Mecum’s annual flagship classic and collector car auction event in Indianapolis achieved more than $100 million in overall sales for the second year in a row, and with a $113 million total realized at this year’s auction, it stands as the second-highest total ever reached in the event’s 36-year history.
Sales were led by main attraction offerings such as the 1970 Plymouth Cuda 440 Rapid Transit Show Car and the 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T SE ‘The Black Ghost’, which sold for $2.2 million and $1.07 million, respectively.
The complete list of top 10 sellers in Indianapolis proved to be a reflection of the auction’s overall diversity of offerings, including an array of both vintage and modern vehicles and encompassing both luxury and performance autos as well. The singular consistency among the group was their shared status as American-built machines. Two Ford GT Heritage Editions made the list—a 2020 model that sold for $1.38 million and a 2006 model that sold for $660,000. A pair of Corvettes made the top 10 list as well, with a 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Export ZR2 Coupe bringing $715,000 and a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible reaching $660,000.
Private vehicle collections offered in Indianapolis sold for an aggregate of more than $35.76 million, with top-selling assemblages including the Hustle for the Muscle No Reserve Collection that saw 61 vehicles sell for a total of $8.66 million, and The Apex Collection, which saw 24 of its cars sell for a total of $4.23 million. The Clyde Horst Collection of 14 cars sold in its entirety for more than $2.04 million, and The Chris Bishop Collection of 24 cars also saw a 100% sell-through rate bringing $2.49 million in total.
The complete top 10 collector car sales at the Indy 2023 auction include:
1970 Plymouth Cuda 440 Rapid Transit Show Car at $2,200,000
2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition at $1,375,000
1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T SE ‘The Black Ghost’ at $1,072,500
1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at $770,000
1971 Chevrolet Corvette Export ZR2 Coupe at $715,000
2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition at $660,000
1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible at $660,000
1931 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Convertible Coupe at $660,000
1967 Shelby GT350 Fastback at $632,500
1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird at $605,000
Next up for Mecum is a 600-vehicle offering in Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 9-10.