McQueen’s Porsche 917 and super-rare Ferrari for sale

In 1971, Steve McQueen made a film called Le Mans. It was, as you might have guessed, all about the epic 24-hour race in France at Le Mans.

In this film, McQueen - a proper car guy - uses a Porsche 917. And why not? We don't need to remind you how successful Porsche has been at Le Mans. McQueen of course, used a proper 917, not just a model. And it wasn't just any old 917 either. It was the first 917 built by Porsche that would compete in a race (Spa, 1969).

This Gulf-liveried Porsche was also driven at the 1970 Le Mans test by Brian Redman and Mike Hailwood, setting the fastest times using that lovely flat 12 engine.

So, racing pedigree? Check. Superstar film status? Double check. Best livery ever? Check, check and check. After Le Mans, this 917 disappeared, only being discovered some 25 years later in what must have been one of the finest barn finds ever. It has since been restored, and is now being offered up for auction at Gooding's Pebble Beach sale next month. You may feel the need to buy this car immediately.

Or indeed, the little red Ferrari included in this gallery above too. It's a 2001 333 SP, and is an absolute rare gem. Information is scant on this car, other than the monumental expected sale price of anywhere between $1.7m and $2.2m - which is over a million pounds in real money.

The 333 SP was of course, Ferrari's sportscar prototype designed by Dallara and built by Michelotto, featuring one of the all-time great Ferrari engines, a 4.0-litre racing V12.

#Want?

TopGear.com at the Le Mans classic: gallery