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| Porsche 917K of Le Mans |
The anticipation for Monterey Car Week is one of the most exciting times of the year for automotive fans, and this year the event brings a special occasion. Steve McQueen's black and royal classic from 1971, "Le Mans," is now the subject of a new and important discussion. The film's hero car, a 1970 Porsche 917K, is back in the spotlight in Monterey.
The Steve McQueen film brought the racing world of the 1970s to life on screen, and now an original chassis from the Porsche 917K used in the film's film is back in the spotlight. Steve McQueen's production company purchased chassis 917-022 from Porsche, which was driven by Michael Delaney's character in the film. Interestingly, when Delaney's car crashes at the end of the film, the crew repainted it as 917-021 and used it in the final race.
However, this car has not been put up for public auction for many years now. The last time, it was sold for $1,320,000 at the RM Monterey Sports Car Auction in 2000. The ownership history of this car associated with the name of famous comedian Jerry Seinfeld still remains mysterious. Does Seinfeld still own this car? The answer is still unresolved.
But after this Monterey Car Week event, this chassis will be auctioned at Mecum's Kissimmee 2025 auction on January 7-19, 2025. There is no information on the valuation of this car yet, but past records show that another Le Mans-related 917K fetched a whopping $10,080,000 at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction.
The question here is, will this car set a new record this time? It’s a fascinating opportunity for car lovers, and we will be all focused on this upcoming auction. This trifecta of history, film, and automotive love could reach new heights, and Monterey Car Week has provided a unique platform to share it all.
The Porsche 917K of Le Mans: An amazing journey between value and reality
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| Porsche 917K of Le Mans |
Recently, major auction houses such as RM Sotheby's and Gooding & Co. have played a key role in explaining the importance of this car. In 2021, RM Sotheby's offered 917-031/026, believed to be immortalized in the film "Le Mans". However, the real valuation of this car is complicated as there is a lot of confusion about the difference between the film and the real racing events. Chassis 917-026 was dismantled in 1970 and was rebuilt as 917-031/026.
Gooding & Company offered 917-024-2, which was featured as the winning car in the film, in 2014. But the sudden change in the sale of this car and the lack of public records have made it even more mysterious.
At the moment, the Porsche 917K related to Le Mans has not crossed the $5,000,000 mark at public auction, but it has the potential to reach $20 million at next year's auction. This rise is proof of how a car's historical and film heritage can multiply its value.
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