Barrett-Jackson is one of the most influential classic car auction houses in North America. Unlike auction houses such as RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s, which focus on "Concours d'Elegance" and ultra-rare exotics, Barrett-Jackson positions itself more as a mainstream automotive lifestyle celebration. Renowned for its "No Reserve" auction format, live television broadcasts, and carnival-like atmosphere, it serves as the ultimate benchmark for the American muscle car, custom build, and collector car markets.
Barrett-Jackson was founded in 1971 in Scottsdale, Arizona, by Tom Barrett and Russ Jackson. The inaugural auction took place on a dirt lot off Scottsdale Road, where around 150 cars (half drawn from the founders' private collections) drew a crowd of 3,000 enthusiasts, generating nearly RM600,000 in total sales. Over five decades, Barrett-Jackson has evolved from a local meet into the world's largest collector car auction event, perfectly encapsulated by its tagline, "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions".
Unlike RM Sotheby’s focus on ultra-exclusive multi-million-ringgit machinery, Barrett-Jackson boasts a remarkably broad consignment catalogue—spanning pre-war vintage classics, muscle cars, restomods, and pick-up trucks to modern supercars, with values ranging from tens of thousands to millions of ringgit. This comprehensive coverage makes it the most definitive price index for the American collector car market.
Barrett-Jackson’s defining business move came in 2005 with its full transition to a "No Reserve" auction format. Under this system, every consigned vehicle is sold to the highest bidder once opening criteria are met, with sellers prohibited from setting a reserve price. The primary objective is to ensure every single car crosses the block sold, eliminating buyer hesitation and driving up bidding momentum. Craig Jackson previously noted that this switch "heightened the excitement because bidders know the car is definitely going home with someone".
Another groundbreaking innovation is its live television broadcast. In 1994, Barrett-Jackson first aired segments of its auction on the Financial News Network; by 1996, Speedvision (later SPEED) began broadcasting up to six hours of live coverage, marking the first time a collector car auction hit live television. Since then, Barrett-Jackson auctions have been broadcast globally across the Discovery Channel, Velocity, and Discovery Networks International, transforming the auction into a mainstream media spectacle.
The Scottsdale Flagship Auction (17–25 January) stands as Barrett-Jackson’s premier annual event. The top ten sales on 2026’s "Super Saturday" exceeded RM15,000,000 in total turnover, presenting a balanced mix of rare European marques and American icons. Headline lots included:
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe: RM2,530,000, achieving the highest bid of the day
1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster: RM1,870,000
2019 McLaren Senna: RM1,870,000
2011 Ferrari 599 GTO: RM1,622,500
Charity lots remain an integral hallmark of Barrett-Jackson. At the 2026 Scottsdale sale, a bespoke 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X "Stars & Steel" Limited Edition hammered for RM2,600,000, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation; meanwhile, a 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC VIN 001 fetched RM1,250,000 in aid of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).
The Las Vegas Auction (10–12 September) roster similarly highlighted Barrett-Jackson’s broad market appeal. Key attractions featured a 1951 Cadillac Series 62 Royal Parade Convertible used by Queen Elizabeth II, alongside a custom 1962 Corvette Convertible powered by an LS3 stroker V8 over an Art Morrison chassis. The Mopar contingent was led by a numbers-matching 1971 Plymouth ’Cuda with a 440ci Six-Barrel V8 paired with a four-speed manual gearbox, as well as an equally pristine, numbers-matching 1969 Dodge Daytona.
The Inaugural Columbus Auction (25–27 June) marked Barrett-Jackson’s debut in the US Midwest, staged at the Ohio Expo Center. Notable lots included an exclusive 2022 Ford GT (finished in Diamond Blue with just 39 miles on the odometer), plus a custom 2022 Ford Bronco built in partnership with RealTruck and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, with all hammer proceeds going directly to the Joe Burrow Foundation.
Within the international collector car landscape, Barrett-Jackson maintains a distinctive market position alongside RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s:
Consignment Tier: RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s concentrate on blue-chip, record-setting rarities (such as the RM142,000,000 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe and the RM42,900,000 Cobra Daytona Coupe). Barrett-Jackson’s volume, however, sits firmly in the RM50,000 to RM500,000 bracket, covering muscle cars, restomods, classic pick-up trucks, and accessible European sports cars.
Auction Format: RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s generally run with reserve prices, where unsold lots are standard practice. Barrett-Jackson’s No Reserve approach guarantees a 100% clearance rate, giving it the high-octane energy of a live motoring show rather than a conventional commercial transaction.
Audience and Atmosphere: The on-site experience at Barrett-Jackson is carnival-style—complete with trade exhibitions, live DJs, food courts, interactive zones, and TV stage sets delivering full-scale entertainment. Conversely, RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s events are tailored as exclusive, high-end collector salons with a strictly curated ambiance.
Market Role: Barrett-Jackson operates as the premier price discovery platform for the American muscle car and restomod scene, with its results widely referenced as an indicator of general market sentiment. RM Sotheby’s and Gooding Christie’s primarily reflect the investment dynamics of blue-chip collector cars.
Barrett-Jackson’s presence among classic car enthusiasts in China is largely anchored by the visual spectacle of its televised coverage and the cultural appeal of American muscle cars. For collectors following American V8 culture, custom restomods, and high-profile charity lots, Barrett-Jackson represents the quintessential gateway to understanding how collector car culture achieved mass popularity in the US. Its No Reserve model and broadcast-driven format offer an exciting "American auction philosophy" that stands in contrast to traditional European Concours events.
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