The Barrett-Jackson Auctions 
are always exciting to watch. The level of perfection in the restoration jobs, or perhaps the pristine level of OEM correctness in the majority of the vehicles rolling across the auction block can be stunning. The prices these cars sell at can be quite stunning as well with some climbing into the multiple millions range. With all the money and metal trading hands every year in Scottsdale, Arizona, it’s interesting to take a deeper look at what makes cars valuable.
are always exciting to watch. The level of perfection in the restoration jobs, or perhaps the pristine level of OEM correctness in the majority of the vehicles rolling across the auction block can be stunning. The prices these cars sell at can be quite stunning as well with some climbing into the multiple millions range. With all the money and metal trading hands every year in Scottsdale, Arizona, it’s interesting to take a deeper look at what makes cars valuable.
Sure, it can be the rarity of a particular vehicle, like say a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa, but it can also be a culmination of options that make a particular vehicle more valuable than another, despite being similar in quality.
That’s where this infographic steps in. By looking at all 1,397 vehicles sold at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson auction and crunching a bunch of numbers related to their generic options make-up like exterior and interior color, transmission style, and year of production, the folks at H&H Classic Parts came up with some answers.
Going strictly off the numbers of what options sold for the most, the highest average price would belong to a 1950s era Plymouth with a manual transmission, black exterior paint, and a dark interior. Conversely, a 1980s or newer Pontiac with an automatic transmission, white paint, and a light-colored interior would theoretically have brought the lowest average price.
with a manual transmission, black exterior paint, and a dark interior. Conversely, a 1980s or newer Pontiac with an automatic transmission, white paint, and a light-colored interior would theoretically have brought the lowest average price.
The reality of the auction is much less ambiguous, however. The highest-priced, crazy outlier that fetched the most dough was a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 
L88 Sting Ray with a red on red color scheme. The lucky winning bidder paid $3.85 million with an additional 10 percent in fees going to Barrett-Jackson. Whew!
L88 Sting Ray with a red on red color scheme. The lucky winning bidder paid $3.85 million with an additional 10 percent in fees going to Barrett-Jackson. Whew!
