The Speed channel will be featuring live coverage of the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction this coming Saturday, where Ford will be offering up the racetrack durability car that aided in the development of the production model 2013 Shelby GT500. Not only will one lucky enthusiast get to take this rare car home, but proceeds will also go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

As one of the first built with the 2010 body style, the durability model was made in 2007. It was tested at 150mph for 24 hours to make sure it could handle that level of usage and that all functions continued to run smoothly.

Inside, the durability car comes with Recaro racing seats with six-point harness belts and a full roll cage, and all of the SVT engineers involved in the project signed the underside of the hood.

“I raced on the Sebring International racetrack for many years,” said Carroll Shelby. “But my ambition was always to build my own car. So it was exciting to be back to collaborate on this GT500 durability car with the SVT guys. I’m really proud to have my name on this car. They took my dreams of what a car should be and made it a reality.”

- By: Alexandra Koken

The model is the only modified one of the six and features a carbon-fiber body to help cut weight down to 2,379 lbs, is coated in paint created to match Lamborghini’s Reventon Gray, and a boasts a $20,000 titanium exhaust system. The exterior is also fitted with wider side sills, an adjustable rear spoiler, and a front splitter.

Powered by a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 motor coupled with a five-speed manual transmission, the XJ220S sits on four-wheel independent suspension and has stopping power provided by four-wheel disc breaks.

The Jaguar will be auctioned by RM Auctions in Pheonix, Arizona on January 19th, and is expected to go for between $225,000 and $300,000.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: Inside Line

Last year at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, Bret Michaels auctioned off his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro for a nice $220,000. He will return this year with a collection of three cars from his prized personal collection.

“We welcomed Bret to the Barrett-Jackson last year with the sale of his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We’re honored Bret is returning to the block to sell three more pieces of his personal collection.”

Michaels will be getting rid of his silver 2004 Bentley Continental GT, a 2004 Lincoln Navigator which was features on his VH1 show ‘Rock of Love’ and a 2011 Ford Explorer that was feature on his show “Life as I Know it.”

Michaels will also perform on stage at the prove Barrett-Jackson Opening Gala.

- By: Omar Rana

The very first 1969 Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard will be going under the hammer next month at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With no reserve price on the car, the 1969 Charger is expected to bring in a nice chunk of change from The Dukes of Hazzard fans.

Known as the Lee 1 during the 1978 production, this specific Charger was featured in a wrecked condition in a subsequent episode and the left in a Georgia to rot in a junkyard until 2001. The model was eventually pickup up by Travis Bell and went through a set of buyers before brought by Marvin Murphy. Murphy and Bell then decided to restore the car. Since its restoration, the car has been owned by Murphy.

We’re not sure how much the car will bring but a replica of the car owned by John Schneider was auctioned off for $450,000 in 2008.

- By: Omar Rana

About a month ago, Joe Maddalena and his company ‘Profiles in History’ said they were going to auction off a DeLorean used in the Back to the Future III movie along with a bunch of other memorabilia. It turns out that the DeLorean used in the third part of the movie brought in a winning bid of a whopping $541,200.

While DeLorean had prepared a total of 7 DMC-12s for the Back to the Future series, this specific model was one of the only three remaining and the only one in private hands.

Part of the proceeds from the winning bid will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, known as the largest private funder of Parkinson’s research.

- By: Omar Rana

Joe Maddalena and his company ‘Profiles in History’ are preparing to auction off a bunch of spectacular items from the Back to the Future movie series at their ‘Icons of Hollywood’ auction that will run from Dec. 15 – Dec. 17.

The biggest item going up for auction will be the DeLorean Time Machine driven by Michael J. Fox as “Marty McFly” in Back to the Future III. There were a total of 7 DeLoreans used on-screen in the Back to the Future trilogy and only three units survived.

This particular one was used in the 1955 drive-in movie scene when Michael J. Fox drives it into the past and lands in 1885 to find Doc. The model was built completely for off road use.

The car comes with a Universal Studios certificate of authenticity and an original signed Bill of Sale with the VIN number. The model is estimated to fetch $400,000 – $600,000.

