It’s not long since the collector car events and auctions world took a breather, but it all kicks off again soon at Arizona 2026. Called Arizona Car Week, but actually running between January 16-24 next year, this brings with it concours, meet-ups, seminars, drives and much, much more.
Arizona 2026 is anchored around the Arizona Concours d’Elegance, which takes place at The Scottsdale Civic Center on Sunday, January 18. The opening classes focus on the artistry and ambition of the pre-war era, beginning with sports and racing machinery shaped by the pursuit of speed, followed by the bold glamour of 1930s American coachbuilt luxury and the refined elegance of European coachwork from the same decade. This period is further explored through avant-garde vehicles from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s that reflect unconventional thinking and experimental design. A featured class highlights mid-century family wagons, examining how practicality and style intersected in an era defined by optimism and everyday mobility.
Attention at the Arizona Concours d’Elegance then turns to preservation and performance, with a class dedicated to largely original vehicles at least 50 years old that retain their patina and documented history. Post-war European sports and racing cars are presented in two chronological groupings, from 1948 to 1960 and from 1960 to 1975, tracing the evolution of form and function. A separate class focuses specifically on Ferrari sports and racing cars built between 1961 and 1975, while American-powered sports and racing cars from 1950 to 1975 are grouped together to reflect a contrasting engineering philosophy centred on displacement and power.
The final classes at the Arizona Concours d’Elegance examine more recent performance and broader mobility themes. Exotic sports cars produced between 2000 and 2025 represent modern aerodynamic and technological advances. Featured celebrations mark 140 years of Mercedes-Benz engineering and design, as well as cars created for coastal lifestyles defined by sun, sand and surf. The programme concludes with two-wheel design, showcasing historic and classic motorcycles, alongside a featured class commemorating 125 years of Indian motorcycles.
The Arizona 2026 festivities begin with Barrett-Jackson’s Rock the Block with Cole Swindell on January 16, and after that the events come thick and fast. The following day features a packed schedule of free gatherings including Muscle Cars in Mesa at Streetside Classics in Mesa, British Bikes and Coffee (Car Week Edition) at Phoenix Triumph, and the Penske Racing Museum Meetup at the Penske Racing Museum.
Also on January 17 are Strictly Air-Cooled at Street Brew Coffee, SHAKEDOWN (Vintage European and JDM) at Fourtillfour Cafe, Espressos and Engines at Andreoli Italian Grocer, Supercars at Sunset at Echelon Autosports and Saturday Night Shine at Adam’s Polishes Scottsdale. In addition, there are Saturday Seminars at the Arizona Concours and Mesa Cars and Coffee at the Dana Shopping Center. Of course, the big news is the start of the eight-days sales bonanza of Barrett-Jackson – details of its auction follow below.
January 19 is the Monday Drive Day of Arizona 2026, with The Scottsdale Grand Tour, Auto Xposure South Mountain Drive, Drive Central and Euro Experience Tortilla Flats Tour, while America’s Automotive Trust Desert Detour takes place between January 20 and 21. On January 20, Two-Wheeled Tuesday is held at Eleven10 Moto Garage, while Wood and Wheels takes place at Ironwood Mills, both free to the public.
America’s Automotive Trust Desert Destination follows on January 21 at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, with tickets available via the organiser. On January 22, Italian Design and Racing’s Ritrovo Cavallino Rampante is hosted at Italian Design and Racing, alongside Euro Night at LCE Performance. RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams do battle on January 23, while Legends on Canvas: Iconic Cars, Women and Men takes place at the Bella Fine Art Gallery on the same day.
January 24 sees Luxe Cars and Coffee at Paradise Valley Gateway, while Featuring Ferrari is hosted at Fourtillfour Café. The same day also includes BossFest at Anghel Restorations and Supercar Saturday at McLaren Scottsdale. All four events are free to attend.
More details for all of the events are available via the links below. But what about the Arizona 2026 auctions? It’s still early days for the lot lists, but here are a few early highlights…
Barrett-Jackson
Barrett-Jackson’s eight-day Arizona 2026 spectacular is, quite understandably, brimmed with American muscle and fascinating custom cars; there are several modern supercars, too. A notable inclusion is a Ford GT formerly owned by Tim Allen, and the bonkers-fast Brabus Rocket R. However, it is the above Lamborghini Murciélago that’s piqued Magneto magazine’s interest. Not only is the 2004 car finished in green – the colour of the moment – but unlike the 2008 Murciélago Roadster Barrett-Jackson also has up for grabs, this is a rare manual. Murciélagos are a hot topic right now – during the Arizona sales season, Bonhams has one, too. No estimate has been revealed for the above car, which is offered at no reserve.
There are many tempting muscle cars on offer, including an early-production 1968 Shelby GT500 with its original 428ci Police Interceptor engine and four-speed manual, plus one of 252 ‘carryover’ 1966 Shelby GT350s. However, we were taken by this factory V-code 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda convertible. It’s equipped with a 440ci Six-Barrel V8 engine rated at 390bhp, paired with a four-speed manual transmission featuring a pistol-grip shifter. Power is delivered through a Dana 60 Track Pak rear axle.
According to production records, 29 440 Six-Barrel ’Cuda convertibles were built for 1970, of which 17 were specified with the four-speed manual transmission. It’s offered at no reserve, and no estimate has been released.
