It’s better than a train ride…
Update: Over the weekend, the Risky Business Tom Cruise Porsche sold for a record $1.98 million - a top amount for that model.
Risky Business has inspired quite a few people, especially teenagers who’ve dreamed of tooling around town in a hot Porsche, just like a young Tom Cruise. And while the 1979 Porsche 928 used in the film might not be considered as interesting to some as a 911 of the same vintage, the fact it’s a movie car certainly elevates it in the eyes of many. That’s why there’s building excitement about its upcoming auction.
See the 928 and two other classic Porsches get a modern makeover here.
Paul Brickman, who famously directed Risky Business, selected the Porsche 928 for its dramatic looks. He considered the 911 to not be nearly as interesting aesthetically for the screen, and it’s easy to see why. That long, aggressive nose with round headlights lounging back give the nose almost a predatory feel.
Considering the Porsche 928 belonged to Tom Cruise’s affluent father in the film was certainly believable as such a German-made car was commonly a plaything of the professional class at the time. It was also flashy enough to completely hypnotize his son, who drew plenty of attention and got into loads of trouble thanks to the ride.
Just like in other movie productions, the crew used several Porsche 928s for filming, but this particular one was the hero car or the primary vehicle. That means it was featured the most on the silver screen, but it wasn’t the one which took a bath in Lake Michigan.
As you’ll note, every detail of this Porsche looks stunning, so subsequent owners obviously understood its historical significance and cared impeccably for it. Everything from the exterior trim pieces to the leather upholstery and all the instrumentation looks almost showroom fresh. We can imagine bidding for this car is going to be pretty fierce.
While there are plenty of detractors for the Porsche 928 today, back in the late 70s the car almost became the successor of the 911. It was a hot performance vehicle for the day, boasting a beefy 4.5-liter V8 pushed back far enough to make for balanced handling for a front-engine car.
This 1979 Porsche 928 from Risky Business will be one of the featured lots at Barrett-Jackson’s inaugural Houston Auction taking place in mid-September.
