Supercar Blondie debuts new $100mn digital auction SBX Cars including rare Lamborghinis, Aston Martins

In an interview with Arabian Business, Supercar Blondie founder Alex Hirschi and SBX Cars CEO Nik Nirschi revealed that the platform has already secured over $100 million in consignments prior to launch from collectors, dealers, and OEMs around the world.

“We realised there was no centralised space or platform for buyers and sellers of high-end exotic cars to connect globally,” said Alex Hirschi, known as Supercar Blondie. “SBX Cars solves that by providing a digital marketplace dedicated to the finest luxury automobiles.”

While online auctions for mid-range vehicles are commonplace, the premium collectible car market has remained largely analogue and dominated by traditional live auctions.

SBX Cars is breaking new ground as the first platform focused solely on digital-only auctions for multi-million dollar hypercars, supercars, classics and other exotic vehicles. This pioneering model offers major advantages over traditional live auctions in terms of speed, flexibility, and cost savings for sellers.

“Sellers can go from applying to sale in just weeks rather than the months required for live auctions. And fees are a fraction of the 15 to 20 percent charged by auction houses,” Nik Hirschi explained.

SBX Cars also provides unprecedented global reach beyond the locality of physical events which are restricted to certain dates and locations.

Bidders no longer need to travel for auctions halfway across the world. With 150 million Supercar Blondie fans worldwide, SBX Cars lets them bid from anywhere 24/7, said Alex Hirschi.

While used car auctions are commonplace in the UAE, high-end collectible car auctions are still a novelty in the region.

Yet SBX Cars has already generated substantial buzz, with coveted consignments like a Mercedes-AMG One hypercar and Lamborghini Veneno already housed locally ahead of the auction.

“The market seems very receptive to digital luxury car auctions, though physical events still have value for car enthusiasts,” said Nik Hirschi.

Nonetheless, he believes digital auctions are the inevitable future as younger collectors desire tech-enabled convenience over traditions of the past.

SBX Cars auction lineup

To celebrate its launch on April 2nd, SBX Cars has lined up an unparalleled collection of vehicles never before seen at other auctions.

The highlights include the world’s first Mercedes-AMG One and Hyperion XP-1 supercar prototypes offered for public auction, a one of three LaFerrari prototype, Tesla Cyberpunk with no reserve, a one of nine Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, a one of three Lamborghini Veneno Coupe, and F1 cars raced by legends like Nigel Mansell and Johnny Dumfries from the iconic black and gold John Player Special Lotus team of the 1970s-80s.

“There’s never been a single collection sale of such incredible Formula One history all at once,” said Alex Hirschi.

The auction also features other legends like a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, Lamborghini Miura, BMW 507, Aston Martin DB5 and more.

The sheer size and value of consignments is unprecedented for a new auction platform. But it reflects the trust collectors now have in the digital model pioneered by SBX Cars.

Behind the scenes, SBX Cars has built a team of specialists with deep experience in collectible car auctions.

“We have been reaching out to our network of collectors, dealers, and OEMs globally over the past year to bring this platform to life,” revealed Nik Hirschi.

Supercar auctions go digital

While the auctions themselves are digital, SBX Cars aims to foster a sense of community around these incredible vehicles.

“We will run global events where the collector community can come together and experience these cars in person,” said Alex Hirschi.

This recognises that despite the convenience of digital auctions, enthusiasts still appreciate the nostalgia and tactile experience of a traditional auction preview.

“There will always be a space for events and we might do that to showcase a specific car but the actual bidding process will still be online,” she added.

A new era of car collecting

With the launch of SBX Cars, Supercar Blondie is leveraging her unmatched global influence of over 110 million followers across platforms to modernise and transform the elite car-collecting market.

SBX Cars offers sellers the opportunity to have their vehicle featured by Supercar Blondie. With an average audience of two billion people per month across her channels, this provides unparalleled exposure for each vehicle before auction. All consignments will also be promoted through SBX Cars own website and social channels.

Auctions run for seven to 14 days, allowing prospective bidders to view vehicles by video or in-person. Supercar Blondie’s team of photographers and videographers further showcase each lot as part of the full-service offering.

The platform – overseen by seasoned collectible luxury car auction specialist Lance Butler – will allow buyers and sellers worldwide to easily trade exotic cars digitally for the first time, while still cultivating the passion and community around automotive auctions.

“In terms of global data, you already have digital auction houses surpass the physical auction space in total transaction volumes. And as collectors and sellers become younger and younger, they become more tech-savvy as well. The digital world has surpassed the physical auction role,” said Nik Hirschi.

SBX Cars brings car collecting into the 21st century for a new generation of enthusiasts. And its auction is set to make history by breaking auction records and realising incredible prices never before seen in the digital realm.