When you have some of the most spectacular cars of the last decades in the same movie, and you can’t stop thinking about a particular car, you know that vehicle is a “winner.” Before the success of the “Fast and Furious” franchise and the subsequent illegal street racing mania, Hollywood released another Blockbuster with young, dangerous drivers and reckless driving dubbed “Gone in 60 seconds.” And while the 1974 movie remains a classic that every car lover needs to watch, the remake in the year 2000 was less than stellar, but had a fantastic leading character. And no, that wasn’t Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie or Giovanni Ribisi, but a 1967 Ford Mustang.
The all-American muscle car stood out in all the scenes, proving that it is capable of the coolest, most daring stunts and heists. And if high-speed chases didn't impress viewers too much, "Eleanor's" frightening look and intimidating design, which resembled the Mustang Shelby GT500 surely didn't leave anyone cold. Apart from looks and an unbeatable street and movie performance, this Ford Mustang also had a powerful engine and some very cool gadgets. So, let's see what other qualities made this car a legend adored by gearheads all over the globe.
The Original Eleanor Ford Mustang Was Yellow
Both the original movie and the 2000 remake used the same Ford Mustang. However, the 1974 action movie with Henry Blight “Toby” Halicki and Marion Busia features a yellow “Eleanor” instead of the charcoal model with racing stripes. The 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 went through a major revamp process before filming officially kicked off; this, ensured that "Eleanor" impressed even the most ardent critics and audiences.
According to Mustang Specs, the yellow supercar had to be stripped off her body skin “so that roll cages could be placed around her frame, through her fenders, inside her trunk, under her roof and behind her seats.” Meanwhile, the transmission was chained in and cinematographers installed a camera in the rear bench to better communicate the “Driver's point of view”.
The Eleanor Ford Mustang Has A Fast And Furious Engine
In a movie about feisty automobiles and dangerous races, the leading vehicle needs to be an angry, loud beast that has an exceptional acceleration. Luckily, Nicolas Cage’s Ford Mustang doesn’t disappoint, being a quick street-legal production automobile.
A hero car featured in the 2000 movie was auctioned in Germany by ChromeCars. That particular fastback was powered by a 5.8-liter V8 engine that generated 400 horsepower. By contrast, the original 1967 Shelby GT500 had a standard 428 cubic-inch V8 powerplant that generated a maximum of 355 horsepower and 420 ft-lb of torque. The Shelby built supercar could speed up from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, as per Mustang Specs.
The Eleanor Ford Mustang Remains A Very Pricey Car
Cars featured in successful movies gain significantly in value. This is especially true for limited or special edition vehicles, which are rare and in-demand even prior to filming. In the "Gone in 60 seconds" case, the Mustang “Eleanor” became even more popular thanks to the action movie, so collectors deem it today, a legendary model forever associated with Hollywood.
Considering the immense appeal of the model, it is hardly surprising that the “Eleanor” is a very expensive car. According to Get Jerry, the original "Eleanor" Mustang was auctioned in 2020 for $852,500 in Kissimmee, Florida. Meanwhile, Supercars.net emphasizes that car number 7 out of the 11 built for the 2000 movie was sold in 2013 for $1,000,000, whereas a genuine 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake was auctioned for $1,300,000 that same year. Without a doubt, the appearance in “Gone in 60 seconds” has boosted the market value of “Eleanor,” and as the inventory continues to shrink, prices will climb to record-heights.
The Eleanor Ford Mustang: Hero Cars And Replicas
Design genius Steve Stanford and rod builder Chip Foose were the masterminds behind the “Eleanor” cars featured in the 2000 remake of the movie. They prepared the 11 cars for the production, with some “Eleanor” vehicles being refurbished as “Hero cars.” This means the automobiles were used for close-up film photography, so their performance took a backseat. Meanwhile, the other cars had to do the stunts, but they were filmed from a distance; thus, their look and design weren’t prioritized. From all the “Eleanor” vehicles, only three were fully operational, but two were trashed during filming, so this explains why car number 7 fetched such a shocking high price in 2013.
Since the movie became a global success, various businesses have manufactured “Eleanor” recreations, although replicas aren’t cheap either. For example, Classic Recreations built an 810-hp supercharged V-8 “Eleanor” that was retailed at $300,000, while other replicas fetched roughly $200,000.