Mecum Kissimmee returns in Jan. for auction with 3,500 collector cars
The grounds of Osceola Heritage Park will soon transform into one of Central Florida’s largest car shows as Mecum Kissimmee returns with an estimated 3,500 cars in January.
The collector car auction provides an array of classic muscle cars, supercars and vintage trucks that can be taken home for the right price. Explore and bid on the vast selection of vehicles Jan. 6-16.
Amid the pandemic, Mecum Auctions has seen record sales as collector cars have proven a hot commodity in recent months.
“People have spent too much time at home, they’re anxious to get out and do something. They’ve had some money that has stacked up a little bit,” said Dave Magers, Mecum’s CEO. “2020, in the heart of the pandemic, was the best year in the history of our company. In 2021, we’re on pace to exceed that by about 30 percent.”
Magers said the company expects to end this year with $580-$600 million in sales, which would represent a record for the company. In addition, Mecum has seen an average sell-through rate of 87 % since June 2020, an especially high number for reserve auctions.
Here’s what to expect from Mecum Kissimmee 2022.
The cars
The increased demand for vintage vehicles has driven up prices and helped bring in quality consignments, Magers said.
“We’re getting about the same number of cars that we traditionally have for each of our auctions but the prices are higher and the crowds are much bigger,” he said. “When great cars start to bring really good prices, owners of great cars think, ‘Now, I need to sell my car. The market is right.’ ”
This has resulted in a stacked lineup of featured lots, including a racing 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, a 2016 Pagani Huayra, a 1992 Ferrari F40, a 2020 McLaren Speedtail and a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.
One particularly sought-after car is a rare 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible, which Magers said could fetch seven figures along with other featured lots.
“There are a lot of cars
that will bring high seven figures in this auction,” he said. “A million-dollar car gets the crowd buzzing and that electricity stays in the audience for a very long time. When you run million-dollar cars one after another, it just continues to build.”
Mecum Kissimmee also features vehicles from prominent collectors including Michael Fux, John Justo, Gary Thomas and Jackie and Gary Runyon, who are offering two movie cars designed by George Barris.
“As I look at what we have on the docket right now, I think top to bottom this is going to be the best Kissimmee lineup we’ve ever had,” Magers said. “Strong prices and strong demand brings out very good supply.”
The venue
The energy of a Mecum auction is apparent from the moment visitors step onto the grounds of Osceola Heritage Park. From many corners of the 200-acre grounds, loudspeakers broadcast the voice of the auctioneer up on the podium.
It might sound something like, “Do I hear 10, 10, 10, how about ten-five,” one of the hallmarks of a Mecum auction, familiar to car fans far and wide.
Visit during the first several days of the 11-day event to see the most options available to potential buyers. Spend $200 for the opportunity to bid ($500 for gold perks) or $20 for non-bidder admission.
During the COVID19 pandemic, Mecum switched to table seating for bidders within the auction arena. General admission guests should have no problem finding arena seats to watch the action except on the busiest auction days, during which access may be limited to bidders only.
“Based on what we’ve seen this year at all the other auctions, we’re expecting a huge crowd,” Magers said. “All of the RV spots are already sold out.”
On-site attendees can also find road art and motorcycles up for auction, or explore live entertainment and a range of food vendors.
Remote options
Fans tuning in from afar have an opportunity to take home one of Mecum’s consignments by bidding online. The company ramped up its online system in previous months and attracted hundreds of new customers in the process.
“We revamped our entire online auction system so that when you’re bidding online, it looks like you’re actually sitting in the front row of the auction,” Magers said. “You’re seeing and hearing the auctioneer, you see the car right in front of you.”
In previous years, Mecum’s events could be found on NBCSN, but the channel will be terminated at the end of 2021. Starting in 2022, auto fans can find Mecum Auctions on MotorTrend TV and streaming on MotorTrend+.
“What MotorTrend offers to us is the ability to simultaneously broadcast our auctions on the linear MotorTrend television network but also on MotorTrend plus streaming service,” Magers said.
The 2022 auction follows up a record-setting Mecum Kissimmee 2021, which saw $147 million in sales.
If you go
Mecum Kissimmee 2022 is Jan. 6-16 at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee. Gates open daily at 8 a.m.; auctions start at 10 a.m. Jan. 6-12 and at 9 a.m. Jan. 13-16. General admission tickets cost $20 in advance online or $30 at the door and online after Jan. 5. Children ages 12 and younger enter for free. Registering to bid costs $200 for standard credentials or $500 for gold perks, including preferred seating, expedited credential pickup and access to all Mecum auctions during a 12-month period. For more information, visit mecum. com.