The auctioneer stutter raps the microphone at a million beats per minute. Around him guys in black jackets and red ties survey their identically dressed colleagues in the bidding pit and grandstands beyond, the beer bars and VIP platforms, looking for a signal. In a dark, distant corner there must have been a nod. Activity ripples outwards from that spot. A Mexican wave crossed with a Chinese whisper communicated via the medium of racecourse bookies' arms radiates outwards as the red ties go into overdrive and semaphore the bid to the stage. The auctioneer, somehow, goes up a gear.
We know car auctions. They're either grotty places populated with car-dealing tyre kickers looking for stock amongst unloved ex-rental repmobiles, or they're ultra exclusive, sip champagne on immaculate lawn events where exotic specimens (both cars and people) preen glossily and desire to be admired for their good taste and breeding.
Barrett-Jackson is what happens when the two are combined and tossed in a blender with a good helping of American showmanship, pizzazz, noise, energy, dodgy artwork, hype, scale, speedboats, dust, liquor, excitement and people. Oh, and the Blue Origin space capsule. It's effervescent and weirdly, oddly captivating.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Top Gear.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Top Gear.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
INEOS GRENADIER
\"It looks like it could batter its way through anything\"
![The 1,000bhp P1 drift car is finished (on the outside] and doesn't it look sensational?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1791600/RW4wiJ61l1723027408131/THE-1000BHP-P1-DRIFT-CAR-IS-FINISHED-ON-THE-OUTSIDE-AND-DOESNT-IT-LOOK-SENSATIONAL.jpg "The 1,000bhp P1 drift car is finished (on the outside] and doesn't it look sensational?")
The 1,000bhp P1 drift car is finished (on the outside] and doesn't it look sensational?
WHAT IS IT? A McLaren racecar carbon tub clothed in P1 GTR panels with the full drift car treatment. Consider us well and truly intrigued
HEAD TO HEAD SUPER SALOONS
This should just be your usual, regular, ultra fast, four door battle. But after what AMG has done to one of our very favourite speed machines, it's anything but. It's AMG C63 vs Alfa QF...
REAR OF THE YEAR
What happens when you cross Zagato with Alpine? An A110 that can change its clothes...
SAVE THE WHALES
Since a Californian startup began reimagining 15 years ago, the popularity of restomod Porsches has exploded. Does Singer still do it best? We'll let its latest-turbocharged - creation answer that one...
...sell on Monday
Driving to Pikes Peak in Ford's Mustang Mach-E Rally on the path least trodden, arriving in time to see its F-150 SuperTruck take on the hillclimb. What could go wrong?
GO WITH THE FLOW
The most aerodynamic car Audi has ever made... is a great big executive barge. And when the smoke clears, you'll see it's been a long time coming...
SCRAMBLED SEGG
The Koenigsegg Chimera is a one-off mashup of Agera RS, Jesko and, CC850 - potent, but what exactly is the point?
SIMPLIFLY AND ADD LIGHTNESS
At the peak of Lotus's powers, boss Colin Chapman bought himself the coolest aircraft in motorsport history... 45 years later, TopGear's on a mission to find it again
CANNON BULL
Adrian Newey's RB17 hybrid V10 hypercar is at long last (almost) ready Track car, perfection or pointless?
