Mecum‘s Indy 2023 sale is well underway and many excellent classic and collector cars have made their way across the auction block. The sale will finish on May 20 and in the intervening days even more exciting and collectible cars will be offered for sale. Mecum offers a wide assortment of vehicles at their auctions and while it can be difficult to narrow things down to just a top ten list of most exciting cars, that’s exactly what follows.
Ford wanted to dig themselves out of the automotive malaise of the 1970s and the Ford M81 McLaren Mustang was one their earliest attempts to revitalize the brand and gain a new – and younger – market for the famed Mustang nameplate. Ford originally intended to build 250 examples of the M81 McLaren Mustang, but only ten were ever completed. This specific car was the prototype that Ford sent around the country to promote the model and it features a plaque on its dash with the serial number 000P – P as in prototype. The 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine was modified by McLaren, increasing power from 132 to 175 horsepower. This car includes a Deluxe Marti Report, promotional postcard, dealer-only poster, and a copy of the December 1980 issue of MotorTrend that features this very car on its cover.
This 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R presents nicely in a stunning Green Hell Magno with a black interior that features yellow seatbelts and stitching. Powered by a twin turbo 4.0L V8 that produces 577 horsepower and 517 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that delivers all that power to its rear wheels. It’s covered just 406 miles since new. These have a top speed just shy of 200 mph and run 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
This 1988 Saleen Mustang is one of the excellent cars on offer as part of Ben and Karen’s Fabulous Fox Body Collection. It’s number 187 of the 546 that were built and sports a 5.0L V8 with a five-speed manual transmission. The original paint and decals have stood the test of time and it’s known to be a California-based car. Some of the modifications performed by Saleen include improvements to the suspension, ground effects bodywork, and a Saleen-exclusive rear spoiler, not to mention the numerous modifications to the interior. This is a great example of an early Saleen-branded Mustang and should draw plenty of attention.
The Shelby/Hertz story is well-known, but what many don’t know about it is that there are three examples of the GT350H that are known to have been refused by Hertz towards the end of their agreement with Shelby American. This happens to be one of those three cars so, rather than starting life as a rental, it was sold new by Tasca Ford of East Providence, RI in 1967. The engine is nearly-original, having been subject to a counter-exchange in March of 1967, though it retained the original cylinder heads. Similar to most of the GT350Hs that were built, other than very early production examples, it’s equipped with a three-speed automatic transmission. It includes a great deal of documentation verifying the car’s authenticity and is included in the Shelby Registry. A rotisserie restoration was recently completed and the car has only completed some minor test miles since then.
This is a very rare, unmodified 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II that shows just 35,405 km, about 21,977 miles. Nissan built the V-Spec GT-R to celebrate the model’s success in racing. These models featured a retuned all-wheel drive system, aluminum hood, Brembo brakes, and a front bumper from the Nismo R32. It presents nicely in Crystal White and includes the owner’s manuals, toolkit, jack, spare tire, and service records. It’s believed that just 1,306 of these were built. It is a right-hand drive car, so bidders should keep that in mind, but that shouldn’t make it any less attractive to true JDM and GT-R enthusiasts.
Finished in classic Guards Red with a tan interior, this 1987 Porsche 930 Turbo is a very clean and well-maintained example that is equipped with a four-speed manual transaxle as well as the 930 Widebody kit. The K27 turbocharged six-cylinder engine was rebuilt by Porsche of Nashville, TN. It includes a three-spoke Momo steering wheel and a Fabspeed stainless central-exit exhaust. It rides on 16-inch factory Fuchs wheels and stands to make its next owner very happy on the road.
One of only 300 Cobra Rs built for the 2000 model year, this car shows only 564 miles on its odometer. Capable of running 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, at the time of its introduction it was the fastest factory-built Mustang produced. It’s powered by a 5.4L V8 that produces 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque, which drives the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. The bodywork features a front fascia with a splitter and a rear wing that help set it apart from the standard Mustang of its day. It also features racing front struts and rear shocks along with Brembo four-piston ventilated disc brakes and a side-exit dual exhaust. There’s no doubt that this will only increase in collectibility as it becomes more and more difficult to find low mileage examples such as this.
This 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster, CSX2517, was delivered new in Barrington, IL and originally finished in Rouge Iris with beige leather. It’s a desirable rack-and-pinion example. Supposedly purchased by an aspiring racer, upon failing to obtain an SCCA license he parked the car for an extended period of time. In 1969 the original body and substructure of the car were sold, although the chassis, drivetrain, and paperwork remained with the car’s original owner. Bill Kemper purchased the chassis and drivetrain in 1975 and set about rebuilding the car to street specifications. Some sheet metal from CSX2515 was used in this process. It currently wears black paint with a black leather interior and is well documented in the Shelby Registry.
This 1990 Ferrari Testarossa is Ferrari Classiche Certified and has covered just 14,992 miles since it was first sold. It wear Rosso Corsa paint over a tan interior and is powered by a 4.9L Flat 12-cylinder engine that produces 385 horsepower. It includes the original tool roll, jack, and spare as well as the original books and manuals as well as the Ferrari Red Book. An excellent example of one of the most iconic Ferraris ever constructed.
This matching-numbers 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird is one of only 77 that were built with an automatic transmission. The original broadcast sheet and IPM punch card are included in the sale. It presents beautifully in Alpine White with black interior and benefits from a frame-off restoration. Two Chrysler Registry reports discuss this car, one prior to the restoration and the second after it was completed. It features well-documented ownership history is possibly one of the nicest Hemi Superbirds in existence so it should get plenty of bidders, especially those who want the power of the Hemi V8 with the simplicity of the A727 Torqueflite automatic transmission.