Steve McQueen's Car Collection

Throughout his career, Steve McQueen owned around 100 classic motorcycles and around 100 exotic and vintage cars. His car garage featured the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Mini, and a few more. At the time of his death, on 7 November 1980 at age 50, he owned close to 50 cars and motorcycles. In 2024, most of these items have been auctioned or sold off by his family, except for a few. So here is a deep dive into some of the best cars that were once part of Steve McQueen’s collection.

18. 1967 Mini Cooper S

McQueen's Mini Cooper S meant more than a vehicle; it embodied his identity. The Mini Cooper S originally came in a British Green color with a white roof. Steve got it custom-finished in a unique brown and beige color scheme, added a wood dash, and sunken radio antenna. He also got the upholstery re-done making it even more comfortable thus adding personal touches that made this Mini different. 

McQueen's Mini Cooper S has had a significant impact on car culture. The car's role in "The Thomas Crown Affair" cemented its place in movie history. Due to its association with Steve McQueen and its unique history, the value of McQueen's Mini Cooper S is undoubtedly high. The car, since 1990, has belonged to Lee Brown, Steve’s acquaintance and the owner of Precision Auto Body in Hollywood during the 1960s.

17. 1958 Porsche 1600 Super Speedster

The 1958 Porsche 1600 Super Speedster of Steve McQueen is a legendary car with a rich history. With its stunning design and high performance, the black speedster was the first new car McQueen purchased. He got the car specced in all black from interior to exterior. The only modification (not part of the official accessory) he did on the car was adding a cigarette lighter under the steering column. That said, the one feature that set McQueen's car apart from most others was the optional Rudge alloy knock-off wheels. These were a popular competition accessory, slightly wider than the Speedster's stock steel wheels.

Also, it was the first one in which he participated in organized motorsports. After purchasing the Speedster, McQueen raced the car in several events, including a class win at the Santa Barbara races in May 1959. In the '60s, Steve swapped the car for a Lotus 11 race car, but a couple of years later (in 1974), he found the car and repurchased it. This time the car had lost its chrome Speedster wing batch. The car’s look without the batch impressed McQueen thus he never got a new badge for the car. Although he got a larger engine installed in the car post re-purchase. The car has since remained in the family and is within the possession of McQueen's son, Chad. 

16. 1959 Lotus XI

This 1959 Lotus XI is the car that can be pointed towards developing Steve McQueen's passion for competitive racing. The car was so attractive that Steve McQueen traded his 1958 Porsche Speedster for the Lotus XI. Thus marking the entry of the second racing car in his garage. He raced in the car at the 1959 Santa Barbara and stood second that year. Next, he raced with the car at Del Mar, a temporary circuit at a fairground. He was leading the race for the most part but lost the lead when he accidentally hit the emergency fuel cut-off switch.

Although in the Lotus XI McQueen never won a race, the car allowed him to hone his racing skills. He was so attracted to motorsport that he sidelined his acting career. Eventually, an increasing number of movie projects spared him with little time to give to racing thus forcing him to sell the Lotus XI. The car shares some significance in showbiz industry and also happens to be parked in exotic car collections of Gordon Murray.

15. 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible

The 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible, finished in Matador red and white, was another topless model in Steve McQueen’s collection. The car featured a mechanical fuel-injection system and was custom-built for Steve McQueen at the Van Nuys, California plant. Like the actor, the car was known for its iconic and eye-catching looks. Other notable owners of the Bel Air Convertible are Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Bruce Springsteen. 

Steve McQueen’s ownership gave the car a cult status among Hollywood fans and racing enthusiasts alike. That said, a few years down the line, he sold the red Chevy. It eventually found its way to the Barrett-Jackson auction. From here it was purchased by another actor named Kent Perkins who is Ruth Buzzi's husband. Eventually, Kent lent it to Peterson Automotive Museum to be displayed under Steve McQueen’s car collection section.

