I'm Wrong A Lot: Steve McQueen's Porsche Fetches Nearly $2M
Steve McQueen’s 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera fetched $1.95 million at auction, according to Hemmings Daily.
The specially ordered, air-cooled turbo Porsche had a few cool factory features including dual mirrors, limited-slip differential, black leather buckets and the original tag with McQueen’s custom-ordered slate gray color still riveted to the door jamb.
Considering a fine 1976 Porsche 930 with 64,000 miles on the clock went for nearly $300,000, I figured the auction for charity of McQueen’s car would fetch around the same.
I’m wrong. I can admit that to you now.
Proceeds from the auction will go to Boys Republic, a school in Chino Hills, California, that helps at-risk youth.
Beyond owning the last car that McQueen reportedly special ordered, the new Porsche 930 owner will get the added benefit of having a kill-switch for the rear lights, in case they’re being followed at night like McQueen.
The car was reportedly “refreshed” in the 1990s, which means that not all the cars that went for mega-money this weekend were unrestored Ferraris.
More by Aaron Cole
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Complaining about unfair/uncorrect/overvalued market price is kinda funny. The market is always right - if two individuals agree on a price and the deal is done, then this is the correct value of the item. I think classic car market crashes only after 20 or 30 years when generation x dies. They are the last generation who has experinced the cult of automobile. Millenials (generation wuss) have no interest in cars except the multimedia part. I think in 30-40 years we will see unpacked first generation iphones selling for millions of dollars.
I think the $2 million reflects a lot of charity-giving rather than the real value of the car. A few months ago I watched an auction of a car restored in Jay Leno's shop (I can't remember--a 50s Buick, maybe?) and it went for a startling amount of money because it was for a charitable cause. The car has since come up at auction and has gone for a normal price you would expect, like $50,000 vs over $200,000. Of course Steve McQueen was notable for motorcycles and some of his have sold for record amounts as well including a great 1915 Cyclone board track bike that went for $775,000 in March. So while there is a celebrity premium there is also one for McQueen-as-motorhead.