Asger Risom
Just outside Paris, a museum devoted to film and television fandom is preparing to part with some of its most prized relics.
Just outside Paris, a museum devoted to film and television fandom is preparing to part with some of its most prized relics.
A trove of screen-used and replica vehicles — many battered, bruised or built for high-octane chase scenes — is now heading to auction.
A Pop-Culture Collection Breaks Up
According to Bonhams, the auction house responsible, the Pop Central Museum in Étréchy, roughly 30 miles south of Notre Dame Cathedral, is selling 50 cars, motorcycles and pieces of memorabilia. The venue, which bills itself as “the temple of pop culture,” amassed an eclectic mix of machines from Fast & Furious, John Wick 2, Drive, Back to the Future Part II and The Dukes of Hazzard, alongside replicas from Herbie, The A-Team, Batman and James Bond.
The auction house is overseeing the sale. Among the items is a towering Jurassic Park T-Rex statue expected to draw between $40,000 and nearly $70,000 — a conversation starter for anyone bold enough to display one in their yard.
With the clearing of the collection, decades of film memorabilia are set to find private buyers rather than remain in the museum’s halls.
Star Cars and Real Stunt Damage
Some of the standout listings come with genuine on-screen credentials. One is the 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 from John Wick 2, one of five built for the film and used in a chase sequence driven by Keanu Reeves. Stunt coordinator Darrin Prescott, who has long praised Reeves’ driving skill, explained in a 2017 feature: “For several scenes, a stuntman drove the car from a roof-mounted cockpit so Reeves could focus on acting,” and elaborate maneuvers like a jump-drift through a warehouse door “took ‘7 or 8 takes’ and destroyed at least one Mustang when a stunt driver clipped the steel door frame in midair.”
Another item sure to draw attention is the circa-1989 Police Cruiser from Back to the Future Part II, designed by Tim Flattery and built by Gene Winfield. Only two were made; the one at auction is the sole version equipped with an engine. It later spent time on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum before joining Pop Central’s lineup.
European Icons and Fast & Furious Favorites
For fans of French cinema, the 1999 Peugeot 406 V6 from Taxi 2 promises to be a highlight. Bonhams calls it “probably the most famous car in French cinema,” with estimates ranging from $80,000 to $138,000. It will be exhibited at the Salon Époqu’Auto in Lyon ahead of the sale.
At the high end is a 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII built for Paul Walker’s character in 2 Fast 2 Furious. Bonhams expects it to fetch between $290,000 and $500,000 — a realistic target given the franchise’s auction history. The outlet notes that a 1994 Toyota Supra sold for $550,000 in 2021, while an R34 GT-R driven by Walker in Fast & Furious 4 soared to $1.36 million in 2023.
Why the Museum Is Letting Go
Museum owner Franck Galiègue previously rented out certain cars for rides, but that practice has ceased as he prepares to pursue what he calls “other automotive projects.” In a statement through Bonhams, he said: “This museum has been an incredible adventure, but the time has come to move on to new automotive projects. I have spent many years collecting these cars and have had the pleasure of sharing them with enthusiasts from all over Europe. Now it is time to pass them on to film lovers who will take up the baton and continue to keep these witnesses to mechanical and cinematic history alive.”
The online auction will run November 21–28. Anyone hoping to start their own film-car sanctuary may want to bring deep pockets — and perhaps a spare garage or two.
This article is made and published by Asger Risom, who may have used AI in the preparation
