McQueen’s Ferrari sells for $2.31m

A CLASSIC Ferrari once owned by Steve McQueen has sold for $2.31 million (€1.71m) at auction.

An anonymous car collector who placed a bid by phone bought the 1963 Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso during an auction that drew 800 people to the Monterey Jet Centre in California and attracted spirited bidding, said Christie’s spokesman Rik Pike.

The sale price was greater than the estimated pre-sale price of $800,000 (€592,000) to $1.2m (€888,000), said Mr Pike.

“I couldn’t be happier for the car and the legacy of Steve McQueen,” said seller Mike Regalia, who restores cars. “Without his ownership, it never would have received this value.”

McQueen, who starred in such films as The Great Escape, Bullitt, Le Mans and The Thomas Crown Affair, got the Ferrari as a gift from his first wife, Neile Adams. The iconic actor, who also raced cars, specially ordered its brown metallic paint and beige leather interior.

Mr Regalia bought the Lusso about a decade ago and spent hundreds of hours restoring it to pristine condition.

When asked how much he paid for it, Mr Regalia coyly replied: “A new Lexus would cost more than what I paid.”

McQueen died of a heart attack in 1980, at age 50.