Used-car auction onboard the USS Midway

The bidding took off for used Toyota and Lexus vehicles on the deck of the retired aircraft carrier USS Midway.

The Heroes of History sale, held March 27 in partnership with Manheim San Diego, was the latest special event hosted by Mike Reid, national manager of Toyota Financial Services' remarketing department. Reid said in a release that the event "drew praise from many dealers who enjoyed the experience and business opportunity."

Toyota Financial has hosted event auctions with a cowboy theme in Dallas and a country music theme in Nashville. Reid aims to host one quarterly in each of the captive finance company's three regions.

Manheim is getting into the spirit, too. Over about the last three years, it has hosted mobile special event auctions — with most of the action coming via simulcast — at a baseball stadium and a NASCAR racetrack. It has special event auctions planned for each month for the rest of the year.