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1968 Ford GT40
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A 1968 Ford GT40 used to film Steve McQueen in the 1971 racing film Le Mans was bought for $11 million at the RM Auctions sale in Monterey, making it the most expensive American car ever sold at auction.
The previous record for an American car sold at auction was $10.34 million, for a 1931 Duesenberg roadster. But even the $11 million spent on McQueen's ride pales in comparison to the $16.4 million one buyer dropped on a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa at Pebble Beach last year, which holds the title of most expensive car sold at auction.
The Hollywood star most associated with high-speed driving, McQueen insisted the race scenes in Le Mans be as authentic as possible. He chose the GT40 as a camera car, cutting off its roof and installing a seat for a cameraman outside the car, to film while hurtling down the track at 150 miles per hour.
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