917K starring in the movie "Le Mans".

The movie "Le Mans," starring Steve McQueen, was released in 1971.
The Porsche 917K that played the starring role in the event is finally going to be auctioned.

This 917K is chassis number 917-022, which appears in the film as the machine driven by Michael Delaney, played by McQueen.

The car, which was purchased directly from Porsche by Solar Productions, a production company founded by McQueen at the time, ran in the film under the number #20. Although the script calls for the car to be wrecked in an accident, it was actually a Lola covered with a 917 body that crashed.

The car was later repainted to #21 and used in the scene where Delaney finishes second in his final stint. In other words, it is a different machine from the one that won in the film.
However, the value of this car lies in the fact that McQueen himself purchased it and drove it himself. Furthermore, after the photo shoot,McQueen signed "Finished. Thanks for holding up your end" sign.It is also known for its

Will the auction set a new record?

The last time this 917K was auctioned was at the 2000 RM Monterey Sports Car Auction, where it sold for $1.32 million, including fees. There are reports that it was subsequently purchased by Jerry Seinfeld in 2001, but the current owner has not been disclosed.

The auction will be hosted by Mecham and is scheduled to take place at the Kissimmee 2025 auction, which will be held from January 7 to 19, 2025. The expected bid price has not been announced, but the auction has attracted a great deal of attention from industry insiders.

In the past, a 917K associated with "Le Mans" was auctioned at Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach Auction in 2017.It sold for $10.08 million, which is also the highest bid record for the entire Porsche brand.

This time, with the added value of being completely restored to the specifications of the 1970 new car, there is a good chance that this record will be broken.

Mixed circumstances surrounding the 917K

However, there are complications surrounding the authenticity of the 917K that appeared at "Le Mans.

Eight 917s were entered in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in one case a chassis damaged in an accident was rebuilt. In addition, three 917Ks were used in the film shoot, all painted with liveries from the 1970 race.

For example, the 2021 RM Sotheby's Monterey auction featured a 917K (chassis number 917-031/026) that actually raced and appeared in the film. However, this car only appeared in footage shot during the 1970 race and was not used in the filming of the 1971 film.

Also in 2014, a 917K (chassis number 917-024-2) owned by Joe Ziffert and rented to a film production company was scheduled to be offered at Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach auction, but the listing was withdrawn for reasons not disclosed.

Possibly over 2 billion yen.

The winning bid for a 917K not associated with "Le Mans" has never exceeded $5 million. This time, however, the individual is coupled with the presence of the legendary actor McQueen and his association with one of the most famous films in the history of cinema,There are even whispers that it could exceed $20 million (about $3 billion).

The auction is sure to attract Porsche enthusiasts, movie buffs, investors, and others with a variety of purposes. 917K, aLegendary racing machineandForever synonymous with "cool".What price will this car, which has the spirit of Steve McQueen in it, fetch? Until the day of the auction, car fans around the world will not be able to take their eyes off the car.