Futuristic $1.4 Million-dollar 1953 Cadillac ‘elegante’ One-off Concept Car Tops A Host Of Record-setting Results At Kruse Auctions’ 56th Annual Auburn Auction & Show In Indiana

Auburn, Indiana – Kruse Auctions hosted its flagship event, the 56^th Annual Auburn Auction & Show, over Labor Day weekend in Indiana, delivering outstanding prices across multiple marques and genres of cars. High sale went to the auction catalogue cover car, a futuristic, airplane-inspired 1953 Cadillac ‘Elegante’ One-Off Concept Car with coachwork by Carrozzeria Motto of Turin, that sold for an astonishing $1.4 million. Fittingly for a sale in the Home of the Classics, a striking, award-winning 1932 Duesenberg Model J ‘Sweep Panel’ Dual Cowl Phaeton brought $1.022 million, whilst an exquisitely maintained and well-documented 1929 Hispano-Suiza HB6 Cabriolet found a new home for $470,000. There was no shortage of outstanding sports cars from all eras in this year’s offering, with a beautifully restored, two-owner 1959 Ace AC Bristol Roadster selling for $442,250, an ultra-exclusive, street legal, track-focused 2026 Shelby GT350/Trans Am bringing a record-setting $299,250, and a coveted 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Cabriolet realizing $278,880. Somewhat less sporty but no less iconic was a 186-mile time-capsule 1979 Volkswagen Beetle that sold for an astounding $100,800, another decisive world record.

Eight no-reserve collections went under the hammer over Labor Day weekend, including the Ron Sutton Lifetime Memorabilia Collection. The memorabilia offering presented petroliana enthusiasts with a choice selection of original and authentic gas pumps and porcelain and neon signs signs, in addition to an extensive offering of some of the best automobilia on the market, garnering an incredible set of results that highlighted the success of Kruse Auctions’ dedicated memorabilia division. Philanthropic lots auctioned for charity included a donated 1949 Ford Custom Convertible, with proceeds benefiting Clothes for Joes, a local organization that connects veterans and their spouses with clothing, essentials and other resources, and the feted hand-embroidered Charity Quilt, that this year commemorated ‘250 Years of Freedom’.

The 56^th Annual Auburn Auction & Show took place from September 3-5at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Auburn, Indiana, attracting more than 2,000 bidders, from across the U.S. and overseas, resulting in over 85% of consignments changing hands and a total sale of $21 million.

“At Kruse Auctions we aim to provide a diverse offering of curated automobiles for serious collectors and enthusiasts and we delivered that opportunity for buyers, while giving our sellers a record weekend of exceptional results,” said John Kruse, Owner and Auctioneer. “Welcoming thousands of attendees, supporting twelve different charity and community organizations and setting many new world records continues our family tradition of delivering bottom line sales results and a must-attend lifestyle experience.”

The auction also offered an outstanding selection of ‘youngtimer’ and analog era sports cars, with more world record prices achieved. A stunning low-mileage 1994 Ferrari 348 Spider in rare factory Blu Scuro sold for an astonishing $285,500 and a 1995 Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo ‘6-Speed’ brought $44,800, another decisive record. Other great analog era cars included a prized 1994 Toyota Supra Twin-Turbo Mk IV ‘Six-Speed’ Hardtop that checked all the right boxes for collectability, rarity and desirability, bringing an incredible $155,680, and a low-mileage 1999 Ferrari F355 Spider ‘6-Speed’ that sold for $235,200. Among a plethora of quintessential muscle cars in the sale was a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 427/425 Convertible, affectionately known as‘The Black Rat’, a superb Triple Crown Award recipient that realized $207,720, and a rare, numbers-matching 1969 Shelby GT500 Convertible, extensively documented and presented in rare Gulfstream Aqua, that sold for $201,600. Full results and additional information are available online at kruseauctions.com, at 1.260-927-0000 or info@kruseauctions.com.

Next stop for the Kruse Auctions team is Tucson, Arizona, with the all no-reserve Tucson Auto Museum Liquidation Auctionscheduled for January 28, 2027, featuring classic, iconic, and unique automobiles housed within the 20,000+ square foot facility, plus vintage automobilia including signs and gas pumps. Further details are available here.

ABOUT KRUSE AUCTIONS – Kruse Auctions is a family owned and oriented collector car auction business with Midwest values and global reach, dedicated to facilitating the sale and acquisition of great motorcars. The legacy of auctioneering in the Kruse family started in 1952 in Auburn, Indiana, the birthplace of the collector car auction industry in America. Over the decades, some of the most significant cars in the world have changed hands there, and Kruse Auctions continues the tradition today.

Still headquartered in Auburn and led by John Kruse, a lifelong auctioneer and motorcar specialist who grew up in the family business, Kruse Auctions represents significant collector automobiles with commitment and passion. Relationships within the global collector car community drive meaningful outcomes for clients. From rare, pre-war automobiles, to American and European classics and iconic sports and supercars, Kruse Auctions achieves landmark results that reflect both market strength and buyer confidence.

As well as specializing in the sale and acquisition of collector automobiles at auction, Kruse Auctions offers specialist appraisal, collection consultancy, private sales and estate planning services. Its annual auction schedule includes the Auburn Spring Auction in April and the Auburn Auction & Show, staged over Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. Kruse Auctions also presents stand-alone sales of significant private collections and scheduled online and sealed bid auctions. The company’s dedicated collector car facility encompasses more than 200,000 square feet, including a fully equipped live auction arena and secure, climate-controlled indoor space for hundreds of motorcars.

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