Mention the name Eleanor in any automotive publication, and people will automatically think of a Ford Mustang. Although, it wouldn’t be just any Mustang. It would be a top-shelf, shiny machine with major horsepower and stunning good looks. Depending on a person’s age, the Eleanor Mustang was either bright yellow or charcoal in color. For those that don’t know, Eleanor was a supporting actor in both of the Gone in 60 Seconds movies. Eleanor is a movie car.

1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1

The original Eleanor was a yellow 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1. For the 1974 film, the Mustang was reinforced with a NASCAR style roll cage and the powerful V8 was suped up even more. According to GT Nation, the movie,

“includes a record-holding car-chase scene that lasts for over 30 minutes. This chase scene was filmed using civilians, real cops, and had several unplanned major accidents that were kept in the film. The most remarkable thing about this unique piece of automotive cinema is that they only used one Mustang for the entire chase.”

1967 Shelby GT 500

Flash forward to 2000, twenty years ago. That is when a remake hit the theaters. This one had Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, and Eleanor. This Ford Mustang, however, was charcoal with black stripes and based on a 1967 Shelby GT 500. It also had nitrous for more power. The movie and the car took the box office and imaginations by storm. 

According to a new listing, Steve Stanford and Chip Foose made the Eleanor cars for the second movie. There was a total of 11 of them made. A few were created as Hero cars. Three remain. One of them is now available for sale. The car is officially number seven of the original fleet. 

Fully functioning Mustang

Hero cars are used for closeups. So, they need to be fully functioning. The other Eleanors used in the movie were likely stunt cars or beauty cars. Those cars were typically viewed from a distance. 

Our friends at Auto Evolution also got wind of the Hero car being for sale and noted that,

“In December 2019, another verified Eleanor fetched $1 million at a Mecum auction. Registered replicas sell for around $300,000. So you know this won’t be a cheap buy by any means.”

It is almost certain that a person with deep pockets and an appreciation for Eleanor will snap this vehicle up soon. 

Interestingly, the plot of the movie remake had to do with the theft of 50 cars in one night. What’s ironic is that Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches were all among the cars stolen. But it is Eleanor, the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, that receives the most attention. If anybody ever wonders why they can just look at Eleanor. The car is stunning and the 5.8-liter V8 muscle car has a throaty exhaust. Consequently, having it fly across the silver screen has inspired and caught the imagination of another generation, much like the first movie did. Even twenty years after the most recent release, adults still fawn over the car. So, one of them for sale will likely attract people from all walks of life, not just movie car collectors.