Barrett Jackson humor

[john.mancini]

I just sat down to watch a little bit of the Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2025 auction. The TV experts weigh in on every vehicle that crosses the auction block. A 280SL, automatic, was on the block. The two announcers, who seem to know everything about every car make that was ever produced, made the following statement: “All 280SL’s that were produced for the US market were automatics. Only the 4 cylinder European models received the manual transmission.”
You learn something every day

[Bill Sgro]

WOW!  Those guys REALLY do know everything.

[Cees Klumper]

I watched a youtube video yesterday where the channel compared their experience buying a vintwge car on Bring a Trailer to one in a Mecum auction. Moral of the story was, definitely don't buy at a Mecum auction. The BAT experience was very positive in comparison.

[BobH]

I just sat down to watch a little bit of the Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2025 auction. The TV experts weigh in on every vehicle that crosses the auction block. A 280SL, automatic, was on the block. The two announcers, who seem to know everything about every car make that was ever produced, made the following statement: “All 280SL’s that were produced for the US market were automatics. Only the 4 cylinder European models received the manual transmission.”
You learn something every day

Seems like someone else has sacked their fact checkers!

[mdsalemi]

Well, I don't watch auctions but...

...I'd imagine the commentators are like what they call in the world of sports, "color commentators" in that they are talking essentially non-stop. In real time, there is no fact checking. They just say whatever they think, whatever comes to mind.

Clearly they are wrong in this case, but they are directionally correct, right? Aren't the majority (>50%) of originally landed late model Pagodas (280SL) for the USA automatics? Weren't the majority (>50%) of Euro market models manual transmission? But majority isn't "all".

[Jack the Knife]

I went to the most recent Mecum auction in Kissimmee and saw my first side-by-side and tandem mobility scooter. A truly American experience.

Knowing a few people who work at some of these auction houses as "car specialists" (namely Broad Arrow), trust me in that they mostly know nothing at all. I'm reminded of some realtors who lucked into their pop's firm and get by on inertia/name recognition alone.

[JamesL]

I went to the most recent Mecum auction in Kissimmee and saw my first side-by-side and tandem mobility scooter. A truly American experience.

Wouldn't that be a golf buggy?

[zoegrlh]

It’s got to be noted somewhere at MB numbers that were auto and stick 4 and stick 5 that were for Northern American market. And yes European specs were mostly stick. When I lived in Germany, the Germans thought Americans were lazy drivers, needed automatic transmissions and above all, cup holders.

[Jack the Knife]

Wouldn't that be a golf buggy?

You'd think -- it looked like this!