Aptly dubbed the “King of Cool” for his dangerous antihero persona, Steve McQueen is the badass of all American badasses. He relished in high-octane pursuits of all kinds in his films, from the iconic motorcycle jump in The Great Escape to dangerous driving scenes in Bullitt. But as much as he was a fan of onscreen action, it was his “extracurricular” activities that showed his true passion for motorsport.
One of just two Works cars used by Team Tyrrell throughout the 1961 European Formula Junior Series, this particular T-56 MKII was sold to Steve McQueen in 1962 after securing the championship. The emerging actor wasted no time himself, racing the T-56 to a number of winning finishes and street races. But ultimately, Hollywood came knocking, forcing the King of Cool to choose between his love of acting and his love of driving. As you can guess, McQueen picked the former, leaving the car to his mechanic to sell. After changing hands amongst a number of other drivers, the Cooper has been restored to period-correct specifications. It now features a 1098cc BMC engine along with a five-speed ERSA gearbox. But the best part — it’s up for sale.
