- One of three Porsche 928s used in filming ‘Risky Business’ is set to again cross the auction block
- This one is said to be the star car that Tom Cruise reportedly learned to drive stick in
- In 2021, it sold for US$1.98 million via Barrett-Jackson—but it may not hit that number this time
Attaching some Hollywood provenance to a car generally assures padding the vehicle’s value by several multiples, especially if the association is with a superstar actor and blockbuster movie. This classic Porsche has both — but can it match the price for which it sold just three years ago?
Set to cross the block at a Bonhams sale during the tony Monterey Car Week in mid-August is this 1979 Porsche 928 that saw screen-time in the flick Risky Business, starring Tom Cruise. In fact, it was one of just three used in that film, though it is understood this particular one was the star car which was featured most prominently. As a bonus, it is – allegedly – the car in which Tom Cruise learned to drive a manual transmission.
Given the man’s propensity for performing his own stunts, we can absolutely see Cruise taking on the task of learning stick in order for the film to be just that much more realistic for moviegoers.
As for the car itself, under that long hood (and between the tremendous flop-forward headlamps) resides a 4.5L water-cooled V8, featuring Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and lashed to a five-speed manual transmission. Its overall layout and the engineering decision to combine the axle and diff with the transmission into a single unit means this brute is said to have a 50-50 weight distribution. That’s significantly more than the vaunted 911 can claim, especially in the late 1970s.
Remember, the original mission statement for the 928 was to replace the 911 as Porsche’s flag-bearer, a notion which was dispensed with after furious fans of the brand protested in earnest. And that was over 40 years ago. Imagine the amount of backlash Porsche would have gotten in this age of social media if it tried a similar stunt today.
It seems the car was originally delivered with white paint, but ended up with a platinum metallic hue during filming, even though the colour didn’t technically show up until 1981, despite this being a 1979 car. Nevertheless, the colour was available by the time Risky Business hit theatres in 1983. This machine has passed through numerous owners, and was most recently acquired by the seller at another fancy auction in 2021, for the princely sum of US$1.98 million including sundry fees, then a record for 928 Porsches.
Estimates suggest that amount might be the top end of bidding this time around, but consignor Bonhams figures on the low end it could go for about a half-million less. But who knows? Anyone who has attended an auction of this sort knows it only takes a couple of determined (or liquored-up) rivals to start a bidding war and send prices into the stratosphere. We’ll update this article with the sale price after it crosses the block August 16.
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