Chattanooga Shines as Hosts of the Inaugural Broad Arrow Auctions
This past Saturday, the beautiful city of Chattanooga played host to a remarkable event, the first-ever Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty company auction. The excitement in the air was palpable as collectors, bidders, and car enthusiasts gathered at the Chattanooga Convention Center for a day filled with stunning automobiles and fierce bidding wars. The event turned out to be a grand success, with total sales amounting to an impressive $12,265,520 and a staggering 82 percent of all lots sold.
Strong Attendance and Global Bidders
Hosted in collaboration with the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, the preview and auction attracted car lovers from far and wide, making it a fantastic gathering of automotive passion. Bidders arrived from 10 different countries and 33 states across the United States. What was particularly exciting was that more than half of the bidders were experiencing a Broad Arrow auction for the very first time.
Spotlight on Top Sellers
Among the incredible collection of cars that went under the hammer, one particular star stood out—a rare gem known as the “missing link” in the Carrera RS lineup: the 1984 Porsche 911 SC RS Gruppe B “Evolutionsserie”. This stunning vehicle fetched a cool $2,000,000, although it wasn’t sold during the live auction. Right after the auction wrapped up, it found a new owner.
Other top highlights of the day included various Porsche models. For instance, there was the striking 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S “Factory One-Off” Cabriolet, which concluded its bidding at $401,000. The presence of modern classics and well-loved supercars throughout the auction showed that these types of vehicles are really appealing to the next generation of collectors, adding a vibrant pulse to the auction.
Stand-Out Private Collections
Beyond the high-profile vehicles, the auction included two delightful single-owner collections: The Stingray Survivor Collection and The Small Speed Collection. Bidders enthusiastically competed for the C3-generation Corvettes, particularly the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Stingray Convertible, which was the star of The Stingray Survivor Collection and sold for $112,000, exceeding its initial estimate. The Small Speed Collection also saw fantastic results, especially with the 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce, which sold for $81,200.
A Resounding Success
Post-event, Barney Ruprecht, vice president of Auctions for Broad Arrow, expressed his feelings about the auction’s outcomes, saying, “We are very happy with the results of our first Chattanooga Auction.” He noted the buzz of the crowd and the warm welcome from the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival team, which added to the exciting atmosphere of the day. The auction proved to be a fitting conclusion to Broad Arrow’s 2024 live auction calendar and has set a positive tone for future events.
Looking Ahead
As the dust settles on the Chattanooga Auction, Broad Arrow is pivoting to focus on the upcoming Memorabilia Online Parts 1 & 2 Auctions. These sales will feature over 180 lots of F1 and motorsport collectibles, with bidding for Part 1 running until October 27 and Part 2 opening from October 27 to November 10.
For those interested in more auctions in the future, Broad Arrow is already inviting consignments for its third annual Amelia Auction, scheduled for March 7-8, 2025.
The success of this inaugural event in Chattanooga solidifies its potential as a prime location for car enthusiasts and sets a benchmark for future auctions. Here’s to many more exciting auctions ahead!
