FRIDAY’S MARKET LEADERBOARD

💰 The figures shared below don’t count any other sales such as car seats, memorabilia etc..

I only include websites that have sold 5+ cars in the chart below. Which means Hemmings, PCarMarket and many others did not sell 5 cars on Friday!

Friday was off the charts in the online auction world, and let me tell you why. First off, we saw an incredible sale on PCarMarket – a whopping $1.65 million for the '15 Porsche 918. Hats off to them! But that's not all; there was some major drama unfolding on BaT, which you'll get the scoop on below.

The weekend didn't hit the brakes on sales, with over $5.5 million in vehicles finding new homes. Don't worry, I've got all the big stories wrapped up for you right here. And looking ahead, this week's lineup of auctions is something else, covering all price ranges. There's one in particular that I think is pretty special (take a peek below).

2015 Porsche 918 Spyder $1,650,000

1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Coupe $450,000

2005 Ford GT $405,000

1992 Ferrari 512 TR $280,000

2016 Ferrari 488 GTB $221,000

Well, let's dive into the saga of this M113-Powered 1994 Mercedes-Benz G320 that's been stirring up quite the buzz on Bring a Trailer. Picture this: It's supposed to be just another auction ending on a Friday, but oh boy, did things take a turn!

So, at 9:12 in the morning, right when we're all sipping our first coffee of the day, the seller – good ol' VantageAuto – drops a bombshell. He’s like, “Guys, I went to shoot a video of the Merc running, and guess what? It's just sitting there, cranking away with gas leaking underneath!” And mind you, this is happening while the bid is embarrassingly low at $18,750.

Now, here's where it gets juicy. Bids start creeping up to $22k, and BaT, in a move that had us all raising our eyebrows, says, “Hold up, let's extend this auction by three days.” Talk about drama! This wasn't just about the car anymore – it was a full-blown soap opera.

You should've seen the chat. Some bidders were throwing their arms up in the air, saying how unfair this extension was, especially since most of the car's issues were already chewed over. But the seller chimes in and says he didn’t even ask for the extension. BaT was the one calling the shots.

The whole thing started smelling a bit fishy to some. There were calls to retract bids, with accusations of shadiness flying left and right. But the seller? He's there trying to calm the storm, pointing out that the extension might irk some but it also gives a fair chance for others to see the car in action.

So, what's the takeaway from this whole fiasco? Does this set a new precedent for auctions where a car's condition comes into question at the eleventh hour? Only time will tell. But for now, let's just enjoy the drama and keep our eyes peeled on how this auction for the no-reserve, slightly problematic but definitely intriguing '94 G320 pans out. Stay tuned!

In my previous piece about Ed Bolian's partnership with Sotheby's Motorsport, I pointed out two big issues they needed to iron out. First, there was this whole thing about making folks wait 1-3 days just to get verified before they could even place a bid. Second, they had this steep $25,000 cap for what buyers had to pay.

From the poll that followed my article, a whopping 67% of you agreed these were major hurdles for SM's business.

Now, about that seller fee of 2.5% - I didn't bring it up earlier because, honestly, I couldn't find hide nor hair of it on their website.

But get this - just a few hours after my article hit the web, a bunch of you started sending me this image from SM.

This is really interesting because you can see they are actively engaging with the community where no doubt they had some pushback on their initial plan.

It's going to be interesting to see if SM sticks with this new promotional offer. And here's another thing - if they can sort out that verification process, make it instant or just ditch it altogether, they'd be smoothing out a lot of wrinkles for their users.

Regarding the whole buzz around Ed Bolian teaming up with SM, some of you made really sharp observations. In fact, there's this one comment that pretty much nails what everyone's been saying.

This BaT auction is shaping up to be a BIG BIG deal, possibly one of their finest ever. We're talking about a virtually untouched, 117-Kilometer 1990 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary model. Right now, the bid's at a staggering $786,000, and there are still 5 days left.

The car's a premium listing, an Italian masterpiece from the 1990s. This Countach is one of just about 658 25th Anniversary examples. It boasts a 5.2-Liter Quad-Cam V12 engine, a five-speed manual transmission, and comes in a stunning Rosso Siviglia paint with cream leather upholstery and red piping. Those iconic scissor doors, 15" OZ Racing wheels, and an Alpine cassette stereo just add to its allure.

This particular Countach has barely touched the road, showing just 117 Kilometers (~73 Miles) on the odometer. There's a whole backstory to this car – ordered new by the seller at the Lamborghini factory in 1986, stored and serviced in Switzerland for five years, and then moved to the US. It's a piece of automotive history, wrapped in luxury and prestige.

Its stunning design was updated by Horacio Pagani for this special edition, and it features carbon and Kevlar body panels, special air intakes, and other unique design elements.

Inside, it's just as impressive with power-adjustable seats, electronic climate control, and a leather-wrapped two-tone steering wheel. The 5.2-liter V12 engine, a masterpiece of engineering, has been meticulously maintained, including a recent comprehensive service in May 2023.

This auction transcends the usual boundaries of car sales. It's a unique chance to own not just a classic Lamborghini, but a piece of automotive history. Preserved in near-perfect condition, this 1990 Countach 25th Anniversary represents a rare blend of engineering, art, and heritage, poised to be the pride of any collection.