AUCTION Live, British Car Auctions' sale at the Fleet Motor Show has been declared a huge success by the company itself and firms which supported the event. The auction saw 165 premium cars direct from the cream of the UK's fleet lease and contract hire operators attracting prices well above their estimated value and saw 90% of cars on offer sold.

Highlights included a 95M Vauxhall Astra 1.4 LS (Hi-Torq) that went for £5,300 (130% of CAP clean), and a 95M Vauxhall Omega 2.5 CDX TD Estate auto at £10,100 (117% CAP clean). A 94M Audi Coupe 2.0 16V sold for £10,100 - £1,100 over guide value - while a 95N BMW 525 TDS four-door auto took £15,100, nearly £2,000 above guide value at 113% of CAP clean.

It was the first time the auction, in a specially constructed venue, had taken place at the event, held this year at Donington Park. Tom Madden, BCA's director of customer affairs, said: 'Auction Live gave an opportunity for exhibitors involved in the sale to demonstrate their expertise in maintaining vehicles through their service lives. It also provided an exceptional opportunity for our buyer customers, who attended in large numbers, to bid on an unrivalled selection of cars.'

Vendors for the sale included Arriva Automotive Systems, BCH Vehicle Management,