Nobody wanted the last DeSoto. Then one red hardtop rolled across the block in late October and sold for $80,000, a number that would have made the engineers who built it fall off their stools.
The sale took place at a Richmond Auctions event, where the 1961 DeSoto went under the hammer at no reserve. The gavel fell at exactly $80K, according to Autoevolution, and it set a new world record for the model year.
A $55,000 Record From 2009 Finally Falls
The old record for a 1961 DeSoto was $55,000, and it had been standing since 2009. Another hardtop sold for $49,500 in 2013, and those two are the only 1961 DeSotos that fetched much over $30,000. Both were well-maintained, low-mileage cars.
That is the real surprise. While some older Adventurer models bring six-figure sums at public auctions, the 1961 DeSotos barely exceeded the $30,000 mark. This one cleared that line by a mile.
The Brand That Slid From The Middle Of The Pack To The Scrapyard
DeSoto was established in 1928 and slotted between Plymouth and Dodge in the Chrysler hierarchy. It competed with brands like Studebaker, Hudson, Willys and Pontiac. In 1933 it was repositioned above Dodge…