Biggest US auto auction kicks off in Arizona

With the auctioning of collectable cars, among them some that belonged to celebrities like John Lennon and Bruce Willis , one of the largest US automotive fairs and auctions kicks off Saturday in Arizona.

Arizona Auto Week presents the greatest roundup of collectors’ item autos, showcased by the best-known auctioneers in the sector like Barrett-Jackson, which will present 1,800 cars, and Russo and Steele.

All eyes this year will undoubtedly be on such vehicles as the 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL Roadster that belonged to Beatles singer John Lennon, the personalized 1954 Chevrolet 3100 of actor Bruce Willis, and the 1988 Mitsubishi Eclipse that appeared in the 2009 movie “The Hangover.”

Though the fair begins Saturday, with symposiums on collecting cars and the sale of paraphernalia from the world of autos, the 48th edition of these auctions will get started on Monday at the WestWorld fairgrounds in Scottsdale and will keep going until Jan. 20.

This year’s auction has the challenge of doing better than the last one, when auctioneers sold a total of 2,668 vehicles and pocketed $247.8 million in sales, according to the Hagerty Price Guide, which compiles data on collectable cars.

It was Barrett-Jackson, with headquarters in Arizona, that in 1971 inaugurated this fair, which over time has grown and has drawn in other auctioneers, so that in 2019 there will be a total of seven firms selling their autos.

Last year’s edition attracted 327,000 people and had the participation of former US President George W. Bush, who got up on the platform to help auction off a Corvette that brought in $1.4 million, money that went to a charitable organization that helps veterans.