Mecum Kissimmee Sets Records, But What It Really Says About the Car Market
Every January, collectors and enthusiasts descend on Kissimmee, Florida for the Mecum Auctions spectacle — one of the largest classic-car auctions on the planet. This year’s 2026 Mecum Kissimmee event was historic, not just for the sheer volume of stunning cars on offer but for the records shattered throughout the weekend.
Yet while the upper tier of the collector market is thriving, that doesn’t necessarily mean the entire automotive market is in strong health. New-car sales continue to struggle as most major manufacturers face inventory and demand challenges, especially in non-luxury segments.
So what did we see in Kissimmee? Here are the highlights.
Record-Setting Ferraris Dominate
Ferraris from the legendary Bachman Collection stole the show. A number of rare models sold for prices well aboveprevious auction benchmarks — strong proof that the very high end of the collector automobile market remains exceptionally robust.
- 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO “Bianco Speciale” — $38.5M
This unique example — the only factory-white 250 GTO ever produced — topped the auction as the most expensive car of the event. - 2003 Ferrari Enzo from the Bachman Collection — $17.875M
This one-of-a-kind, highly-optioned Enzo more than tripled previous auction records for the model. - 1995 Ferrari F50 — $12.21M
Sold with extremely low miles, this F50 smashed its own model record price. - 2017 LaFerrari Aperta — $11M
A record setting price for the Aperta variant underscored appetite for ultra-modern, limited-edition supercars.
In fact, every halo Ferrari from the collection — including 288 GTOs, multiple F40s, FXX models, and more — set new auction highs.
Other Notable High-Value Sales
It wasn’t just Ferrari taking big numbers:
- 1966 Ford GT40 MkII Factory Lightweight — $12.375M
A rare and historically significant GT40 brought serious money, showing that vintage sport racers still draw fierce bids. - Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach (Pure Orange) — $6.05M
A one-of-one example helped elevate values in the modern collectible supercar category. - Bugatti Chiron Pure Sport — $3.85M
Though shy of record territory, this result confirmed strong interest in hypercar flagships. - 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra — $3.3M and 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda — $3.3M
Classic American muscle still commands serious attention from collectors.
What the Records Really Mean
For the upper echelon of classic and collectible cars, prices are powerfully strong — especially for rare, low-mileage examples and historically significant cars. Some takeaways:
- Ultra-rare Ferraris aren’t just maintaining value — they’re breaking multiple records in a single auction cycle.
- Even historically fast cars like GT40s and modern icons like the Porsche 918 are selling into the multimillion-dollar range.
- Paint-to-sample or rarity-enhanced specs (like unique colors or limited runs) are increasingly driving premiums.
But the broader automotive market tells a more complex story.
While ultra-premium classic cars attract deep-pocketed buyers, new-car sales across mainstream brands have been under pressure. Dealers from brands like Ford, GM, Toyota, and Honda continue to report inventory imbalances, promotional incentives, and consumer hesitancy as economic headwinds linger. (You can link to recent automotive sales data for specifics here if you want to reinforce that point.)
In other words: the collector car market’s health is not the same as the overall car market’s health.
Final Thoughts
Mecum’s Kissimmee 2026 auction confirmed something many in the collector world have known for a while: the rarest and most desirable machines are only getting more valuable. From vintage Ferraris to iconic racers and modern supercars, serious enthusiasts and investors are still willing to pay top dollar.
But don’t let these headline numbers fool you into thinking the auto industry as a whole is booming. Outside this rarefied world, new vehicle sales and mainstream collector segments are navigating a very different set of economic realities.
