Steve McQueen iconic Ford raises £7m at auction

London: Steve McQueen glorious Ford GT40, which he used to film his epic 1971 movie ‘Le Mans’ has been sold for an incredible 7 million pounds at an auction in California.

The Ford, decked out in Gulf Racing’s iconic powder blue and orange colours, has a rich history. It had won its first race at Spa in 1967, in the hands of legendary sportscar star Jacky Ickx and the ‘Flying Dentist’, Dr Dick Thompson. Then after a host of endurance races, in which its drivers included Mike Hailwood, David Hobbs and Brian Redman, it was bought by McQueen’s Solar Productions film company. The ultra-lightweight machine had been converted to act as a high-speed camera car, filming action sequences at the 1970 Le Mans 24-hour classic for McQueen - himself a top-draw racer when he took time off from acting. It has since been through the hands of a numerous owners and has appeared occasionally for historic races or cavalcades. The GT40 was auctioned off by RM Auctions in Monterey, California and its price tag is a world record for an American-built car. ANI