverage to 8 hours per day totaling 32 hours for the 10-day auction. The “Muscle Cars and More” program is also re-aired regularly on Velocity.
Total sales in Kissimmee have grown from $1.1 million in 2005 to $40 million in 2011 and nearly $60 million in 2012. This year’s sales are expected to exceed that reaching between $70-75 million. Kissimmee 2012 saw a record number of registered bidders at nearly 6,000 with 2013 certain to draw more. Attendance at the 2011 event was over 40,000 with 2012 exceeding 80,000. Attendance for Kissimmee 2013 is expected to reach 100,000.
The auction grounds at Osceola Heritage Park include over 100 acres of space, covered in buildings, tents, car parking, truck parking, RV and motorhome parking.
More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com
