The Daily Vroom

Good morning Vroomers!

Yesterday wasn't the strongest day in terms of dollar volume, clocking in at just over $4.8 million in sales, but that's actually pretty average for Monday.

We're now in the season of live auction spectaculars with the 'warm-up' act (hardly) Moda Miami happening last weekend and Amelia coming up this weekend. For the best coverage on these events, Sports Car Market is your go-to source. They have a great free newsletter, and they're the only physical car magazine I still read—most others that are still around aren't great. Keith has been doing it for 35 years and is quite the legend in this community.

MARKET LEADERBOARD

💰 The figures shared below don’t count any other sales such as car seats, memorabilia etc… All online auction sites are analyzed to put this leaderboard together.

I only include websites that have sold 5+ vehicles in the chart below.

YESTERDAY’S TOP 5 SALES

Want to dive deeper into any of these listings? Just click on the car to take you directly to the listing.

Nearly Sale of the Day

This one should’ve sold, but it didn’t, with a high bid of $297k. This 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS that I featured yesterday, U.S.-spec, low miles, and a spec that ticks all the right boxes. So what happened?

1. Canadian Sale Jitters – Listed out of Ontario, Canada, and while it was U.S.-spec, there was hesitation about duties and tariffs. The uncertainty around new Canadian tariffs coming into effect today (even though I believe they don’t apply to used cars) definitely played into bidder psychology. At nearly $300K, buyers don’t want even a hint of bureaucratic headaches.

2. The Seller Saw It Coming – The reserve was reduced in the final hours, which tells you they knew it wasn’t quite there. After the auction they admitted it was close to meeting reserve, but not close enough.

3. Last-Second Bidding Chaos – This was one of the most chaotic endings to an auction in a while. People kept waiting until the last possible second to bid—at least 10 separate times. And then, one of the two serious bidders mistimed his bid and lost the car entirely. Because he wasn’t the highest bidder, C&B won’t be following up with him, which means this sale will likely happen off-platform.

   

4. A Big Shame for Everyone – The seller doesn’t get their payday (at least not publicly if they sell it privately), the high bidder doesn’t get the car, Cars & Bids can’t claim the sale, and more importantly, they don’t collect their commission. With their recent increase to a $7,500 max fee, they’re still waiting on a $100K+ sale to put that extra money in their pocket. This could’ve been it.

5. Doug DeMuro Even Jumped In – You know an auction is struggling when Doug himself drops into the comments at the last minute, reminding people it’s a U.S.-spec car and can come back over the border easily. But at that point, the damage was done—buyers had already talked themselves into seeing this as a hassle.

A shame all around, but it’s a reminder that last-second bidding isn’t a strategy—it’s a risk that makes no sense as the clock resets.

They were also close with this 2022 Acura NSX Type S… Let’s see if this Lamborghini today can break the streak.

Auctions To Keep An Eye On

There are rare G-Wagens, and then there’s this—one of 13 AMG-modified 500GEs, a true pre-merger AMG unicorn that blends the brutality of a Hammer with the go-anywhere capability of a W463.

The 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500GE 6.0 AMG is essentially the missing link between the G-Wagen’s military roots and the over-the-top AMG-tuned monsters that followed. Long before Mercedes started cranking out bi-turbo V8 G-Wagens for celebrities and collectors, AMG was stuffing 6.0L V8s into select G-Wagens by hand, and this is one of those machines.

Why This One’s Special

• One of 13 AMG-modified 500GEs – Rarity is an understatement.

• Factory AMG Germany Build – Pre-merger AMG, meaning this was modified at AMG’s German facility, not by a tuner or dealership later.

• 6.0L M117 V8 – Hand-built power making 300 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.

• 172,000 Miles, $75K in Service Records – It’s been driven and maintained, not just stored like a museum piece.

• Norway-Based, Clean Title – The seller will assist with U.S. import, but factor in shipping and import costs.

Does It Have Issues?

Of course—it’s a 278,000 km G-Wagen. The frame was swapped in 1997 (luxury tax workaround), and the tires are nearly a decade old. But for a collector, the big question is how many of these are even left, let alone in this condition?

Why It’s a Sleeper Listing

This previously listed in November (was RNM $130k) but returns now with a lower reserve—so clearly, the seller is motivated. At $30,000 with six days left, it’s nowhere near where it will land, but someone is walking away with one of the most historically significant AMGs ever built.

If you’ve always wanted an AMG G-Wagen before it became a pop-culture icon, this is the one.

The 997 Turbo has long been the thinking man's supercar—sub-3.5 second 0-60, all-wheel drive grip, and bulletproof reliability, all while being docile enough for the daily commute. And yet, unlike the air-cooled crowd that's already moonshot in value, these are still relatively attainable—for now.

Why This One Matters

• 22k miles – This isn't some garage queen with 300 miles that will never see a road trip. It's low mileage, but it's been enjoyed.

• Six-speed manual – Finding a 997 Turbo with a manual is getting harder as PDK-era cars take over.

• Mezger engine – The last turbocharged Porsche engine with real racing DNA, before the shift to integrated water-cooled designs.

• Cobalt Blue Metallic over Dark Blue leather – A classy, understated spec, instead of the usual silvers and blacks.

The Bigger Question – Where Do These Go Next? We've seen air-cooled 911s explode in value, but the 997 Turbo still flies under the radar. Compare it to its peers:

• Ferrari F430: Needs a wallet-draining belt service.

• Lamborghini Gallardo: AWD, but nowhere near as refined.

• Audi R8: Great, but doesn't have the same long-term collector appeal as Porsche.

This Porsche is a supercar that you can actually drive, and that's why these have been creeping up in value.

The 997 Turbo has everything—performance, reliability, usability. The real question is: How much longer will it stay a bargain?

The Evo VI TME is already the holy grail of rally-bred Mitsubishis, but this one takes it further—a fully built 420bhp monster. The question: Does tuning add value, or does originality still rule?

What Makes It Special?

• One of 3,020 JDM-spec TMEs – The peak of Evo evolution.

• Full engine build – Cosworth pistons, Tomei cams, GT Pumps turbo.

• Stock looks, serious upgrades – Coilovers, Project Mu brakes, 3-inch Apexi exhaust.

Tuner’s Dream or Collector’s Nightmare?

For some, this is the ultimate version of the ultimate Evo—no compromises, just raw performance. For others, it’s no longer stock, and collectors still pay top dollar for untouched examples.

With JDM values surging, this sale will tell us if buyers want max performance or max originality.