This 1997 Porsche 993 Turbo S is one of just 176 built for North America that year, out of a total of 345 (total production, 1997 and 1998). This particular example has been through a major service, and sits on 27,439 miles. No estimate has been revealed, and it’s offered at no reserve.
Bonhams
Bonhams’ Arizona 2026 auction takes place at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa on January 23, and at the time of writing just nine cars had been announced. One of the highlights is the above 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica. One of 559 built, it’s had two previous owners and has covered 3533 miles. Originally delivered by Wide World of Cars in Spring Valley New York, it had its roof glass replaced by Ferrari in 2009 and the timing belts changed at 3267 miles. The commonly reported interior control coating issue has been addressed, and the car has been serviced recently in preparation for sale. No estimate has been released, and it is being offered at no reserve.
This 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible is one of only 1800 ‘6267SX’ convertibles for that year. The previous owner acquired the car approximately 20 years ago and commissioned a full frame-off rotisserie restoration, whereupon it was refinished in Dakota Red with red leather upholstery and a black convertible roof. The current owner acquired the car in 2024 for a private collection.
Mechanical specification includes the optional twin four-barrel carburettors beneath the Batwing air cleaner, which increases output to 325bhp. Equipment includes power steering, brakes, windows and seats, plus a modern radio styled to suit the period and an aftermarket air-conditioning system matched to the interior. One of 68 surviving Biarritz models believed to exist, it’s offered at no reserve; no estimate has been released.
This 1932 Chrysler CI-6 Sport Roadster is one of approximately 1000 built that year. It’s been used by the vendor as an errand-runabout around Santa Monica and Malibu for the past eight years. Repainted in primrose yellow with brown wings under previous ownership, it has a brown interior with a wood-veneer dash, a dickie seat and dual side-mounted spare wheels. No estimate has been revealed, but it’s offered at no reserve.
RM Sotheby’s
RM Sotheby’s has announced 83 lots for its January 23 sale at Arizona 2026, which takes place at The Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. As with Bonhams, several cars have yet to have their full histories revealed, but one of the more fascinating tales is the above 1972 Porsche 911 ‘Carrera RS 2.7’ – note the quote marks. Chassis 9112301609 is an early E-series Porsche 911 used by the factory development department and built shortly before the Carrera RS designation was introduced. Originally produced as a 911 S 2.4 oil-flap model, it was completed in June 1972 with fluorescent yellow paint specified through Porsche’s Special Wishes programme.
The car was acquired by Porsche for testing at Weissach, where it received a prototype 2.7-litre flat-six engine and an early ducktail rear spoiler, both developed for the future RS 2.7. Factory correspondence confirms its use as a test vehicle and records the prototype engine specification at 210bhp. In September 1973 the car was sold directly by Porsche to engineer Franz Sussner, who later used it in Algeria before registering it for road use in Germany. Special approval was required for its paint finish and rear spoiler. Sussner retained the car for 43 years.
It was sold in 2016 and subsequently restored in Germany to its original development specification using period documentation. It’s estimated at $700k-$900k.
The above 2003 Ferrari Enzo is one of 111 built for the US market and comes from 17 years of ownership. Chassis number 128797 was completed in October 2003 and finished in Rosso Corsa with a Nero interior featuring Rosso seat inserts. The car was delivered new to a collector in Florida, who retained it for a short period before it passed to a second owner, also based in Florida. In January 2009, with a recorded mileage of 429 miles, the Enzo was acquired for a private collection in Texas.
Since that time it has been used infrequently and stored for extended periods. In 2022, an original three-piece Enzo luggage set was acquired and remains with the car. Ahead of its current presentation, the vehicle was returned to Ferrari of Newport Beach for a service intended to restore full road usability following long-term storage. The odometer currently displays 746 miles. It’s estimated at between $5m and $6m. That estimate puts it right at the top of the Enzo tree, no doubt helped by its low mileage.
A similarly estimated Enzo sold at Monterey in 2024 via Broad Arrow, but for a fee not disclosed – so presumably less than the low estimate of $4.5m. The only red Enzos to achieve more than $5m have had celebrity owners – the Pope’s donated Enzo made $6,050,000 in 2014 via RM Sotheby’s, and Fernando Alonso’s example made €5.4m via Monaco Car Auctions in 2023. Remove these three and it’s non-red ‘normal’ Enzos that lead the running, because they’re much rarer than red examples. With the Porsche Carrera GT on the ascendancy again, is the Enzo another millennial grower this coming year?
In 1971 Frank Sinatra purchased this Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet as a birthday gift for his daughter Tina. The car was acquired from a Beverly Hills dealership and retained by Tina for approximately 15 years. During this period it was refinished in black following damage sustained in Palm Springs, replacing its original Tobacco Brown finish. In around 1985 the car was sold to film producer Lawrence Gordon, who kept it until about 2002.
The vehicle was maintained for many years by Southern California Mercedes-Benz specialist Scott Melnick, who continued its care after subsequent ownership. The car shows 44,531 miles at the time of cataloguing and is accompanied by a convertible top boot, toolkit and owner documentation. It’s estimated at $275k to $350k.
Further details
For more information on Arizona 2026 and all the events mentioned above, head here.
For more information on the Arizona Concours d’Elegance at Arizona 2026, head here.
For more information on the Barrett-Jackson auction at Arizona 2026, head here.
For more information on the Bonhams auction at Arizona 2026, head here.
For more information on the RM Sotheby’s auction at Arizona 2026, head here.
