Jobs’ sweet ride part of high-end auto auction
NEW YORK >> A sleek sports car once owned by Steve Jobs could sell for over $300,000 at a December auction — practically pocket change compared to some of the million-dollar vehicles that will be offered alongside it.
The Apple founder’s 2000 BMW Z8 convertible is among about 30 sets of hot wheels that will be offered by a variety of consignors at the Dec. 6 sale in Manhattan.
Bidders at the fantasy-fueled RM Sotheby’s auction might steer toward a handsomely earth-toned 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pininfarina, which has a pre-sale estimate of about $1.5 million to $1.8 million. They’ll also have the chance to peruse a white, “ultimate street-legal” 1995 Porsche 911 GT2, which has a pre-sale estimate of about $1.1 million to $1.4 million, and a red 1952 Chrysler D’Elegance by Ghia, with a pre-sale estimate of about $900,000 to $1.1 million.
But bidders may instead choose to geek out on Jobs’ former ride — a model that served as “a test bed for new engineering technologies,” said the auction house. “While not a car enthusiast per se,” Jobs did have “a penchant for German design.”
The tech genius got his BMW in October 2000 in the minimalist style he is known for— titanium over a black leather interior. He sold it about three years later.
Although it’s changed hands a couple of times, it’s only clocked 15,200 miles.
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The car comes with a copy of its old California registration, under the name “Jobs, Steven P.” It also comes with a hardtop, cover, manuals and a cellphone — ironically, a BMW-branded Motorola.
Out of garage space, but not out of bucks? A race suit and helmet might fit the bill. Steve McQueen wore them in the 1971 movie “Le Mans” and they’re expected to sell for $400,000 to $500,000.