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Star of 'Le Mans’ Porsche could fetch R18m!

LE MANS, France - With anticipation reaching fever pitch for the 2015 Le Mans 24 hour race at Le Sarthe in France this weekend (June 13-14), it has been reported the last Porsche owned by the late Steve McQueen, star of the 1971 film Le Mans, is up for sale.


Coincidence? Perhaps. Opportunistic? Most probably.


The slate-grey Porsche 911 (930 in America) Turbo bought by McQueen in 1976 will be a star attraction when it goes on auction in August during the 2015 Monterey Car Week in Los Angeles, California.


WORTH R18-MILLION?


The auctioneers, Mecum Auctions, expect the Porsche to sell for as much as R18-million as it was one of the last cars owned by the “King of Cool”.


He died in 1980, aged only 50.


A portion of the proceeds will be donated to benefit The Boys Republic, a non-profit treatment community for troubled youngsters in Chino Hills, California, credited by McQueen for turning his life around.


McQueen’s movie 'Le Mans' was filmed 45 years ago during the 1970 edition of the annual endurance race in France and is described by aficionada as “essential viewing for anyone with petrol in their veins."



Video: McQueen’s slate grey Porsche 911 Turbo


The Turbo was the fastest car Porsche, the manufacturer with the most Le Mans wins to its credit, had  built when it went on sale in 1975. It is powered by a three-litre turbocharged engine developing nearly 200 kW, giving it a 0-100km/h time of 5.2sec and a top speed of 246km/h.

The star of the movies 'Bullitt' and 'Le Mans' was one of Hollywood’s biggest car enthusiasts and a handy racing driver in his own right.


McQueen specced the Porsche with a sunroof, dual mirrors and sports seats and added larger wheels later. According to reports he also had a switch installed to kill the rear lights if traffic officers were trying to catch him when he raced around the streets of Monterey in LA.


In 2011 a 1970 Porsche 911S also owned by McQueen and featured in 'Le Mans' was sold for a record R15-million and his old Ferrari 275 GTB sold for about R100-million in 2014 – still a bargain compared to the R200-million the McLaren F1 owned by Rowan Atkinson, the actor best known for his role as 'Mr Bean', recently went for roughly R149-million. 



UP FOR SALE: Steve McQueen's 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo will go under the hammer at the 2015 Monterey Car Week in Los Angeles, California in August 2015. Image: Mecum Auctions



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