Classic Car Auctions
Classic Car Auctions operates as the Classic Sales division of Iconic Auctioneers, a UK specialist auction house conducting live and online auctions of collector cars, classic motorcycles, and automobilia at premier venues with a global remote bidding audience.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersWarwick, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Classic Car Auctions does
Classic Car Auctions (CCA) is a UK-based specialist auction house operating as Classic Sales under the Iconic Auctioneers umbrella brand (formerly Silverstone Auctions). Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Warwick, the company conducts live auctions of collector cars, classic and modern supercars, competition vehicles, historic motorcycles, and automobilia at premier UK motoring venues including Silverstone Circuit, Kempton Park Racecourse, and CarFest. CCA was acquired and integrated into Iconic Auctioneers in 2025 as part of a broader corporate rebranding and consolidation strategy.
The core platform combines physical live auctions with remote bidding channels — in-person attendance, online platform bidding, phone bidding, and commission bidding — and all live auctions are streamed on the Iconic Auctioneers website and dedicated YouTube channel for global accessibility. An internal valuation committee provides specialist appraisals across classic, competition, and motorcycle categories. Supporting products include timed online auctions, private sales for discreet off-auction transactions, paid appraisal services, and a searchable archive of past auction results that functions as a price-discovery tool for the collector market.
Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based fees: a buyer's premium of 12.5% plus VAT (15% inclusive) on all auction purchases, plus seller commissions on entry and successful sale. Supplementary streams include private sale commissions and valuation services. The company reports £270M+ in cumulative vehicle sales across 5,200+ vehicles sold to buyers in 30+ countries, with 30 UK and World record-breaking auction prices achieved in the last two years and a highest single-sale value of $5,885,000 (Pagani Zonda Riviera). The business has been recognized as UK Classic Car Live Auction Market Leader in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Classic Car Auctions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Classic Car Auctions
- Legal name
- Iconic Auctioneers
- Website
- https://classiccarauctions.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Classic Car Auctions operates as the Classic Sales division of Iconic Auctioneers, a UK specialist auction house conducting live and online auctions of collector cars, classic motorcycles, and automobilia at premier venues with a global remote bidding audience.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Classic Car Auctions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Classic Vehicle Auction Services
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers (441), Used Car Dealers (441120)
- SIC
- Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)
Keywords
Where Classic Car Auctions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Warwick
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Classic Car Auctions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Buyer's Premium: Charges buyers a premium of 12.5% plus VAT (15% inclusive VAT) on all auction purchases
- Seller Commission: Earns commission on successful sales through auction channels, with entry fees and sale commissions
- Private Sales: Facilitates private sales between buyers and sellers, earning commission on discreet transactions outside auction setting
- Valuation Services: Provides appraisal and valuation services for vehicles, including free valuations and paid appraisal services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer's Premium - 12.5% plus VAT |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle Valuations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Classic Car Auctions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Classic Car Auctions (CCA) operates as a specialist auction house for classic cars, modern supercars, competition cars, historic motorcycles, and automobilia. The company runs live auctions at premier UK motoring venues including Silverstone Circuit, Kempton Park Racecourse, and CarFest, alongside timed online auctions and discreet private sales, with internal valuation experts appraising every consigned vehicle.
Product overview
Iconic Auctioneers (formerly Silverstone Auctions) operates a multi-channel auction platform combining live events at premier UK motoring venues with comprehensive online bidding capabilities. The core offering consists of Live Car Auctions, Live Motorcycle Auctions, and Online Auctions, supplemented by Private Sales for discreet transactions and Appraisals & Valuation Services. The platform also includes Automobilia Auctions for memorabilia and a Past Auction Results archive. Classic Car Auctions operates as a sub-brand integrated into the Iconic Auctioneers website. Bidders can participate in person, online, by phone, or via commission, with all live auctions streamed via website and YouTube.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live Car Auctions In-person auction events at prestigious UK venues such as Silverstone Circuit and CarFest where collectors bid on classic cars, modern supercars, and competition vehicles in real-time. Streaming available via website and YouTube for remote bidders.
- Live Motorcycle Auctions Live auction events for historic and classic motorcycles, held at specialist venues such as Kempton Park Racecourse, featuring timed and live bidding options for collectors of vintage two-wheelers.
- Online Auctions Timed online sales allowing bidders to participate remotely through the website, with scheduled auction events and online-only catalogues for classic cars and motorcycles.
- Private Sales Discrete off-auction transactions for vehicles and motorcycles, enabling sellers and buyers to complete sales outside the public auction format with personal assistance and confidentiality.
