Bullitt Mustang Going To Auction
 

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McQueen’s Bullitt could be the most expensive Mustang ever sold at auction

When we broke the news in January 2018 that the long-lost Bullitt Mustang was safe and sound in Tennessee, the story rocked the automotive world. It also ignited speculation about how much the iconic car might be worth if it ever hit the market.

In five months, we’ll know the answer.

The 1968 Ford Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt is headed to Mecum’s 2020 Kissimmee auction in January.

Company president and founder Dana Mecum made the announcement on August 14 to kick off Monterey Car Week. Mecum says he expects the Mustang to surpass the American muscle car record of $3.5M paid for a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible at Mecum’s 2014 Seattle auction. The highest auction price for a Mustang to date is $2.2M for a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake at Mecum Kissimmee earlier this year.

Did this one ever sell ...?

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That is the definition of an Iconic car for sure

Buy the car that Steve couldn't.

Man.... I gotta be there for this one! :drool: Estimates? $5mil?:hmmm:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

$5M wouldn't surprise - has to be the most valuable muscle car w/McQueen factor. Though also dig the '67 Super Snake (and it wasn't pretending!).

Would be a cool fit at the Petersen next to Steve's XK-SS - and figure it'd be the cornerstone in their Hollywood Dream Machines exhibit ...

I read that whole article. Not sure who wrote it, but it was a little difficult to follow, at least for me. Anyway, wow, the guy who owns the Bullitt Mustang (and it sounds like his father as well, may he RIP), are taking ownership of this car to the extreme. I get that it's iconic and an important car in history from the movie, but it sounds like they are stressed almost to the limit owning this car. I definitely get keeping it quiet to keep it safe and secure, but it almost sounds like it's a huge burden instead of what I would think it would be, a gift or an exciting situation that will provide your family with a great deal of wealth when it's all said and done. We all approach things differently, which I get, but man, that guy seems to be taking all of this way too seriously. We only live this life once, and I think it's meant to be enjoyed. Just MHO.

My guesstimate is $10 million. I am basing it on the fact that the first Cobra sold for $13.75 million

I've been giving the sale of this car some thought, and have contemplated why the family would choose to sell, rather than continue to celebrate its history with the world. It's difficult to fully understand anyone else's financial situation, and the value of this car solely lies in its current condition being unaltered.

I recently visited Ring Brothers facility out here in Spring Green, WI. The Ring Brothers are known for their high dollar builds and I was shocked to see one of their high dollar builds with a dented quarter, door, and gouged wheel. The damage occurred in a shipping container while on its way to Europe. The employee said damage in shipping cars overseas in more common than you'd think. In this case, a strap let loose, allowing the car to bounce around. I always stress out any time I have a vehicle shipped, so having the Bullitt Mustang off and on a trailer constantly would freak me out. And DRIVE it to local shows? Umm, that's a nope.

The family has the equivalent of a winning lottery ticket. I was mildly surprised they have been as willing to parade the Bullitt car around the country as much as they have, as I'm not sure I would have had the courage to do so. ANYTHING can happen in transit, or while on display. The sale of this car, in its current condition, has the ability to change this family's financial trajectory for generations to come. Invested wisely, the proceeds should allow grandkids' grandkids to go to college for free, and/or have a down payment on a home. No one knows if the proceeds from the sale of the Bullitt Mustang would really help/change this family's financial situation, but I know it would drastically change mine.

With that said, I love guessing what cars will sell for. After weighing the provenance of this car during a conversation with my cousin, I'm sticking with a bold prediction: $10 million. In this 42 year old guy's mind, there's no other car that represents the muscle car era like the Bullitt Mustang. I think there are several people out there, with pockets deeper than I can fathom, who will duke it out for the right to say this car is theirs.

Jeff

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The THUNDERBALL promotional DB5 which was never in the movie just sold for $6,385,000. IMO the Bullitt Mustang is more valuable because it was in the movie and it was driven by Steve McQueen.

I wouldn't be surprised at that number, at all. Sky's the limit on this one. I can see the Henry Ford museum stepping up, Petersen for sure, and other ticket-selling venues. Car would be a big draw.

Ok, so there's 3 of us thinking $10 M isn't out of line. The announcement coming this early also helps any interested parties get their financial ducks in a row. This will be a fun one to watch...

Wow . . . three guesstimates that are 8-figures-on-the-left-side-of-the-decimal-point. Sounds out of the realm of reality at first thought then you realize: it is THE car from THE most famous movie car chase of all time, driven by one of the most legendary Hollywood actors of all time, surfaces in barn-find condition after a mysterious decades-long hibernation where folks weren’t even sure if it even still existed & Ford STILL builds Bullitt Mustangs today because of THIS car. This one pushes all the right buttons and the sky’s the limit. Frankly, I have absolutely no idea what it will hammer at but there’s no number that will surprise me.

