Steve McQueen's Porsche Le Mans up for sale

Posted Mon May 26 2008 9:35 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Classic race cars once owned by Steve McQueen can fetch millions of dollars at auction and the latest car from his collection that’s up for sale is likely to continue the tradition. Last August a 1963 Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso once owned by McQueen sold for $2.31 million. Promoters of a 1970 908/2 Porsche race car driven by the actor in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1970 and then again in the 1971 movie Le Mans are expecting an even greater sum for the car at the upcoming Bonhams & Butterfields auctions in Monterey.

During the famous 12 Hours of Sebring race, McQueen came second to fellow legend Mario Andretti and the event is still considered one of the best endurance races ever. As the story goes, McQueen bought the car specifically for the race and recruited Formula 1 driver Peter Revson as his co-driver. He was in the lead until the last laps when he was overtaken by Andretti in a Ferrari.

The 908/2 is powered by a 3.0L eight-cylinder boxer engine that produces about 350hp and can reach speeds in excess of 200mph thanks to its light 1,400 pound kerb weight. The car will be sold by Bonhams & Butterfields at the start of the Pebble Beach Concours.

Reader Comments

Mon May 26 2008 7:00 PM
CarFanaticsUnleashed says

I really would love to have one of those...
However, I don't really think I could possibly shell out the cash for it.
Oh well...
Mon May 26 2008 8:20 PM
Stephan Wilkinson says

This car was never "owned" by Steve McQueen, which is not unimportant. It was owned by Solar Productions, a division of CBS, which was financing the Le Mans film. (Bonhams is pretty clear about this.)

This makes a lot of difference because there are many "star cars" that were owned by film studios or were simply lent to actors to get them to drive them. There are other star cars that had the guy's, or gal's. name on the registration. There's an enormous difference, provenance-wise, between whether Frank Sinatra farted into the seat once or twice or whether he actually owned the car.

Steve McQueen _owned_ the '63 Lusso. Steve McQueen only _drove_ the 908. Oh, and he didn't drive it in "Le Mans." It was entered in the race and used as a camera car while driven by Jonathan Williams and a well-known German driver whose name momentarily escapes me. If McQueen "drove" it, it was on a sound stage.

Collectors, of course, will be careful about this. The dorks will bid millions for the car because they don't understand its provenance, the knowledgeable will understand that it's just another 908.
Tue May 27 2008 2:03 AM
MyWheelsOnWalls.com says

Very interesting..... although I thought it was odd as I did know of or associate a 908 with Mr McQeens past. Anything to drive the price up then!!!!
Tue Jun 3 2008 3:00 AM
john says

I thought that Solar ProductÄ±ons was Steve McQueen's production company. According to his wife Neile, Solar Productions was started by Steve McQueen. It would be interesting to know where you read that Solar Productions was a division of CBS. Ä°f McQueen owned Solar Productions and Solar Productions owned the Porsche, then Steve McQueen owned the Porsche, albeit indirectly.

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