14. Von Dutch 1904 Winton Flyer Replica

Steve McQueen's obsession with the 1904 Winton Flyer in the 1969 film “The Reivers” led custom car builder Von Dutch to create a replica of the antique automobile from scratch for the movie. After filming wrapped up, McQueen purchased the replica car from Von Dutch, keeping it in his collection until he died in 1980. 

Von Dutch also built a "yellow" Winton Flyer for the movie, described as looking, acting, riding, and shaking like the real thing. After McQueen's passing, the replica Winton Flyer sold for $68,750 in an RM Sotheby's auction. It is now placed at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

13. 1958 GMC Series 101-8 Pick-up

Steve McQueen’s love for driving was not limited to on-road but equally loved driving off-road. He had a bright blue 1958 GMC 101-8 pickup truck. It sported the vanity number plate ‘MCQ3188’. Where 3188 was his roll number at The Boys’s Republic. Returning to the truck, McQueen tweaked it to squeeze out more power. His love for the truck rarely made him take it off-road, instead he drove it mostly around Beverly Hills.

Despite owning several cars throughout his career, the GMC pickup was among the ten vehicles he garaged at The Beverley Wilshire Hotel during the time that he lived there. As per his wife Barbara McQueen, Steve adored the truck and treated it as his baby. Post his death, the truck was auctioned off for $92,000 by Bonhams in 2012.

12. 1952 Chevy 3800 Pickup

The story of this 1952 Chevrolet 3800 pickup truck is no less than a movie plot. In 1978, Steve McQueen was driving in Trancas Beach, California, when he spotted this beautiful truck parked on the farm of a migrant farmer. As per Steve's wife's description, he immediately pulled over and went inside and only came out after buying the truck from the farmer.

Steve bought the truck to go on a cross-country camping trip. For that, he modified it and built it into a camper. Soon, it became one of his favorites, finished in Forest Green, and features a five-window cab, a body-color windshield sun visor, extended side mirrors, and a white front bumper.

Other equipment includes three five-gallon gas cans mounted to the running boards for cross-country road trips, a driver-side spotlight, and two lockable toolboxes. The truck sat on Black steel wheels with chrome hubcaps and was shod in Tornel bias-ply classic truck tires. Called “Dust Tite,” the custom camper, as per the Barrett Jackson, was reportedly fabricated in 1952 by Harold Van Hoosen of Northern Sheet Metal in Yreka, California, using a combination of galvanized steel and aluminum.

What further made this truck special was that this was the last vehicle he drove before losing his battle with terminal cancer. He drove from his home in Santa Paula to the Ventura County Airport and Reverend Billy Graham supposedly rode shotgun with him in the Chevrolet and discussed the afterlife as McQueen suffered from an eventually fatal bout with mesothelioma.

After his death, the truck was sold several times and eventually sold at the Steve McQueen Estate Auction in 1984. It has since been recognized for its provenance, coming with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by McQueen's children, and original California license plates “MCQUEEN” and title documents.

11. 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 396

Steve McQueen is remembered as the star of cinematic legends like "Bullitt" and "The Great Escape," but he was also a petrolhead. His classic muscle car, this 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 396, unmistakably speaks to his love for speed and a taste for style. Steve’s El Camino was finished in Hugger Orange paint with black stripes and a cowl induction hood.

This El Camino SS 396 has an exciting history, with most sources considering it a gift from General Motors for promotional purposes. Even then, it is reported that Steve took good care of the car as if bought from his own money. It has had only four owners and still retains its original gold keys. He rarely drove the car and thus it has only 26,265 original miles on it.

10. 1972 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3

The 1972 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 is another car in Steve McQueen’s collection that was held until his death and auctioned off. Solar Productions (Steve McQueen’s film company) imported this stately sedan in 1972. Mercedes-Benz made the car for cruising on the Autobahn, and thus, it was capable of some serious performance. The incident that culminated in buying this stately sedan started when McQueen was driving his Porsche 911S on the German autobahn, running at around 130 miles an hour, and a 300 SEL 6.3 blew past with ease. He immediately turned back and got one for himself.