The other DeLoreans are still owned by Universal Studios.

- By: Omar Rana

According to the history provided by RM:

It was the work of Ernst Loof, Georg Meier and Lorenz Dietrich. Dietrich had worked for BMW, while Meier was a winner of the 1939 motorcycle Tourist Trophy, and Loof was also a motorcycle champ who had managed BMW’s sports department. After World War II, the trio decided to build a car based on BMW components. Since the Allied Forces occupying Germany would not allow the manufacture of engines larger than one liter, customers were to bring their own drivetrains, which would be installed at the factory in Hausern.

A production road-going version of the Veritas was offered in 1949 in a coupe convertible and roadster version. All bodies were put together by Hermann Spohn Karosseriebau of Ravensburg and the engines came from stock or modified BMW 326 or 328.

BMW apparently objected to use of their name of the car so the car eventually became know as the Veritas.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: USAToday

A slow economy may be to blame for several poor performances at RM’s annual London Auction. A Lambo, Ferrari and an Aston failed to meet their reserve prices, but that did not stop the top lot from being sold: a ‘58 250 GT LWB “Tour de France” Berlinetta Ferrari fetched a cool $3.6 million.

The 250 spent most of its life in the United States, albeit with a strange modification for part of its life: the engine and transmission were replaced at some point with a ford engine and transmission for a while.

But in 1974, the original Ferrari V12 and transmission were replaced. Talking of which, the engine is a 3-liter single cam unit belting out 250 bhp at 7,000 rpm. The car raced in the Mille Miglia in 2005 and is one of 39 with the covered headlamps.

The Lamborghini mentioned earlier is a ‘72 Miura SV, and was expected to fetch between $1.4-2.1 million. The ‘61 Aston DB4 GT (one of only 75) was supposed to manage $1.2-1.4 million and the ‘55 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider was supposed to pull $2.4-2.9 million. The Monza is a racing car and is one of only 29.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

Source: AutoWeek

Only 750 Miuras were produced with only 150 of them being SVs, which stands for “Sprinto Veloce.” It’s powered by a mid-engined V12 that produces 385hp. Further distinguishing the Miura SV from the standard run-of-the-mill version, the independent suspension and disc brakes were upgraded and a ZF limited-slip differential was added, significantly improving handling. Unique Campagnolo wheels were also included with wider Pirelli tires.

The particular example that is being featured throughout automotive news desks is chassis number 5036. Its V12 engine was completely rebuilt and has only covered 100 miles. It also boasts a factory-fitted air conditioning system—which Jeremy Clarkson said is like an asthmatic sitting in the dash, blowing at you through a straw. And last but not least, a very rare cloth- and Alcantara-trimmed interior was fitted to this particular model.

RM Auctions will be leading the sale of this fine, rare automobile. A spokesperson said that this Miura SV is expected to fetch around £750,000-£900,000 or $1.18 million to $1.4 million US. So if you fancy purchasing this Miura, you’ll need more than your usual AMEX Black Card. The Mirua SV will take place in London on October 26th.

- By: Chris Chin

After recovering from a serious heart condition, Gord Designer Melvin Betancourt wanted to use his craft to give back to those who helped him.

Doctors at the Henry Ford Hospital saved Betancourt’s life by catching a tear in a major blood vessel eleven years ago, and performing an immediate open-heart surgery. Beatancourt now says “There are gifted people out there who have been given the ability to do what they do. I’m here because of them… We’re all here for a purpose, and maybe my purpose is to help people through my skills.”

This is just what he set out to do by creating a custom 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca to auction off for donation money to go towards heart research.

Click here for more news on the Ford Mustang.

He used Parnelli Jones and is 1970 Trans-Am Championship victory as inspiration to create the School Bus Yellow Mustang. All the details included, such as the striping along the sides and Jone’s number 15, were meant to attract the attention of collectors, in order to raise the most money possible.

An event was held for the “Get Your Heart Racing” benefit held in Dearborn, with all proceeds going to the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and the Cancer Center for Cardiac Care at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.

