Rétromobile 2026 explores Steve McQueen’s automotive legacy

Rétromobile 2026 will place four wheels firmly in the spotlight with a major Steve McQueen exhibition that charts the Hollywood icon’s lifelong obsession with cars, speed and competition. Marking the show’s 50th anniversary, the display in Hall 7.2 brings together the machines that defined McQueen not just as an actor, but as a genuine driver who pursued motorsport with uncommon seriousness.

The undisputed star of the exhibition is the 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback GT 390 from Bullitt, a car that redefined how cinema portrayed speed. McQueen’s nine-minute San Francisco chase sequence remains a benchmark for realism, filmed at real pace and without stunt doubles. Displayed alongside it is the film’s menacing Dodge Charger, the two cars reunited as rolling symbols of a moment that permanently altered automotive filmmaking.

Beyond the screen, Rétromobile explores McQueen’s real-world racing credentials. Central to that story is the Porsche 908-02 Spyder, acquired by McQueen’s Solar Productions in 1969 as preparation for his planned assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The lightweight endurance racer carried McQueen and Peter Revson to an extraordinary second place at the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring—despite McQueen driving with his left foot in a cast. It remains the clearest evidence that his racing ambitions extended far beyond Hollywood fantasy.

McQueen’s earlier competition history is also referenced through his involvement in American SCCA racing and his links with elite drivers such as Stirling Moss, underlining his long-standing commitment to serious motorsport from the late 1950s onward.

While cars dominate the exhibition narrative, McQueen’s two-wheeled life is acknowledged as the foundation of his mechanical obsession. Visitors will also find a supporting display of motorcycles that shaped his early racing years and cinematic identity, including the Triumph TR6 from The Great Escape, a Triumph TR6 SC linked to his 1964 ISDT campaign, factory 1963 ISDT Triumphs, a Triumph N13 Bud Ekins Desert Sled, a 1966 Triumph Rickman Métisse Mk3, the 1971 Honda 250 SRM, and the 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross he raced extensively.

Held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Rétromobile 2026 runs from January 28 to February 1, with opening hours set from 10 am to 7 pm on Wednesday and Sunday, extended to 10 am to 8.30 pm on Thursday and Saturday, and running late until 10 pm on Friday. Tickets are available in advance for €20 until January 21, after which single-entry prices are €22 when purchased online or €25 on the door, while entry remains free for children under 12.