The car was also high on luxury, McQueen’s 300 SEL came with black leather seats, a wood-trimmed dashboard, a Becker Mexico Cassette stereo, air conditioning, and a sliding sunroof. After McQueen’s death, it was taken back to Germany, where the famous automotive garage Kienle Automobiltechnik worked on it. The refurbishment cost came to a whopping $138,000, partly due to the car clocking 81,000 miles on the odometer. The car was sold in an auction post-refurbishment for a record $164,000.

9. 1953 Hudson Hornet Sedan

Finished in mint green, the 1953 Hudson Hornet was acquired by Steve McQueen in the year 1977, just three years before his untimely death due to cancer. During this phase of his life, McQueen tamed down his desire for speed and started appreciating this slow yet comfortable and beautiful-looking sedan. Reports state that towards the end of his life, McQueen regularly go to church, and the Hudson Hornet was what he drove for that.

McQueen didn’t significantly modify the sedan and kept it in stock form. The car was a mass market car, yet being owned and driven by McQueen himself elevated its value to $165,000 when it was auctioned at RM Sotheby’s in 2019.

8. 1961 Cooper T-56 Mark II

Steve McQueen's 1961 Cooper T-56 Mark II was a Formula Junior Racing Car. Other than street cars, Steve McQueen also had a penchant for racing cars and had, like the above, a few more in his garage. That said, Steve was one of many to own this car, instead it was originally with Tony Maggs. The car helped him win eight races, which caught Steve's attention, making him buy the car. 

Staying true to its nature, the car helped McQueen several races, including the Santa Barbara street races. It was so attractive that he wouldn't leave racing in the car that the film studio he had a contract with had to ask him to choose acting or racing. That said, after his death, the car was auctioned at RM Sotheby's for an impressive $198,000 in 2012.

7. Baja Boot

Vic Hickey, a top engineer at General Motors, built Steve McQueen's Baja Boot. He used the ATV (all-terrain vehicle) in the 1968 "7-11 Stardust" race. Known for his rally racing prowess, Steve McQueen would have been successful, had the vehicle's axle not snapped. 

The Baja Boot gained fame when McQueen participated in the Baja 1000 in 1969 alongside navigator Harold Daigh. Steve McQueen in real was jumping the buggy 50 to 70 feet in the air over rough terrain. However, their race ended prematurely when the transmission exploded due to his enthusiastic driving. Having said that, the car was sold for $199,500 to James Glickenhaus, owner of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, the automobile company based in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

6. 1970 Porsche 911S ex-Le Mans

The 1970 Porsche 911S is another car in Steve McQueen’s collection that got featured in a movie and gained cult status. McQueen drove the 911S in the iconic car racing movie released in 1971, ‘Le Mans.’ It came loaded with options like a leather interior and a factory-fitted air-conditioner. It was finished in slate gray, one of Steve McQueen's favorite colors, and was again seen on his Porsche 930 Turbo. McQueen extensively drove the car while the film was in production, and after that, he took it with him.

But very soon, he sold the car, and the next owner kept it for almost three decades and sold it again. After that, it changed hands twice before reaching for an auction at RM Sotheby’s. At this point, the car has covered close to 112,400 miles yet was maintained well. As a result, this naturally aspirated flat-six powered sportscar fetched a record $1.375 million at the auction.

5. 1976 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo

The 1976 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo was custom-ordered by Steve McQueen. To spice it up further, Steve McQueen finished it in slate gray and added a black leather sports seat, a sunroof, and a one-of-its-kind kill taillight switch. Later, he added wider tires making it look even more aggressive.

After his death, the car was auctioned off at Mecum in 2015 for a record sum of $1.95 million. The 930 Turbo of its era was a sought-after car, but the added history of being owned by none other than the ‘King of Cool’ Steve McQueen and being the last car he ordered makes it even more special. 

4. 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti

The 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso had a special place in Steve McQueen’s heart and garage. He acquired the car in the mid-1963s and took it for a long drive with his wife and a close friend. McQueen had been spotted racing down the valley or street numerous times in the 250 GT Lusso. 

