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Worldwide Auctions will live up to its name with auction this fall in Saudi Arabia

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Worldwide Auctioneers will live up to its name this fall when it stages the first Riyadh collector car auction and salon, scheduled for November 21-26 in Saudi Arabia’s capital city.

The auction and salon will be part of a week-long automotive festival, said John Kruse, co-principal of the Indiana-based auction company. Florida-based but Swedish-owned Bonnier Events is working with Worldwide and the Saudi government in staging the festival.

“We’ve been working on it for a little while,” Kruse said. “In my belief, Saudi Arabia is possibly the top emerging market worldwide right now (for collector cars). The Crown Prince has certainly made some moves — women having driver’s licenses, opened flexibility with modified automobiles — as part of his 2030 plan to reduce the emphasis on just oil by creating some additional cultural and entertainment and automotive-type events. 

“For them (the government) to be fully backing the largest-ever Middle East automotive festival for five days is huge.

Fireworks light up the sky over Riyadh

“To conduct the first-ever auction and private sales makes for a spectacular opportunity.”

Collector car auction veteran Andy Stone is working with Worldwide in securing assignments for the sale, which comes during a busy time for Worldwide, which has auctions in mid-August in Pacific Grove, California; over the Labor Day weekend back home in Auburn, Indiana; a single-consignor event in early October in Corpus Christi, Texas; as well as an auction in January in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Consignments for the Saudi auction and sales salon need to be made by September 6 so more than 300 vehicles — a few more than 100 for the auction, the others for the sales salon — can be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean on a Saudi vessel.

“We’re putting together a diverse offering for both the one-day auction and a more expanded private sales salon,” Kruse said.

Kruse said the Saudi government sought such a sales setup “and felt we were the best fit both in terms of the style in which we do things and that we’re a size where we can be nimble and flexible enough to do this.”

He added that Worldwide anticipates that the Riyadh automotive festival and Worldwide auction will become an annual event, and perhaps not the only such overseas opportunity for the company he owns with partner Rod Egan.

“We’re always looking at different markets,” Kruse said. “While we do continue to look at all options, we’re pretty focused on this right now. We really want to make this a success, and then we’ll look further.”

Kruse sees the new auction as much more than a sales opportunity.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of exposure to all things religious and political and have a pretty good understanding of the region,” he added. “We’ll be able to mesh well.

“It’s an important culture in today’s world and to have a common interest (can be crucial), the automobile brings a lot of people together.”

Larry Edsall
Larry Edsall
A former daily newspaper sports editor, Larry Edsall spent a dozen years as an editor at AutoWeek magazine before making the transition to writing for the web and becoming the author of more than 15 automotive books. In addition to being founding editor at ClassicCars.com, Larry has written for The New York Times and The Detroit News and was an adjunct honors professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

8 COMMENTS

    • The biggest question is , with the dozens of auctions for classic cars going on in America , why would anyone want to risk shipping their car to a dictator’s country , there is no 100% guarantee your car will be safe and sound . Is it greed ? Is that the reason you would risk your car and family’s fortune ? Keep your car and money in America, where it is a safe deal.
      A full article on Saudi with no mention of their despicable act of murdering a journalist who was an American resident ? You can’t mention any current news ? Just repeat verbatim a sales ad for Saudi’s? What kind of journalist are you Mr Edsall ? You just post what is a marketing ploy for the Saudi Government ? They throw in that women have drivers license now in as a obvious dog bone to satisfy the ignorant ? Check out the Saudi’s true treatment of women and minorities
      It would only take you a few googles to inform yourself and others . Please do your job as a journalist mr Edsall . Anyone can regurgitate press releases. Is that all you do sir ? Please enlighten us all what your job is there

      thanks , keep your American car in America! It will rot in Saudi Arabia. If it’s too good to be true , it probably is ! Use your head folks ! Bill

  1. I KNOW I will be as safe or safer in the KSA as I am in The USA.

    Question, How is America hurt if I sell my car for millions in Saudia Arabia and, AND
    I bring all that money home to pay taxes on and spend spend spend???

    • Al.
      I still own nearly (40), Muscle Cars. Mostly MOPARS, (Some Stored 30+ Years)! I’ve kept pix of the ones I sold. (Wish I had them back)….
      I personally intend on keeping my cars in my country, the (Good Ole USA). However, if MONEY is the motivator (as for most) THIS Could Very Well Be The REAL DEAL…

      My personal friends “Paul Cummings” built the “Wheels of Yesteryear” Auto Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, “Big Daddy” Don built his Drag Racing Museum in Ocala, Fla., and most recently “Mr. 4Speed”, Herb McCandless is finishing his museum just off I-40 in Burlington, NC, So Everyone Can Visit and Enjoy Our AMERICAN Cars history!

      I think it’s personal preference, but if I were in it for the MONEY I would be on a plane with my other friend “Sam Jordan (owner) “Classic Coach Restorations” from our home town of Pinehurst, NC to sell one of my Hemi or 6Pack Mopar cars and fetch a possible cool $1million… But money isn’t my motivator. However, the other countries I’ve worked and lived, always afforded me a Super TAX FREE Experience! I do agree with you to bring those monies HOME to infuse our local economies!

      Good Day.
      R JR 😃
      Village of Pinehurst

  2. Actually… your the one who is misinformed. Hagerty has coverage on every single car that was shipped there. Sure, I can see your point of view, but there are others as well. With women now being allowed to drive, there has been a spike in demand for American muscle, and believe it or not, racing has become a major part of saudi culture. this includes, street racing, drag racing, top fuel, drift, and circle track. Saudi Arabia also has a ban on street legal vehicles that are allowed to be imported. they must be 50+ years old, making this year 50 years from 1969. (obviously a great year for American muscle) the racing season only last 6 weeks there due to climate, so right before the season starts you wouldn’t believe the insane amount of money spent buying cars, shipping them, flying out American mechanics, putting them up in the nicest of hotels, and of course getting these cars race ready. at first I fully agreed with you that these gems should stay here, but the sellers will pull 3 or more times what it would ever sell for here, and if it dont, they will bring them back. would love to see pictures of ALL the cars, but from what I already know of them, most people couldn’t maintain an open mind

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