What Silverstone Auctions does

Silverstone Auctions, operating today as Iconic Auctioneers following a 2024 corporate rebrand, is a UK-based specialist auction house for collector cars, modern supercars, competition cars, historic motorcycles, and automobilia. Founded around 2012 and headquartered in the Warwick/Silverstone area, the company has built a specialist auction platform that combines live in-person sales at premier UK motoring venues (Silverstone Circuit, Kempton Park Racecourse, CarFest) with real-time online bidding, telephone bidding, commission bidding, timed online auctions, and discreet private sale transactions. The technology stack includes live auction streaming on the company website and YouTube, an online bidding platform, and an internal valuation committee system used to assess consignments. All live auctions are broadcast globally to enable remote participation, and the company maintains an archive of past auction results for market intelligence.

The business model is transaction-fee driven: the company charges buyers a 12.5% buyer's premium (15% inclusive of VAT) on auction sales, with additional seller-side commissions and entry fees implied by the consignment process. Secondary revenue streams include private sale transaction fees for off-auction negotiated deals and professional appraisal/valuation services delivered by an internal valuation committee. The company serves three primary persona segments — classic car collectors and enthusiasts, investors treating vehicles as alternative assets, and motorcycle collectors — with a horizontal segmentation approach. Distribution is event-driven: Iconic runs marquee sales at venues like the BRDC Classic and CarFest, complemented by digital marketing across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube (including a partnership with YouTube presenter Harry Metcalfe), LinkedIn, email newsletters, and SEO-optimized buyer/seller resource pages.

Operationally, the company reports cumulative gross transaction value (GTV) of approximately £270 million across more than 5,200 vehicles sold to buyers in over 30 countries, with 30 UK and World record-breaking auction prices achieved over the trailing two years, including a single-lot high of $5,885,000 for a Pagani Zonda Riviera. In 2024 it absorbed Classic Car Auctions (CCA) into the Iconic brand and has been recognized as the UK Classic Car Live Auction Market Leader in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, no disclosed institutional funding, and operates with a headcount in the 11–50 range. No public revenue, ARR, or financials are disclosed in the source material, and no AI/ML capability, patent portfolio, or leadership team composition is documented in the inputs.

Name

Silverstone Auctions

Legal name

Iconic Auctioneers

Website

https://silverstoneauctions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iconic Auctioneers (formerly Silverstone Auctions) is a UK-based specialist auction house for collector cars, historic motorcycles, and automobilia, holding live sales at Silverstone Circuit and Kempton Park, online timed auctions, and private sales for collectors and investors globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Classic Car & Motorcycle Auction Services

NAICS

Used Car Dealers (44112), Motorcycle, Boat, and Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (44122)

SIC

Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)

Keywords

• Classic car auctions
• Collector vehicle sales
• Motorcycle auctions
• Automobilia auctions
• Vehicle appraisal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Warwick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Auction Commissions: The company charges a buyer's premium of 12.5% plus VAT (15% including VAT) on all auction sales. Sellers likely pay entry fees and commissions as well based on the consignment and sale process described.
2. Private Sales: Facilitates private sales between buyers and sellers outside of auction format, likely with associated transaction fees or commissions.
3. Valuation & Appraisal Services: Provides appraisal and valuation services for vehicles and collections, generating service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Silverstone Auctions (now operating as Iconic Auctioneers) is a UK-based specialist auction house that conducts live and online auctions for classic cars, modern supercars, competition cars, historic motorcycles, and automobilia. It also provides vehicle appraisals, valuation services, and discreet private sale transactions for high-value collector vehicles and motorcycles.

Product overview

Iconic Auctioneers (formerly Silverstone Auctions) operates as a single, unified auction platform offering live and online auction services for collector vehicles, motorcycles, and automobilia. The product portfolio consists of core auction sale formats (Live Car Auctions, Live Motorcycle Auctions, Online Auctions) complemented by Private Sales for discreet transactions, Appraisals & Valuation Services for market assessment, Automobilia Auctions for memorabilia, and Past Auction Results for historical research. The company hosts events at prestigious venues including Silverstone Circuit and streams all live auctions online for global participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Car Auctions In-person auction events held at prestigious UK venues such as Silverstone Circuit and CarFest, where collectors and enthusiasts bid on classic cars, modern supercars, and competition vehicles in real-time.
• Live Motorcycle Auctions Specialist live auction events for historic and classic motorcycles held at venues such as Kempton Park Racecourse, targeting collectors of vintage motorcycles.
• Online Auctions Timed and live online auction sales allowing remote bidders to participate via the website, with real-time streaming of auction events on the website and YouTube channel.
• Private Sales Discreet, non-public transactions for high-value vehicles and motorcycles, offering an alternative to the auction format for sellers seeking privacy or specific buyer matches.
• Appraisals & Valuation Services Professional vehicle valuation services delivered by an internal valuation committee with expertise in classic and competition cars and motorcycles, providing market-based assessments.
• Automobilia Auctions Auction sales dedicated to automotive memorabilia and collectibles, complementing the core vehicle auction offerings.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Howden InsuranceminorOthersInsurance partner providing coverage solutions for vehicles sold through Iconic Auctioneers auctions and private sales.
• EM Rogers TransportminorOthersTransport partner providing vehicle logistics and delivery services for auction purchases and seller consignments.
• Moving MotorcyclesminorOthersSpecialist motorcycle transport partner providing logistics services for motorcycle auction and private sale transactions.
• Harry MetcalfecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYouTube presenter Harry Metcalfe works with Iconic Auctioneers for marketing engagement, creating preview videos and sale highlights for their extensive global audience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RM Sotheby's: World's largest dedicated collector-car auction house, running marquee sales at Monterey, Amelia Island, and Paris. Direct competitor for high-value consignments and global bidder pool that Iconic Auctioneers targets.
• Gooding & Company: Specialist classic-car auction house anchored at Pebble Beach. Competes for the same trophy-lot consignments and high-net-worth buyer base that drive Iconic's record-breaking sales.
• Bonhams: Global auction house with a prominent motoring division hosting the Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale and other classic-car events. Overlaps directly with Iconic on collector cars, motorcycles, and automobilia.
• Coys: Historic UK classic and motorsport car auction house. Directly comparable on format (live auctions, online bidding) and target audience (collectors, enthusiasts) but smaller in scale.
• Artcurial: Paris-based auction house with a strong motoring division (Rétromobile). Comparable specialist classic-car auction format with European focus, competing for cross-channel consignors and bidders.
• H&H Classics: UK-based classic car auction house operating live and online sales. Closest direct domestic competitor post-CCA consolidation; comparable in venue-led format and mid-market collector focus.

Broad incumbents

• Christie's: Global luxury auction house offering art, watches, jewellery, and select collector cars. Adjacent comparable as a broad luxury auction incumbent with greater brand reach but a less specialised motoring offering.

Emerging players

• Bring a Trailer: Online-only collector car auction platform with a very large enthusiast community. Represents the digital-native alternative to Iconic's venue-led model, particularly relevant for sub-£100K lots.
• Collecting Cars: Online classic and modern performance car marketplace and auction platform with strong UK and European presence. Increasingly competing for the same collector-vehicle demand pool as Iconic's online sales.
• Car & Classic: UK-focused online marketplace and auction platform for classic and collector cars. Comparable audience of UK enthusiast buyers and sellers; competes at the lower-mid value tier of Iconic's inventory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silverstoneauc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CCAClassicCarAuctions
• Facebookfacebook.com/classiccarauc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silverstone-auctions-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/classiccarauc
• TikToktiktok.com/@iconicauc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silverstone Auctions