This week Victoria launched its first lot of seven-character number plates for vehicles registered in the state, having finally caught up with the rest of Australia.
A total of 11 pre-selected combinations and a ‘Winner’s Choice’ combination went under the hammer at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne, with the auction throwing up some surprising results.
The most expensive plate at the auction was the registration combination ‘FERRARI’, which sold for $328,000 – quite a lot more than any other custom plate in the state, but still less than one of the brand’s new cars.
Other big-dollar results included ‘8888888’ selling for $270,000, ‘1111111’ for $190,000,
‘9999999’ for $185,000, and ‘MCLAREN’ for $166,000.
The ‘Winner’s Choice’, which allows the successful bidder to create their own seven-character plate, went for $202,000.
All up, VicRoad’s Custom Plates division says the 12 plates were sold for more than $2 million.
“This result shows the strong appetite for more personalised and distinctive plate options in Victoria,” said Giles Thompson, VicRoads Registration and Licensing Services CEO.
“For the first time, we’re unlocking seven-character combinations that allow for surnames, your business name and longer words – something customers have been asking for.”
“This auction is an important first step as we expand what’s possible and bring more choice to the market.
It’s not yet known when more preset combinations will become available, or if Victoria will follow the majority of other states and territories by allowing all motorists to choose their own custom seven-character plates.
According to VicRoads, more than 1.7 million of the circa-6.8 million registered vehicles in Victoria are displaying non-standard plates.
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