It's time to cash out the savings account and make plans to visit San Francisco because the legendary hero car from the Steve McQueen classic Bullitt is going up for auction this January.  This 'Hero Car' is one of two Mustang GT 390s used in the filming of the McQueen feature that set the standard for cinematic car chases had previously been thought lost to the world. Then, in 2018 the car reemerged from deep storage to coincide with the release of the 2018 Bullitt edition. It's set to go under the hammer at the Mecum auction in Kissimmee to the highest bidder.

3 Steve McQueen Special

By the time that Bullitt came around Steve McQueen was enough of a star that movies were just a way to facilitate his lust for all things motor driven. For Bullitt that meant sorting out Detective Frank Bullitt's personal ride, the forest green GT390. That included performance mods to the engine and the suspension for all the hill hopping and American Racing Torque Thrust Wheels.

2 In Hiding

After filming the car was sold to a Warner Brothers employee who used the legend as a daily driver. The car changed hands a few times since then until it ended up in the hands of Robert Kiernan of New Jersey who kept the car in storage. It remains unrestored and still sports marks from camera mounts and the patina from use.

1 The Car Chase

Happening around the 45-minute mark, the car chase between the Highland Green Mustang and the Dodge Charger through the streets of San Francisco was a revolution. Instead of playing it safe with slower speeds and sped up film, the chase was shot at regular speed with faster cars. The climax was planned across the Golden Gate Bridge until officials found out how fast they planned to go.

Source: Mecum Auctions