MC&T Staff 
Movie cars are some of the most recognizable vehicles around today, and often have followings of their own. Films like “Smokey and the Bandit” or “Gone in Sixty Seconds” showcased their star cars as equals to their human counterparts throughout the film, personifying the vehicles and ensuring their popularity post credit roll. Cinema and car fans alike will now have the opportunity to own one of the best known movie cars of all time: Steve McQueen’s 1968 “Bullitt” Ford Mustang.
We aren’t talking about the Bullitt package available on the S550 Mustang here, and we certainly aren’t discussing a replica either. The real-deal 1968 Mustang that was used to film the legendary flick will head across Mecum’s Kissimmee auction block between January 2-12 2020.
The 390 cubic inch V8-powered fastback once piloted by McQueen still wears its original Highland green paint work, with all of its imperfections. The current owners of this piece of cinema history had every intention of preserving the car as it was, despite needed to replace some stolen items like the steering wheel and shifter. While it will be hard to put a price on a car like this, we are sure that the unrestored nature of the car will add to the value in this case.
Despite the Bullitt Mustang disappearing from the public eye for many years, the car has since been on a bit of a media tour as of late. From the 2018 Detroit Auto Show to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, this car has made plenty of high profile stops on its way to auction next January. The recent release of a new generation Bullitt Mustang and all of the PR work Ford did leading up to that event may prove beneficial to this car at auction, as collectors aim to pair their new ride with the original.
While the Bullitt Mustang is always going to be known for its on camera appearance, we hope that doesn’t stop the future owner from living out their Steve McQueen dreams behind the wheel.
