Ever seen billionaires battle it out for cars, just with bids and millions? That’s exactly what goes down at Barrett-Jackson, one of the most legendary collector car auctions since 1971. In this video, we’re counting down the 10 most expensive cars ever sold at Barrett-Jackson… and trust me, one of them went for a mind-blowing $5.5 million. Let’s dive into the madness!
10. 1969 Chevrolet Corvette No. 57 Rebel
This is the Rebel, the most iconic L88 Corvette ever built. It ruled the racing history and then shocked the auction world by claiming a price tag of 2.86 million dollars. Built in secret because GM had banned racing, the Rebel was one of only four ultra-lightweight L88 Corvettes ever made. It has a massive 7.0-liter V8 engine, over 500 horsepower, and a four-speed manual built to dominate tracks. It raced at Sebring, Daytona, and set records that lasted for decades by winning the IMSA Championship in 1971. In 1972, it finished 8th overall and 1st in GT1 at Daytona. At Sebring, it came 4th overall and again took 1st in GT1.It was the first to run on Goodyear’s secret new radial tires, revealed later in The Wall Street Journal. Fully restored, museum-featured, and draped in red, white, and blue, Corvette was the ultimate collector’s dream.
9. 1948 Tucker Torpedo
What if I told you a car made in 1948 once beat modern machines at Barrett Jackson auction block? Designed by Preston Tucker right after World War II, 1948 Tucker Torpedo was a bold move to challenge the Big Three automakers. But despite its genius, the dream crashed early. Only 51 Tucker sedans were ever made before the company shut down in 1949, and just 47 survived. Its true power lies in a rear engine like a Porsche, a padded dashboard for safety, disc brakes, and even fuel injection. One of its wildest features was a third headlight, known as the Cyclops Eye, that turned with the steering wheel. Designed by Alex Tremulis, the car’s shape was so sleek, its drag coefficient was just 0.27, which is unbelievably aerodynamic for its time. At Barrett-Jackson in 2012, this rare, fully restored example from the Ron Pratte Collection sold for an insane price tag of 2.9 million dollars.
8. 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray VIN 001
This isn’t just any Corvette. It’s VIN 001 of the first-ever mid-engine Corvette in history. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 rolled into the Barrett-Jackson auction as a legend before it was even built. And it sold for $3 million. but let me tell you that it was a charity auction. Every single dollar from the winning bid went directly to the Detroit Children’s Fund. Can you guess who the winning bidder was? Well, it was famous car collector and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, who proudly said, “I am the number one Corvette junkie in the world.” What he gets is not only a car, but a fully loaded black-on-black 3LT Corvette with the Z51 performance package, GT2 seats, red accents, and a letter of authenticity, plus a personal tour of the Corvette Museum and factory in Kentucky.
7. 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 GM Concept Car – $3,240,000
As 7 bidders threw their hats in the ring, the price reached past a million dollars within moments, and when the hammer finally dropped, the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 Concept Car had sold for $3.24 million. Why so much for one car? Because this is a one-of-one surviving GM dream machine. Originally part of the XP-20 project, the F-88 was the brainchild of legendary designer Harley Earl, with Bill Lange, Bill Mitchell, and Zora Duntov also behind the magic. It was GM’s bold attempt to give Oldsmobile a sports car that could rival the Corvette. Its gold finish, futuristic interior with a 1953 Oldsmobile center console, and custom gauges made it a vision of the future. Only four were ever built and only one survived. Craig Jackson called it “a high-water mark in American automotive aspiration and design.”
6. 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special Concept Car
It’s said that Harley Earl, director of GM styling, got the idea for a GM concept car while watching world speed records being set at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Inspired by the speed and spectacle, Earl imagined a sleek sports racer and so, the 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special came into existence. Only two of these dream cars were ever made. One was bronze and shown in New York’s Waldorf Astoria. The other was green that was revealed in Los Angeles. They looked real enough to excite buyers and shift Pontiac’s image from dull to daring. The cars featured aircraft-style gauges, a 230-horsepower straight-eight engine, and stunning design details like silver streaks and imitation oil coolers. All of it cost nearly $400,000 to build back in 1953. In 2015, the green Bonneville Special, sold for a price tag of $3,300,000 at Barrett-Jackson. As one collector said, “It’s a piece of history, a symbol of bold design that dared to dream.”
