Long before Tom Cruise was a top gun (or enjoyed days of thunder), actor Steve McQueen had a serious need for speed. Whether it was actually competing as a race-car driver in 1961’s British Touring Car Championship or playing one in 1971’s Le Mans, McQueen brought the American automobile fetish to a whole new level.
So when the brains behind RM Sotheby’s Paris auction show up on Feb. 8, they’ll have a little homage to the American actor to bring along with them. The goods? A customized slate-gray 2016 Porsche 911 R—no. 967 of just 991 produced—with upgrades to its steering, suspension, and custom-built six-speed manual transmission. In other words, the Steve McQueen Porsche.
With black leather interior, black xenon headlights, and just 373 miles clocked on it, the truly outstanding mark of the Steve McQueen Porsche is its door sills, which feature an illuminated quote from McQueen himself in Le Mans: “Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.”
The Porsche has a pre-auction estimate of $475,000 to $690,000. For more information about the car and the upcoming auction, go here. Below, get a better look at the car. At the very bottom, watch a heart-pounding moment from McQueen’s turn in Le Mans.
—RealClearLife Staff
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