Flashback: Steve McQueen reviews eight rides in 1966 Sports Illustrated
For a bit of year-end nostalgia, it would be hard to beat reading Steve McQueen reviewing eight grand tourers in the August, 1966 issue of Sports Illustrated. The cars that get the nod from the man behind Bullitt and Le Mans are the Jaguar E-type 2+2, Aston-Martin DB6, Ferrari 275 GTS, Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider, Porsche 911, Mercedes 230 SL, Corvette Sting Ray, and 427 Cobra.
And, of course, he starts off just as you would expect, saying that having only two American cars is about right in a field of eight, because American makers "have been a little backward about building sports and Grand Touring cars." He also talks about a lot of the cars he's owned, as well as his time racing. He doesn't choose a particular favorite among the cars he drives -- none of them appears to make him as happy as the Jaguar XK-SS he has in his own garage.
Our two favorite quotes: on the Alfa Romeo Duetto, "McQueen also admired its looks but would have liked more power from a $4,000 car"; and on the Porsche 911, "The Porsche 911 delighted McQueen with predictable handling in furious cornering, proving that Porsche has solved [the] oversteer problem Steve remembered from [his] racing days." And incredibly, the only car that Steve drives without a helmet: the 427 Cobra. Click the link to get the full story from The Cincinnati Kid himself.
[Source: McQueen Online via Chuck Goolsbee]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
indymcsc 7:46PM (12/28/2007)
Neat. This goes right along with your posting about gaywheels.com. What is it about gay themes today?
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rndmnme 7:59PM (12/28/2007)
What the hell are you talking about?
indymcsc 9:41PM (12/28/2007)
Steve McQueen was gay.
rndmnme 10:48PM (12/28/2007)
riiiiggghhhttttttt.
Za 5:49AM (12/29/2007)
He had three wives and two kids, but, yeah, I guess he could have been gay. Does it matter? I don't really think Autoblog is going for any *theme* here...
Dave 7:58PM (12/28/2007)
"And, of course, he starts off just as you would expect, saying that having only two American cars is about right in a field of eight...."
More like one and a half since the Cobra is a modified British made AC.
(but who's counting?)
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El Norte 11:13AM (12/29/2007)
First marriage ended due to infidelity (with future wife #2). The guy had two vices: alchohol and women. But you're right... does it matter? I guess it does to indymcsc.
rndmnme 8:00PM (12/28/2007)
Awesome find!
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mr7of7 9:00PM (12/28/2007)
Wow, with those prices I would have bought 2 of each, stored 1, and drove the other. Oh yeah, I was only 4 years old at the time! Dang!
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Hank 2:32AM (12/29/2007)
nice read. always fun to read an article from another era, almost like reading another language.
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Benfolio 10:49AM (12/29/2007)
I didn't know that Steve McQueen was only three feet tall and had a head the size of a 6 month old.
Either that or that Cobra is HOOGE!
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