The Hollywood icon’s 1952 classic, once a family runaround, goes under the hammer with RM Sotheby’s in Pennsylvania this October.
A car once described by Steve McQueen as his “Sunday-go-to-church-car” is heading to auction with an estimate of up to £44,000.
The 1952 Hudson Wasp, which the Great Escape and Le Mans star bought brand new, remained in his possession until his death in 1980.
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Famously dubbed the “King of Cool,” McQueen used the car for school runs, weekend errands and cruising around Santa Paula, California, where he lived.
McQueen’s estate sold the car in 1984, four years after his death at 50.
It was later acquired by the Petersen Automotive Museum in 2006, where it has remained for nearly two decades, appearing at major events including the 2013 Steve McQueen Car and Motorcycle Show and the 2015 Friends of Steve McQueen Show.
Period photos show McQueen alongside the Wasp at his Santa Paula Airport hangar, where he stored much of his collection – and even lived for a while during home renovations.
The car itself shows just 63,537 miles and comes fitted with an inline six-cylinder engine, the rare Power Dome cylinder head, Twin-H Power carburettor setup and Hydra-Matic Drive transmission.
With Hudson’s step-down chassis and short wheelbase, the Wasp was considered agile and stylish during the brand’s NASCAR-dominating era in the early 1950s.
Between 1951 and 1954, Hudson cars secured three consecutive NASCAR Grand National Series titles and 78 victories, helping cement the marque’s place in racing history.
RM Sotheby’s will offer McQueen’s Hudson Wasp at its 19th annual Hershey sale in Pennsylvania on 9 October.
For film and classic car fans alike, it’s a rare chance to own a piece of Hollywood and motorsport heritage.
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