The Daily Vroom

Good morning Vroomers!

Over the past year I’ve spent a lot of time overseas, moving between markets and spending time where this business actually happens. Different rooms. Different conversations. Same cars.

That perspective shapes how I look at what’s coming next.

In 2026, I’ll be more visible with the work, not louder, just more present. Sharing real-time market observations, clearer context around the sales that matter, and more of what’s happening as The Daily Vroom expands.

Over the next week, I’ll also be publishing a clear-eyed rundown of each major auction platform, where they’re strong, where they’re vulnerable, and what actually matters heading into 2026. We’ll also unpack the real signals from 2025, not as a recap, but for what they mean going forward.

You’ll start seeing that play out here, on Instagram, and on LinkedIn.

A lot is coming. More coverage. More data. More access. Same independent voice.

YESTERDAY’S TOP 3 SALES

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

A Michael Jackson Story That Arrived Too Late

The danger of provenance… done late

There’s a lot happening here. Almost too much.

On paper, this is a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur with a headline-grabbing hook: reportedly owned by the mother of Michael Jackson. That kind of claim should be rocket fuel for an otherwise ordinary 1980s Rolls. Instead, with less than 24 hours to go, the high bid sits at $9,000 on a car that was previously floated around Facebook asking $74K–$79K.

That gap doesn’t happen by accident.

The problem isn’t that buyers don’t care about provenance. They do. The problem is how this provenance was handled.

Early in the auction, the seller produced paperwork tied to a different Rolls. Wrong year. Wrong VIN. Wrong car. Only after sustained pressure did additional documentation appear, and even then it arrived late, piecemeal, and after doubt had already set in. By that point, many serious bidders had already done the most dangerous thing in an auction: moved on.

Ambiguity is poison. Especially when you’re selling a high-mileage 1980s Rolls where the celebrity angle is doing most of the heavy lifting.

Here’s the broader lesson, and it’s one every seller should internalize:

If you’re claiming a celebrity connection - parent, sibling, gift, whatever you need every shred of proof upfront. Not later. Not “we’re working on it.” Not after the comments section turns into a courtroom. Because auctions don’t pause while you gather paperwork. Buyers just quietly disappear.

There’s also a platform-side takeaway here. If a listing leans on a famous name to establish value, the burden of proof shouldn’t sit solely with the bidders. Platforms have an incentive to enforce higher verification standards on celebrity claims before a car ever goes live. When that process breaks down, it doesn’t just hurt the seller. It damages trust in the platform itself.

As for this Silver Spur, it’s still a handsome car. California history. Classic Rolls presence. But auctions are momentum machines, and momentum was lost early. To get anywhere near that old $74K ask now will require a special last day, the kind that only happens when confidence is rock-solid and buyers feel safe leaning in.

Right now, that confidence feels shaken. And once it’s gone, it’s very hard to get back before the clock runs out.

Auctions To Keep An Eye On

Since we’re on the topic of celebrity cars, this one deserves its own lane.

Live now via SBX is a 2023 Dodge Ram TRX Apocalypse commissioned for Shaquille O’Neal. And unlike many celebrity-linked vehicles that lean on a name to add intrigue, this one doesn’t need interpretation. The identity is unmistakable.

This is not a subtle car with an interesting backstory. It’s a purpose-built spectacle.

Apocalypse Manufacturing took Ram’s already outrageous TRX and pushed it into full exhibition mode. Kevlar-armored widebody. 850-horsepower supercharged Hellcat V8. Forty-inch tires. Superman grille. Red ambient lighting. Shaq branding throughout. Even the interior leans into the theater, with custom upholstery, embroidered logos, plaques, and a starlight headliner. Everything about it is deliberate. Loud. Intentional.

And that’s what makes this one work.

Celebrity provenance only really matters when it’s aligned with the object itself. Shaq doesn’t do small, restrained, or understated. This truck reflects scale, personality, and presence in the same exaggerated way he does. It feels commissioned, not retroactively explained. You don’t have to squint or read between the lines to understand why this exists.

It’s also very clearly not for everyone.

This isn’t a daily driver. It’s not trying to be. It’s an event vehicle. A showpiece. Something you roll out when the goal is attention, not efficiency. The market for that kind of machine is narrow by design, but the buyers who live in that world know exactly what they’re looking at.

There are cars that get clicks because they’re rare. There are cars that get bids because they’re fast.
And then there’s the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec, which doesn’t really need explaining anymore.

This R34 currently live on Collecting Cars is a reminder of why the model still sits at the center of modern-collector gravity. Not because of hype. Not because of internet mythology. But because when the right ingredients come together, serious buyers pay attention.

This one starts strong.

V-Spec matters. ATTESA E-TS Pro all-wheel drive. Active rear differential. Factory chassis and aero upgrades that were engineered, not styled. Then there’s the RB26DETT, the engine that made Nissan’s reputation global and still anchors the R34’s appeal decades later.

From there, the build choices stay disciplined.

This car wears documented genuine Nismo components, skirts, bumper, front fenders, bonnet, intercooler, lighting, speedometer, installed to enhance the car, not rewrite it. These aren’t visual shortcuts or look-alike parts. They’re period-correct, brand-correct, and aligned with what buyers actually want to see.

Supporting modifications stay in their lane. Tein adjustable suspension. A’PEXi exhaust. GReddy cooling upgrades. Nothing excessive. Nothing fighting the car’s identity. Just sensible enhancements that respect the platform rather than overpower it.

What’s notable is the way the auction itself has unfolded.

This hasn’t been a sleepy listing waiting for a last-minute rescue. The bidding has been layered, competitive, and sustained, multiple bidders stepping in, pushing incrementally, and staying engaged. That usually signals something important well before the hammer falls: confidence.

Confidence in the spec.
Confidence in the presentation.
Confidence that this is a properly assembled GT-R, not a rushed build riding the R34 wave.

The R34 market has matured. Buyers are sharper now. They care less about noise and more about execution, how a car is put together, which parts were used, and whether the story makes sense. This one does.

No gimmicks. No forced narrative. Just a correctly specced Skyline GT-R V-Spec, wearing the right parts, presented the right way.

That’s usually all it takes.

For Lotus people, this Exige is impossible to ignore.

A 2011 Lotus Exige S 260 Final Edition doesn’t come up often, and when it does, the audience sharpens quickly. Rare spec. Real driver focus. The kind of car that attracts serious buyers, not tourists. Add the current green-and-yellow livery and you’ve got instant attention, whether you love the look or just want to know what’s underneath.

And that’s where the comments took over.

Because the car came from Canada and was imported to the U.S., the discussion shifted into full diligence mode. Import process. DOT and EPA compliance. Instrument cluster conversion. Mileage continuity. California smog. All fair questions. All the things that matter when real money is involved.

Here’s the difference in this auction.

The seller is one of the best on BaT. Not new. Not learning on the job. When he says the car was properly imported, correctly titled, and the mileage is right, that carries credibility. And instead of letting speculation linger, he did exactly what top-tier sellers do, he removed the risk.

He put everything on the table. Explained the process. Backed it with experience. And then went further, offering post-auction verification, inspections, and even wrap removal if that’s what the winning bidder needs to feel comfortable.

That’s not defensiveness. That’s confidence.

Yes, the comments are busy. But this isn’t chaos. It’s what happens when a rare Lotus meets a knowledgeable buyer base and a seller who knows how to keep the auction on the rails.

Great cars attract scrutiny.
Great sellers turn scrutiny into momentum.

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