- By: Alexandra Koken

The 1884 De Dion Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout is the world’s oldest running automobile, and it will be going up for auction at the RM Auction block next month.

Only six of the original 20 are still around, and the one going up for auction in Hershey, PA is the only one that still runs on its own.

The steam-powered car’s development is credited to Mercedes-Benz, however the brand’s version used a pertrol motor.

With a top speed of 38 mph, the De Dion goes 20 miles on its 40 gallon water tank. Under the four seats is a boiler that builds up steam over 45 minutes with coal to power the two independent engines.

After 81 years in the last of four families to own it, its next owner should expect to win the bid somewhere between $2 and $2.5 million.

- By: Alexandra Koken

As reported this weekend, the first 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was offered to the public Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas. Unit No. 69 that will be produced at the Oshawa Assembly Plant sold for a nice $250,000.

The car was offered by Fairway Chevrolet-Buick-GMC in Las Vegas, with 100 percent of the auction proceeds benefitting the YMCA of Southern Nevada.

“Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, placed the winning bid and is expected to take delivery of his new Camaro in the first quarter of 2012,” GM said. “His will be the only 2012 Camaro ZL1 coupe produced with a Carbon Flash Metallic exterior. It will be the 69th ZL1 produced at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, in tribute of the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL1, of which only 69 were produced.”

Click here for more details the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

“Our family has been involved with the YMCA for more than 25 years,” said Greg Heinrich, president of Fairway Chevrolet. “In that time, I have seen firsthand how the ‘Y’ helps young people, families, and seniors in our community. Today, the community’s dependence on the YMCA of Southern Nevada is greater than ever, with the Y sponsoring one out of four members.

The 69th 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe will be produced with a Carbon Flash Metallic exterior.

Refresher: Power for the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes from a LSA 6.2L supercharged V8 making 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque. The engine is matched to a Tremec TR-6060 6-speed manual transmission with a new shorter-throw shifter that improves gear changes. It also features a dual-mode exhaust system which provides a very throaty and powerful sound. Sales begin in early 2012.

- By: Omar Rana

You won’t get the chance to buy a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 until early next year. However, the one of the first 2012 Camaro ZL1s will be auctioned off to the public during the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas today.

Up for bid is the only 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe produced with a Carbon Flash Metallic exterior. It will be the 69th ZL1 produced at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, in tribute of the 69 examples of the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL1.

Click here for more details the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

The winner will have to wait take delivery of their 2012 Camaro ZL1 in the first quarter of next year.

The car is offered by Fairway Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Las Vegas, with 100 percent of the auction proceeds benefitting the YMCA of Southern Nevada.

Refresher: Power for the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes from a LSA 6.2L supercharged V8 making 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque. The engine is matched to a Tremec TR-6060 6-speed manual transmission with a new shorter-throw shifter that improves gear changes. It also features a dual-mode exhaust system which provides a very throaty and powerful sound. Sales begin in early 2012.

- By: Omar Rana

Mitsubishi is auctioning off the final Eclipse to ever be produced at the annual St. Charles Auction, which will be held at Pheasant Run Resort from September 15-18. The last Eclipse was built by Mitsubishi Motors North America as a special edition Coupe SE with a 3.8-liter V6, which is also the only V6 to come with the SE package.

The automaker reached out to Facebook fans for input on the final model. It includes a coat of Kalapana Black paint, SE lower side graphics, Dark Agent wheels, HID headlights, sunroof, leather interior, and a ton of interior upgrades. A 650w Rockford Fosgate 9-speaker audio system with SiriusXM, a rear-view camera and Bluetooth interface are also included.

Bringing a 22 year run to an end, the Eclipse is going out with a cause, donating all proceeds of the no reserve auction to the Japan Red Cross earthquake relief. Production started in 1989, and for 20 years the model has been the top-selling Japanese sports car.

Greg Adams, Mitsubishi Motors North America VP of Marketing & Product Planning says “Our goal with this Mitsubishi Eclipse SE was to create a very special car that would best honor the closing of this vehicle families’ chapter, built at our Normal, Illinois facility. We believe this one-off 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse SE will become a highly collectible automobile and we are excited to work with Mecum Auctions to offer it to collector at their high-energy events.”

