The much talked about centrepiece item in Christie's Auction of Exceptional Motor Cars, which was held yesterday, a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso once owned by Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, sold for US2.31 million (1.72 million euros), well above its estimate of US$800,000-1,2 million (600,000 to 900,000 euros).

Christie’s 2007 Monterey car auction, the annual flagship sale for Christie’s International Motor Cars, took place on the evening of Thursday August 16, and was once again located at the Monterey Jet Center. Featuring 60 cars, the sale was expected to realize in excess of US$7.5 million and with a third of the automobiles offered with no reserve. The undoubted leader of the pack was Steve McQueen’s 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, a vehicle that has garnered much attention since its consignment was first announcement in April. The auction also contained dozens of other striking cars, and drew about 800 people.

Actor Steve McQueen, who died in 1980, made many famous Hollywood films including The Great Escape, Bullitt and Le Mans. He bought the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso as a present for his first wife, actress Neile Adams. The Ferrari was purchased by an anonymous telephone bidder. The vendor last night was respected car restorer Mike Regalia, who bought the car exactly a decade ago, and has since then painstakingly returned it to its original condition: "I couldn't be happier for the car and the legacy of Steve McQueen," he said after the auction. "Without his ownership, it never would have received this value."

“We are thrilled to be offering this seductive car (1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, chassis number 4891),” said Christopher Sanger, Vice President and Head of Christie’s Car Sales in the Americas, when its inclusion in the auction was announced back in April. “Owned by a man who made the automobile and hard driving an essential component of cool in the 60s and 70s, this Lusso offers a truly unique opportunity for the collector. This was his personal run around – not a film one-off extra – but a car used for the grocery run, as well as trips to the racetrack.
 

McQueen started car collecting after his first acting paychecks in the early 1950s, purchasing an MG. His interest developed, owning Porsches, a Siata, Jaguar and a Shelby Cobra – and then in 1963, he purchased this Lusso, his first Ferrari. McQueen special ordered the stunning combination of marrone, a medium-brown metallic paint with an elegant beige leather interior from Otto Zipper Motors in Santa Monica. Balanced against the Borrani wire wheels and a Pininfarina body sculptured by renowned coachbuilder Scagletti, the car is arguably one of the most attractive Ferrari’s ever-built.

Enjoying the car for a decade, McQueen traded the Ferrari in 1973 – but left his stamp on the ‘McQueen Ferrari Lusso’, which was acquired in 1997 by respected restorer Michael Regalia. Mike decided to restore the car back to its original condition, exceeding 4,000 hours of work. The result is the world’s finest surviving example of a 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso – a car that is often referred to as the cousin of the legendary Ferrari 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO. Accepted in to the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, along with numerous other awards and trophies, the car and its reception by the car collecting community illustrate that Mike’s original intentions were well surpassed.

Christie’s is the longest continuous name in the collectors’ car market, having held auctions devoted solely to motor cars since 1972. Christie’s remains the choice of the individual who wishes to sell a unique and rare motor car or collection. Uniquely placed in the market, Christie’s International Motor Cars concentrates on quality rather than quantity. The Department consists of seven specialists based in London, Brussels, New York, Texas and California, devoted to network of sale sites that include Paris, Le Mans, Monterey and Connecticut.