You guys sure have alot of renewed faith in the "immobile baby boomer" population who just last week were said to be the sole reason the collector car market was predicted to collapse after the last auction results ...Go Boomers!

You seem to be forgetting the pedigree of this car. Can you think of a reason why Ford wouldn't be interested in purchasing this car? Anyone out there who would want to buy the car and have deeper pockets than Ford? How about The Brothers? Or as stated, the Petersen Museum through one of it's deep pockets donators?

How about this . . . I am changing my guesstimate to $15 million.

I almost spit out my coffee laughing, too funny.

That said, no result would surprise me. My guess is 4 million.

Depends heavily on if two very wealthy guys want the bragging rights to owning it. It could then go well into 8 figures. This stopped being a car some time ago. It's like calling the Mona Lisa a picture of some girl.

Ford, Petersen museum....the decision of whether to buy this car by either will be left up to a baby boomer in the company

Of course! Who else would be in that position?

Wonder how come Mustang guru Steve Davis didn't snag it for B-J Scottsdale 2020!?

When it comes to muscle car auctions, IMO, B-J falls a distant second behind Mecum.

The question is . . . why didn't Sotheby get it. They are the premier auction house.

I wonder if the decision to list with Mecum came down to lower commission fees for the family? But, I too am surprised Sotheby's isn't listing this car. Sotheby's seems to list the best of the best cars, domestic or foreign.

Jeff

I was being sarcastic.B-J likes yo blow their own horn that they are the biggest and best!RM are no slouches either.

I don’t know that I have seen Ford buying high dollar cars and the Peterson is mainly other people’s cars that are on display. Maybe the Weathertech guy ? It is such a iconic car and Mecum spends more on marketing than any of the other auction houses that I know of. The world will know it is for sale. How well known is Steve McQueen in places like Saudi Arabia etc ?

----Ford has had the use of the car for display and such for a while now and may feel like they got their moneys worth!...….Bill S

And I'm sure Ford compensated the owner very well for showing the Mustang to the World!

Surely the new owner won't be stupid enough to restore the Mustang!?

----Oh yah!!! Matter of fact, I can imagine that there has already been more than one conversation between the owners and Ford as to the cars future. That it's coming to auction at all says a lot......Bill S

It's value would plummet!

it is not only for car collectors
the movie memorabilia people may jack it up

Just think, BJ would charge 2M in fees if the car sold for 10M. Ebay fees on a 10M vehicle are around 100.00...and free if its your first car ad....and a car like that would get exposure on every newspaper and TV station for being on ebay

I would think a auction company would give a significant discount on the standard fees for a car like this. I imagine they approached the owner with a proposal.

Jason

It wouldn't surprise me if Mecum is not taking any seller fee for the car. The amount of media coverage they are getting and will get, far exceeds the fee along with having a large group of deep pocket buyers at their auction.

Iconic movie (only due to the car chase)...sure...

Iconic actor...sure

Iconic car in the movie...sure..

But 10 million?? Not sure...

That is a lot of coin for someone to pay..on an already over speculated market..for what is simply a 390 Mustang GT with cool pedigree. The boomer generation is what keeps these prices up there on stock cars..and they are getting out or dying off.

I'm 49 and as I've gotten older I've came to realize for me and the vast majority of people in the hobby....it is the experience and thrill of driving the cars that make it fun...The thumbs up at lights,the conversations at gas stations or restaurants, the local cruises where people randomly pop in and "browse," the "war stories" of the stop lights... Having a car simply to have it...rather boring and when it is all said and done...who cares..Given an immaculate original 1969 Z that sits in the garage for fear of driving it....or a new 1LE...give me the new 1LE.

My prediction in 10-15 years...a lot of high end restorations will be coming on the market...and prices won't be as high as they are now...

BTW..I'd rather have Morrison's Shelby.

Milners 32 duece coupe is usually at the top of the list for iconic movie cars...the way a car brings big money is the first time it's for sale or if it's just found....once the bullit car sells it will be downhill from there on its value.....case in point the elvis car that just sold for 165k needing a total resto...the owner stated that it was unique and worth more because it wasn't well known like the others and hidden for the past 20 years . First time I've ever heard that being well known was a negative Well now that it sold, its "known" again,so value drops for the new owner

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7.5 million . Movie Company purchase

$10 million, Saudi sheik purchase, shipped overseas, never to be seen again. ;)