The Mitsubishi Eclipse will be auctioned on Saturday, September 17 at 1:55 pm on live More”.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Anyone who knows cars and movies is familiar with Steve McQueen and his fascination motorsports with both cars and motorcycles. So it’s no wonder that his personal collection is fetching some big numbers at the auction. And this is the latest one.

Steve McQueen’s 1970 Porsche 911S, that was also featured in his film Le Mans, sold for $1,375,00 at an auction in Monterey, California. That said, McQueen’s Porsche takes the cake as being the most expensive 911 ever solda t an auction.

Aside from being an actual film car, the 911S was also McQueen’s personal ride during the movie’s production.

Other highlights from the same auction include a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta, which sold for $1,485,000 and a 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio that sold for $693,000.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Telegraph

Back in July, there were predictions that a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa racecar would break the record for being the most expensive car ever sold at an auction…and it has!

After the Gooding & Company auction in California, the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, one of the very first prototypes that spawned a huge wave of cars that defined the brand even more, sold for $16.4 million this past Saturday.

“The $16.4 million sale of the prototype at Gooding goes to show that the market for great racing Ferraris is very competitive and collectors want to have the most significant example as the centerpiece for their collection,” said McKeel Hagerty, president of the collector car insurance company Hagerty Insurance.

Despite being the most expensive car ever sold at an auction, Hagerty said that Ferrari’s have sold privately for as much as twice the price of the 1957 250 Testa Rossa.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: CNN

One lucky bidder is getting an eBay amateur mistake honored in their favor. A 2009 GT-R was listed well below Kelly Blue Book with no reserve, and was won by a bidder named Xou Vang.

Vang won himself a 2009 Nissan GT-R with 36,000 miles on eBay Motors, one that has a Blue Book value of $68,170, for only $55,100. The price tag didn’t come without its challenges, though. Honda San Marcus, the dealer that listed the vehicle, initially wouldn’t return Vang’s emails or phone calls. When he finally did speak with someone, he was told an error was made, and the person who made it was out of town. A man named Ian started working with Vang, and offered him the car for almost $4,000 more than the auction was won for.

Many other issues like this have been reported in regards to sales on eBay Motors. The wording in the User Agreement is a bit vague, and mildly deceptive, saying, in part “For certain categories, particularly Motor vehicles and Real Estate, a bid or offer initiates a non-binding transaction representing a buyer’s serious expression of interest in buying the seller’s item and does not create a formal contract between the buyer and the seller.” Does this protect the buyer, the seller, both, or neither? It seems as if winning a bid for a house or a car on eBay basically means nothing at all. Still, Vang wasn’t satisfied, and continued to pursue the price he felt he deserved.

After reporting to several different agencies, including the Better Business Bureau , and is still met with hostility, yet the Honda San Marcos dealer is stating that they will be honoring the price of the Nissan, as per the dealership owner Randall Ammons. He says “Bottom line, the person who listed it did so incorrectly; that’s our fault… We spent years getting a great reputation, and a deal’s a deal, we’re going to honor it.” Looks like Vang’s persistence paid off.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: eBay (via Motor Trend)

RM Auctions last year held a special Ford-themed auction during the Monterey Car Week, giving bidders a rare chance to buy several of Ford’s one-off concept cars built within the last decade. RM Auctions is at it again this year by offering some more Ford concept cars up for auction.

The first concept is the Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept, which debuted at the Pebble Beach show in 2004. The GR-1 was built to celebrate the 40th anniversary for the famous Shelby Daytona Coupe. Unfortunatly though, this version isn’t the running version that was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show that same year.

Next up is the original Ford Thunderbird Spors Roadster Concept, which debuted at the 2001 Detroit Motor Show. As you’d guess, this was the concept that brought the new Thunderbird to life for a couple years.

Ford said that all of proceeds from the sales of these concept cars will be donated to charity. Both cars are expected to fetch about $125,000 to $200,000 each.

Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept:

Ford Thunderbird Spors Roadster Concept:

- By: Chris Chin