The year 2020 started off with a giant bang with the one and only iconic “Bullitt” Mustang shooting into the stratosphere, hammering at the Kissimmee auction for a staggering $3.74 million. The car needed absolutely no introduction to the motoring and collecting world, with its thrilling screen time in the Warner Bros. film “Bullitt” forever engrained in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts across the globe, but after being tucked away in private ownership for years, the car’s whereabouts had become shrouded in mystery. Once it was finished tearing across the gritty streets of San Francisco with Steve McQueen behind the wheel and a sinister Dodge Charger in hot pursuit, the vehicle was sold to a WB employee. It was then acquired in 1970 by a New Jersey FAST FACTS Sold Where Sold for Sold When Lot # Driven by Nicknamed Body Style Paint Interior Engine Transmission 1 of 1 Kissimmee, Florida $3,740,000 January 2020 F150 PRODUCTION SPECS Steve McQueen Bullitt Fastback Highland Green Black S-code 390 CI V-8 4-speed manual RARITY FIGURES Hero vehicles used in the filming of the movie “Bullitt” The 21st vehicle entered into the National Historic Vehicle Register detective by the name of Frank Marranca. He later sold it in 1974 to Robert Kiernan who lived in Madison, New Jersey. His wife, a teacher, used the Ford to commute to her nearby school. When the clutch went out in 1980, it was rolled into the garage, and that’s when, as Frank Bullitt might say, its trail of use grew cold. It traveled with the family on several moves, first to Cincinnati in 1984, then to a friend’s Kentucky home and then again with the family in 1994, when they relocated to Florida. In 1995, they circled back to a new farm in Nashville, which is where the fastback was “put out to pasture,” sitting parked until 2001. The return of a new Bullitt Mustang GT edition inspired Robert to tackle some maintenance and light restoration on the vehicle, and his efforts were compounded with the help of his son Sean. With Robert’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, however, progress stalled, and in 2014, he passed away. After time to heal and adopting a renewed focus to celebrate the legacy, in 2018, Sean unveiled the long-hidden car to the public alongside Ford’s third Bullitt Edition Mustang at the Detroit Auto Show. Ever since leaving the backlot, it’s carried with it the markings of a Hollywood star, retaining camera mounts welded to the rockers with additional modifications in the trunk for other camera gear. While two vehicles were used in the filming, the Kiernan’s car is the desirable hero car, meaning it was always screen ready. That also meant it was driven by the King of Cool himself, with McQueen specifically wanting the vehicle to have the emblems and backup lights removed and gray American Racing TorqThurst wheels added, feeling those touches better reflected the personality of his character. Rolling back into the spotlight when the car crossed the Mecum block in January, it seemed as if the eyes of the world were on it, with everyone eager to get a look at the wonderfully preserved movie icon. It stirred memories for many and caused jaws to drop with the final sale price confirming that decades of time hadn’t dulled the luster or appeal of the history-making movie star.
