Whether you like or dislike the new Toyota GR Supra (being inclined either way would be weird of course, given nobody's driven it in production form yet), you've got to admit that it's a car that's commanded a lot of hype and discussion.
And the hype train looks set to continue, well after its formal reveal last Tuesday.
Over the weekend, the first production 2020 Toyota GR Supra went up for auction at the world renowned Barrett-Jackson charity auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Putting up first-edition production cars is nothing new for the auction-house, but given all the articles about Supra a monstrous auction figure was always a likelihood.
The Supra in question that was sold was a matte grey example with matte black wheels and red wing mirrors — and most importantly enough it has the VIN of '20201' ('2020' signifying the year, and '1' signifying the first car). And when the hammer hit the gavel, bidding ended at US$2.1million ... or NZ$3.1million converted.
It is yet to be seen whether today's new-gen Supra will be tomorrow's collectible car gold. But remember, it's for charity, and Barrett-Jackson's auctions in this realm always hit crazy values. The proceeds from the Supra sale are going to the American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation (an organization that supports veterans and service members impacted by 9/11).
It wasn't the only new car to sell over the weekend, either. The first production 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (VIN001) also went under the hammer, selling for US$1.1million (NZ$1.6million).
In that instance the money is set to go to JDRF (a group that fund research into type one diabetes), and the auction winner funnily enough was Craig Jackson — the CEO of Barret-Jackson.
“The chance to become the owner of the first 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 cars is an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, global operations.
“More importantly, being involved in helping to raise much-needed funds and awareness for JDRF is a big win for everyone.”