October 21, 2015: Christie’s Paris is all set to offer a classic Porsche as part of it’s the Exceptional Sales on November 4, 2015.
Le Mans, released in 1971, remains one of the greatest motor racing films of all time. Starring Steve McQueen as American race car driver Michael Delaney, the film has become legendary for its realistic depiction of the racing of that era, an iconic performance by McQueen and the magnificent Porsche motor cars presented on-screen. In the film, Delaney (McQueen) competes for the Porsche team at Le Mans, and in perhaps the movie’s most poignant moment, he is seen driving a Porsche 911S when he visits the scene of fatal racing accident that took place the year before.
The 1971 Porsche 911T offered in the first Exceptional Sale in Paris is one of the five Porsche 911s used during the production of Le Mans. It was bought by CBS Solar Film Studios, McQueen’s personal production company, directly from the garages of legendary Swiss racing driver Jo ‘Seppi’ Siffert. Twice a winner at Le Mans and the man who drove the race car of the main character after McQueen had been prohibited from doing so due to insurance reasons, Siffert not only provided the Porsche 908 and 917 seen on the race track, but also a fleet of street sports cars (including four Porsche 911 vehicles and one Porsche 914), which were used by the crew for the shoot.
The car, which shows 46,350km on the clock, is in exquisite condition, with original body paint and minimal repairs at the front and front sides. All chrome parts and the full-leather interior is complete, with the latter showing a very good patina, which is rare for the period. The well maintained appearance is completed by the original Porsche emblem on the front hood.
