Gooding & Company is continuing their ‘Geared Online’ auction concept for their annual Scottsdale sale this year. This means the sale will be held exclusively online. There will be no white chairs lined up row after row, no ramp for cars to roll across as the crowd applauds, no bags of kettle corn being thrown through the air, no Charlie Ross keeping the raucous crowd (mostly) under control with British humor and quick wit. Sad days, indeed.
Gooding is set to offer 57 cars online at their Geared Online Scottsdale Edition this year, just three of which are Mercedes-Benz. Let’s compare that to their last event that occurred before the global COVID-19 pandemic began. Gooding’s January 2020 sale offered more than 140 cars over two days, including 12 Mercedes. Click here to have a look at our ‘Day 1 Auction Preview and Price Predictions’ article from January 2020.
It’s a different auction landscape today, and I believe the pandemic has little to do with it. No, there are more permanent forces at play, namely, the rise of very effective online auctions for collector cars that allow enthusiasts and collectors to buy and sell cars of the same caliber the big auction houses offer in a much more relaxed and cost-effective way. Not that there isn’t still a place for the high-end auction houses, it’s just that the kinds and numbers of cars it makes sense to send to their sales keeps getting smaller. We’ll save that larger discussion for a future article, let’s get back to Gooding & Co.’s Geared Online Scottsdale Edition 2022. If you’d like to visit the Gooding & Company website to see the entire Geared Online Scottsdale Edition 2022 auction catalog click here.
Gooding & Company Geared Online Scottsdale 2022 Event Info
The online only sale will run from Monday, January 24th to Friday, January 28th.
Bidding opens for all lots on Monday, lots begin closing on Friday at 10:00am MST (12:00 noon EST).
All cars being offered, all 57 of them, will be present in Scottsdale, available for viewing by registered bidders only. The cars will be available for viewing at Gooding & Company’s showcase between Wednesday, January 26th and Friday, January 28th.
Geared Online ARIZONA VIEWING DATES AND HOURS (MST)
Wednesday, January 26 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday, January 27 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday, January 28 9:00am – 2:00pm
Geared Online ARIZONA VIEWING EVENT LOCATION
Scottsdale Hangar One
15220 North 78th Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Buyer’s premium is 10% of the final hammer price.
The Cars Being Offered
Lot# 6 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Estimate: $175,000 – $225,000
VIN: WDDRJ7HA4BA005117
- One owner from new
- Alubeam Silver Metallic w/ black leather
- 3,020 miles
Another low mile, one owner SLS AMG coupe comes up for sale. As I’ve said before, limited ownership, low miles and interesting options are what put one SLS over another. In terms of options, this car sports the Bang & Olufsen sound system and the basic, interior carbon fiber trim package. The real highlight here is the Alubeam Silver Metallic paint. That was THE special paint color when these cars came out for the 2011 model year, it added $12,750 to the window sticker.
This car should do well as there is a finite supply of one owner, low mile examples and this is a desirable color. Price Prediction: $296,200.
Lot# 13 1972 Mercedes-Benz 350 SL
Estimate: $65,000 – $75,000
VIN: 107.044.12.001833
- Midnight Blue (904) w/ blue MB tex and soft top w/ hard top
- 44,661 miles
- One owner from 1972 – 2011
- Almost $40k in maintenance receipts over the life of the car
- Much recent maintenance
Historically, the most valuable, standard, R107 cars have been the 1989 560 SLs, followed closely by the earliest 1972 models. This car seems to tick all the boxes with known, limited ownership, lots of maintenance and recent use in the form of tours and rallies, add to that, regular and recent maintenance. Midnight Blue, in my experience, is also one of the most desirable colors on an R107 SL (and certainly on W113 SLs).
The slim bumpers of the early 350 SLs set them apart from the later cars and most people prefer them to the later impact bumpers mandated by the U.S. DOT. In some ways, the early cars aren’t as easy to live with or as nice to drive than later cars. Temperamental HVAC systems and an uninspiring 3 speed transmission come to mind. This car is presented here and will surely be purchased by an enthusiast in need of an attractive and tidy early R107 SL to fill a void in his collection. I think the auction estimate on this car is nuts, but what do I know? Price Prediction: $38,700.
Lot #57 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
Estimate: $15,000 – $20,000 (No Reserve)
VIN: 107.044.12.047791
- Anthracite Grey Metallic (172) w/ Black MB Tex
- Chromed ‘Bundt’ wheels
- 90,107 miles
- European headlights (originals included)
A driver quality 450 SL. The only thing remotely interesting about this car is the fact that it’s been owned by actor James Darren since new (I had to Google him too). European headlights add as much (or more) value as the ‘celebrity ownership’ might. Not really sure what to say about this one. Frankly, I’m surprised it’s in the sale at all. Price Prediction: $11,700.
Just three Mercedes to present from Gooding & Co. during Arizona auction week, my how times have changed.