SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: General Motors and Mary Barra continue to make headlines at Barrett-Jackson
April 14, 2020
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Barbara Toombs
Mary T. Barra, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, on the block with Craig Jackson and Steve Davis at the 2020 Scottsdale Auction.
The first retail production Corvette ZR1, which hammered for $1 million at the 2008 Scottsdale Auction to benefit the United Way.
Over the years, Barrett-Jackson has carefully cultivated valued relationships with some of the top automakers around the globe. One such partnership is with the largest American automobile manufacturer and one of the world’s largest – General Motors.
Back in 2004, GM began their relationship with Barrett-Jackson in a big, bold way, by bringing more than 30 vehicles from their vast collection to sell at the Palm Beach Auction. As Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis recalled, “It was the first step, in my mind, to get their foot in the door and create some mojo – and ultimately maybe a sponsorship.”
It was a cutting-edge move for a manufacturer to do this, and ultimately led to the partnership GM and Barrett-Jackson still enjoy to this day, with the automaker coming on board as an official sponsor in 2007.
Since that auction in 2004, GM – most notably through its Chevrolet Division – has brought more than 500 cars to sell on the Barrett-Jackson block, and more than 50 of those have been for charity, raising over $24 million to date for worthy causes far and wide.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush at the 2018 Scottsdale event to help sell a 2018 Carbon 65 Edition Corvette to benefit his Military Service Initiative.
Those charity vehicles have resulted in some truly incredible moments, beginning with the very first car Chevrolet brought to the auction to sell for charity at the 2008 Scottsdale Auction: The first retail production Corvette ZR1, which hammered for a cool $1 million to benefit the United Way.
More recent highlights include General Motors bringing former U.S. President George W. Bush to the 2018 Scottsdale event to bring the gavel down on a 2018 Carbon 65 Edition Corvette when it sold for $1.4 million to benefit the president’s Military Service Initiative. At the 2019 Northeast Auction in Connecticut, the last-built front-engine Corvette brought the house down when it hammered for $2.7 million to help the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. But unquestionably one of the most exciting moments to date occurred at the 2020 Scottsdale Auction, when the very first mid-engine Corvette Stingray, VIN 001, sold for an incredible $3 million to benefit the Detroit Children’s Fund.
The last-built front-engine Corvette sold for $2.7 million at the 2019 Northeast Auction to help the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
What made that moment even more special was the person who brought the car to the auction block – none other than Mary T. Barra, the chairman and CEO of General Motors and the first female CEO of a major automaker.
“Charity vehicles are the soul of our auctions,” said Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson. “We’re proud of the funds and awareness we’ve been able to help General Motors raise through the years, and it was an incredible honor to welcome Mary Barra to the auction block to be part of the sale of the first retail production 2020 Corvette. That was a real moment in history.”
At the 2020 Scottsdale Auction, the very first mid-engine Corvette Stingray, VIN 001, sold for an incredible $3 million to benefit the Detroit Children’s Fund.
Barra, who worked her way up through the ranks at General Motors, started as a co-op student at the age of 18 in 1980, checking fender panels and inspecting hoods to pay for her college tuition. She was clearly excited to be a part of the history-making moment on the auction block and made sure to honor those who had worked hard on this milestone. “I have to give credit to the men and women of General Motors,” she said. “They have really dedicated and demonstrated their talent with this vehicle and have put a lot of learning into play to really take us to the next level.”
Barrett-Jackson looks forward to many more milestones through the sponsorship of General Motors and Chevrolet. “GM and the company’s vehicles have been a key part of Barrett-Jackson events for decades,” commented Jackson. “GM steps up to the plate and swings for the fences at every event, from Hot Laps at our Performance Track to blue-chip sales on the block. We are truly privileged to have them as a partner.”