Here’s your chance to get behind the wheel of the Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT Fastback, driven by Steve McQueen in the movie Bullitt.
The World’s Most Famous Mustang
The Mustang, which McQueen drove through the hilly streets of San Francisco in one of the most memorable car-chase scenes in movie history, will be auctioned in January 2020.
Hidden Treasure!
For 40 years the car’s whereabouts were unknown. Turns out it was safely stored (and hidden) in a garage by a family in Nashville. But the famous muscle car made a grand reappearance at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show when Ford unveiled its 2019 Bullitt tribute. The classic muscle car became a big hit at the show, attracting huge crowds of people and media interest. And after decades in hiding, the car has been on tour and people from all over the country have flocked to see it at various locations, including on the National Mall in Washington D.C. where it was enclosed in a glass box. It’s also been featured on an episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage.”
Great Investment!
Talk about a good investment! New Jersey insurance executive Robert Kiernan bought the car in 1974 through a classified ad for around $3,000 to $6,000 and his wife used it to drive to work and to carpool the kids. He later parked it in his garage, covered it with blankets, and it remained hidden. The car today only has 65,000 on the odometer and is likely to fetch between $3 and $5 million at auction. A typical 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback is valued at around $60,000 to $95,000.
The Big Reveal
After Robert Kiernan died, his son Sean Kiernan, who is the current owner, approached Ford Motor Co. with the idea of an unveiling. He initially claimed that he’d never sell the car, but later declared on social media that after much deliberating among the family, they finally decided it was time to let it go. In 1977 Steve McQueen himself tried to buy the car, calling up Robert Kiernan to negotiate and sending a follow-up letter, but of course, the family didn’t budge.
Auction in 2020
The car has been documented through the Historical Vehicle Association, which placed it on the National Historic Vehicle Register. The Bullitt Mustang will be auctioned at Mecum’s Kissimmee Florida sale, in January 2020.
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