The beginning of the new year kicks off the auction season, especially around Scottsdale, Arizona, where snowbirds from all corners of the Earth congregate to squawk about cars at any of the major auctions that take place during the month of January. Sure, you know Barrett-Jackson’s auction (and it’s absolutely massive footprint at Westworld of Scottsdale) but there are other auctions going on as well, including the Russo and Steele auction that takes place just a bit up the road at Salt River Fields at Talking Sticks, for example. If you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, be it a little or a substantial amount, it’s easy to get rid of it in Arizona.

One auction that we weren’t tracking so well was the Gooding and Company auction, which will be taking place near the Fashion Square Mall near old-town Scottsdale on January 20th and 21st, with viewing opening up January 18th. Why haven’t we known about this auction? Maybe it’s the caliber of car that appears here: this isn’t the show and flash of Barrett-Jackson, this is “sell the house” expensive, and it’s good…Ferrari Daytonas and Berlinetta Boxers, classic Bugattis, Gullwing Mercedes, and the like. So, naturally we perused the auction and found a couple potential options, should you feel like mailing a letter to the North Pole. You can ask for the car, but we’d suggest asking for the winning lottery ticket first for these two:

Option 1: 1969 American Motors AMX/3, the “Monza” test car

It’s amazing to consider that this sleek, sexy shape came from the same company that gave us the Gremlin, coffin-nosed Matador and the absolutely abhorrent Pacer. The AMX/3 was what happened when American Motors unleashed Richard Teague’s brillance and told him to have fun. And it wasn’t just a styling exercise, either…American Motors was serious about putting the AMX/3 into production, and had built a handful of what we today would call “test mules” to shake the cars out before production actually started. Unfortunately, AMC got bit by financial hardship and the AMX/3 project was shelved, but not before seven cars were completed. This Bittersweet Orange beauty is known as the “Monza”, because it was tested out in Italy by Bizzarrini, where the car hit 170 miles per hour. Remember, this is powered by a relatively stock AMC 390 backed up by a OTO Melaro four-speed transaxle.

Option 2: 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale

The difficulty was not determining that the AMX/3 was an option, but instead, what car from Gooding and Company’s Scottsdale auction could possibly compete with head-to-head. There’s plenty of cars that are similar in shape and layout, but lack something compared to the prototype Rambler. Except, maybe, for this little beast. The Lancia Stratos might not have a prototype history, but when you combine one of the very few times Enzo Ferrari lent out an engine to another manufacturer and a racing pedigree that cannot be refuted, maybe you have something here. The HF Stradale is the homologation special for the Stratos, the street-going car that turned a 190 horsepower Dino V6 into a 144 MPH top speed with style. With an immediately recognizable shape, a howler of an engine, and the motorsports pedigree to back it up, the Stratos is certainly a worthy option.

So, there’s your two options: Ital-American test mule or psychotic little rally screamer? Make your pick below…

(Thanks to Hemmings for the initial inspiration)