5. 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 VIN 001
The very first 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, carrying the legendary VIN 001, was auctioned for $3.6 million at Barrett-Jackson’s event in Scottsdale, Arizona. And yes, it was Rick Hendrick again. The NASCAR team owner and car collector outbid everyone to claim the Z06, just like he did with the first-ever Stingray in 2020 and other iconic VIN 001 cars. We still don’t know what Rick Hendrick does with all these VIN 001 cars he keeps collecting, but he definitely has got a big heart. Every single dollar of the $3.6 million went for charity. It was the special 70th Anniversary Edition, making it twice as rare. with a 5.5-liter V8 engine producing 670 horsepower, it came with a visual package and its own set of matching luggage. Oh, and racing legend Oliver Gavin drove it onto the stage.
4. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88
Another Corvette breaks auction records, and the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 sits at the very top of this list for the most ever paid for a Corvette. The winning bidder knew exactly what they were doing. They were claiming a piece of American automotive legend. Only 20 L88 Corvettes were ever produced in 1967, and this one stands out even among them. It’s the only known red-on-red example, backed by full GM documentation and validated by the NCRS. The L88 was built for the racetrack, not for comfort. It came without a radio or heater and was nearly impossible to drive until warmed up. This specific L88 had won every major Corvette award and was restored to perfection. When the hammer dropped at Barrett-Jackson, it was sold for an incredible $3,850,000 at the Scottsdale auction in 2014.
3. 1950 General Motors Futurliner
The 1950 General Motors Futurliner is one of the most iconic vehicles ever sold at Barrett-Jackson. Built as part of GM’s legendary “Parade of Progress,” only 12 of these massive 30,000-pound show vehicles were made and only three survived in their original setup. Each had its own theme and this one was all the “March of Tools.” This particular Futurliner, designed under Harley Earl’s vision, was once owned by collector Ron Pratte, who restored it to near perfection. In 2015, in front of a packed crowd waving American flags, Pratte auctioned it for $4 million, and donated the entire amount to the Armed Forces Foundation. “Military veterans, especially wounded warriors, deserve our appreciation and our support,” said Pratte. The sale didn’t stop there. Extra donations brought the total to $4.65 million.
2. Batmobile
The original 1966 Batmobile, sold for $4.62 million and set a record for TV and movie cars when it crossed the block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in 2013. Built from the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, the Batmobile was transformed by legendary custom car builder George Barris. This car came loaded with wild gadgets and with that, we are talking a nose-mounted cable cutter, a Bat-Ray projector, a Detect-a-Scope, a Batphone, an Emergency Bat-Turn Lever, and even an anti-theft device fit for Gotham. This wasn’t some museum piece, but a real, running machine with a big-block Ford V8, built by hand in Italy. Barris held onto the car for decades before auctioning it off. Today, it stands as one of the most famous and recognizable cars ever built.
1. 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake
And now, saving the wildest for last. This machine is reportedly the last Shelby Super Snake ever built, and only two were ever made. It’s got a twin-supercharged V8 engine that pumps out 800 horsepower, and believe it or not, it runs on a three-speed automatic transmission. What you might not know is that Carroll Shelby himself used this exact car as his personal ride. “It’s the Cobra to end all Cobras,” he once said. The Super Snake has crossed the Barrett-Jackson auction block three times, selling for $5.5 million in 2007, $5.115 million in 2015, and again $5.5 million in 2021. That price tag once set a world record for the most expensive American car ever sold at auction. When it sold in 2007, Carroll Shelby was present, watching history repeat itself.
