Did you win the New Year’s Lotto draw and accordingly have $20 million bouncing around in the bank? If so, a first-class cubicle on a US-bound flight awaits, followed by VIP entry to this month’s massive classic vehicle auction being held in Kissimmee, Florida.
At Kissimmee, the kind of money you’d be carrying would buy plenty of the rare and interesting cars on offer. However, it won’t be nearly enough to send you home with one of the sale’s extraordinary flagship lots.
Mecum Auctions has announced an extraordinary catalogue of 4500 lots at the 12-day event, held from January 6-17, including cars that almost never reach the open market.
Heading the ‘headline’ list and scheduled for sale on the final day of the event is one of the world’s most desirable – and likely most expensive – Ferraris. The ‘Bianco Speciale’ is the only white 250 GTO produced during a run of 36 that were built from 1962-64 and one of only eight right-hand drive cars.
It was raced extensively under the banner of British entrepreneur John Coombes, with a list of famous drivers headed by Richie Ginther, Mike Parkes, Roy Salvadori, and 1962 and ’68 Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. The GTO was sold by its British owners in 1999 and has remained in US hands ever since. The car is said to have been refurbished but never restored, with a hammer price likely to exceed US$70 million.
Less expensive than the GTO, but still expected to set record prices, are two highly regarded examples of the Ford GT40. Both will be sold on January 16, with the pair of red cars comprising a 1965 Mk I which was Carroll Shelby’s personal demonstrator and later used as a camera car for the film Grand Prix, and a 1966 Mk II Factory Lightweight.
The value of the Mk I car – which at one point was owned by Laurie O’Neill of Auburn, New South Wales, who joined the ownership roster in March 1973 – is expected to top US$6 million.
As for the Mk II Lightweight, it was one of just three of its kind to be built by Shelby American in 1966. This car has been used a template for high-value restorations, and is said by GT40 experts to be “the most original Mk II in existence”.
A third GT40, a 1969 Mk III, is also among the lots with a US$3.2-3.5 million estimate.
Followers of General Motors brands will also find some rarities upon which to bid at Kissimmee, headed by an L89 specification Corvette C2 (one of only 16 made) and slightly more common L88 version (one of 20). Both use 435hp versions of the 427 cubic inch (7.0-litre) Chevrolet ‘Big Block’ V8 and have a manual transmission fitted.
The L88 is the only car of its kind to have been built in Rally Red and is expected to top US$3 million, although it previously failed to sell during Monterey Car Week in August 2025.
For years, the Kissimmee auction has been famous for its arrays of US-made cars from the era of the Great Depression and this sale is no exception. Over a dozen vehicles built between 1928-37 have been listed, including V12 and V16 engined Packards and Cadillacs in a range of body styles at prices starting below US$200,000.
All of them, however, are curtain raisers to the just-restored, Derham-bodied 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster (sic) with its 420 cubic inch (6.9-litre) engine. Similar cars carrying bodywork more common than is fitted to this car have sold for US$2.5-3.0 million during the past two years, so there is hope of it achieving a record price.
Dotted elsewhere in the Kissimmee catalogue other but more modern exotics from brands including Pagani, Bugatti, Lamborghini and McLaren.
The Pagani is one of 100 Huayra coupes built from 2011-18 and has spent its life in a US collection, travelling only 934 miles (1504km) since new.
The most significant of several Bugatti models listed for sale is a 2008-build Veyron Mansory Vivere – one of only two with special black on white carbon-fibre bodywork, and tagged with an estimated sale price of US$2.1-2.5 million.