The Lusso version was the luxury trim of the regular 250 GT, and thus speed and luxury went hand-in-hand here, akin to McQueen’s persona. The car became his daily drive on shooting sets and restaurants. It’s said that McQueen would never hand over the car to the valet and preferred to park it himself. Soon, he grew over the car and sold it in 1967 to acquire the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Scaglietti.

The ex-McQueen Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso changed hands several times, sitting for 24 years in San Francisco before it was finally restored to its former glory. Post restoration, it was auctioned and fetched a bonkers $2,310,000.

3. 1968 ex-Bullitt Ford Mustang GT390

The 1968 Ford Mustang GT390 remains the most expensive Mustang to be ever sold. Previously owned by Steve McQueen and featured in the legendary Bullitt movie, the 1968 Mustang GT390 fetched $3.74 million. The film used two copies of the model; the one auctioned above was used in most scenes and extensively driven by Steve McQueen, making it collectible. 

For the movie, the ex-Bullitt Mustang GT390 had a tweaked engine, straight pipes, electronic ignition, and many more modifications to make it go faster and louder. 

Post-movie production, the car was sold to a Warner Bros employee, and then going forward, it switched a few more hands before finally getting restored to its former glory and being showcased at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. Finally, in 2020, the ex-Bullitt Mustang was auctioned at Mecum’s auction for a record sum. Among other notable owners of the 68' Mustang GT390 (not Steve's) are NBA Star Jayson Tatum.

2. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Scaglietti

With only 280 copies, the 1967 Ferrari 274 GTB/4 Scaglietti was one of the crown jewels in Steve McQueen’s car collection. Impressed by it, Steve replaced his daily driver, the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso for the Ferrari 274 GTB. The 275 GTB/4 was famous for its long-nose chassis design, which was designed by Carrozzeria Scaglietti instead of Pininfarina, unlike other Ferrari 275s.

However, how Steve got this is nothing less than a coincidence. Steve was once waiting at a stop light in Malibu in his Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spider. He got rear-ended, and instead of getting it repaired, Steve went shopping and got himself a brand new 275 GTB/4 Scaglietti finished in Nocciola (hazelnut) paint. Later, he got it repainted to Chianti Red. The car fetched $5.4 million at an RM Sotheby’s auction in 2023.

1. 1956 Jaguar XKSS

Steve McQueen owned a 1956 Jaguar XKSS, an automobile no less legendary than the actor himself. It is a road-going version of the Jaguar D-Type from the track, renowned for dominating the Le Mans 24 Hours in the mid-1950s. This XKSS was one of sixteen units ever made, making it a rare gem from the British sportscar maker. Adding more to the exquisiteness and rarity of this car was the fact that this car belonged to Steve McQueen. 

This model goes by many nicknames, one being "Green Rat" due to a coat of British Racing Green which was done after stripping off the original Sherwood Green color. Other modifications include a full black leather interior done by renowned Southern California hot-rodder Tony Nancy. Famed fabricator and motorcycle mechanic Kenny Howard (AKA ‘Von Dutch’) even created a custom locking glovebox for McQueen.

McQueen's association with the XKSS locked it in automotive history. The story goes like this, after Steve McQueen, who was currently starring in CBS’s Western Wanted: Dead or Alive, made a guest appearance on the gameshow, he spotted the road-legal racer parked up on the Sunset Boulevard studio lot — and bought it off Leyden (host of NBC’s It Could Be You) in 1958. McQueen paid $5,000 for the car and his then-wife, Neile Adams, signed the cheque. 

The pull of this car was so significant, that Steve McQueen purchased it in 1958, sold it in 1969, and then repurchased the same car in 1977. McQueen frequently took the car and roared up and down the Mulholland Drive on high-speed runs with his friends. Once a cop pulled him over and to avoid a speeding ticket he lied that his wife was in labor and to reach the hospital in time he was driving fast. Thus he held the record of not getting a speeding ticket in his ‘Green Rat’. He held on to the car till his untimely death, the car was auctioned off for a record sum of $30 million. Today, the ‘Green Rat’ is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.