- Appraisals & Valuation Services Professional vehicle and motorcycle valuation services provided by an internal committee with specialist expertise, offering free online valuations and formal paid appraisal reports for sellers and buyers.
- Automobilia Auctions Specialist auctions for collectors' automobile memorabilia and collectibles, complementing the vehicle and motorcycle auction offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 5,200 vehicles sold totalling £270 million to buyers in more than 30 countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Classic Car Auctions
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Classic Car Auctions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Classic Car Auctions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Howden InsuranceminorInsurance partner providing coverage solutions for vehicles sold at auction and during transport
- EM Rogers TransportminorVehicle transport partner for shipping purchased vehicles to buyers
- Moving MotorcyclesminorSpecialist motorcycle transport service for safe delivery of motorcycles
- Harry MetcalfecoreYouTube presenter collaboration for marketing content, preview videos, and sale highlights to engage global automotive audience
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Classic Car Auctions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bonhams|Cars: Global auction house with a dedicated motoring division that runs classic car sales alongside art, jewellery, and watches. Comparable to Iconic Auctioneers' luxury auction model but operates as part of a much broader luxury goods auction portfolio.
Direct peers
- Artcurial Motorcars: French auction house running the high-profile Rétromobile sale in Paris. Comparable specialist classic car auction house with strong European presence and similar consignment-to-buyer transaction model.
- Mecum Auctions: Largest US collector car auction company by volume, running live events across multiple US cities with live online bidding. Competes for the same global audience of classic and collector car buyers.
- Coys (Coys of Kensington): Historic London-based classic and collectors' car auction house founded in 1919. Competes with Iconic Auctioneers for UK and European classic car consignments and enthusiasts.
- Gooding & Company: US-based classic car auction house best known for its Pebble Beach sales. Directly competes for premium collector vehicles and high-net-worth buyers in the global classic car auction market.
- Bonhams Cars: International auction house running dedicated motoring sales at venues such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Paris Rétromobile. Directly competes with Iconic Auctioneers for European classic car consignments and collector buyers.
- RM Sotheby's: Global specialist auction house for investment-quality classic and collector cars. Directly comparable to Iconic Auctioneers as it competes for the same high-end consignors and international buyers, primarily through marquee events in Monterey, Amelia Island, and Europe.
- Barrett-Jackson: US-based collector car auction company famous for high-volume live auctions in Scottsdale and Palm Beach. Comparable business model combining live venue auctions, online bidding, and a buyer's premium structure similar to Iconic Auctioneers.
- H&H Classics: UK-based classic car auction house holding live sales at venues such as the Imperial War Museum Duxford. Direct UK competitor to Iconic Auctioneers in the classic car live auction space.
Regional players
- Brightwells: UK-based auctioneer running classic car, motorcycle, and automobilia sales primarily across UK regional venues. Comparable in offering mix and customer base but with a more regional UK focus than Iconic Auctioneers' marquee Silverstone/CarFest events.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Classic Car Auctions social profiles
Digital presenceClassic Car Auctions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Classic Car Auctions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Classic Car Auctions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Classic Car Auctions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Classic Car Auctions
What does Classic Car Auctions do?
Classic Car Auctions (CCA) operates as a specialist auction house for classic cars, modern supercars, competition cars, historic motorcycles, and automobilia. The company runs live auctions at premier UK motoring venues including Silverstone Circuit, Kempton Park Racecourse, and CarFest, alongside timed online auctions and discreet private sales, with internal valuation experts appraising every consigned vehicle.
Is Classic Car Auctions a public or private company?
Classic Car Auctions is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Classic Car Auctions founded?
Classic Car Auctions was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Classic Car Auctions based?
Classic Car Auctions is headquartered in Warwick, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Classic Car Auctions make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Buyer's Premium is the primary driver. The others are seller Commission, private Sales and valuation Services.
Who are Classic Car Auctions's main competitors?
Bonhams|Cars is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Artcurial Motorcars, Mecum Auctions, Coys (Coys of Kensington), Gooding & Company, Bonhams Cars, RM Sotheby's, Barrett-Jackson and H&H Classics. Brightwells is listed as a regional player.
Does Classic Car Auctions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Classic Car Auctions.
What industry is Classic Car Auctions in?
Classic Car Auctions's product category is Classic Vehicle Auction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAKAF, Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry), with a secondary code of TLABAKAA, Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online). Its NAICS code is 441 and its SIC code is 5500.