Synopses & Reviews
Even 30 years after his death, Steve McQueen remains an icon of cool. His image continues to appear in advertising and pop culture, and he has a particularly ardent following among car, motorcycle, and racing enthusiasts. Steve McQueen: A Passion for Speed chronicles the actor/racer’s fascination with and love for all things internal combustion-powered. In his movies, McQueen’s character always had a great motorcycle or car -- from the "BMW" motorcycle (actually a made-over Triumph) he piloted in The Great Escape (1963); to the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback he drove in the fantastic chase in Bullitt (1968); to the Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder roadster in the provocative The Thomas Crown Affair (1968); and the Gulf-liveried Porsche 917 race car he maneuvered on the track in Le Mans (1971). But McQueen’s need for speed didn’t stop with the silver screen. He was an avid and skilled amateur off-road racer who competed in top events including the Baja 1000, Mint 400 and Elsinore Grand Prix. He was fast on a road course as well, teaming with Peter Revson to finish second in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1970. Determined to be ahead of the pack, McQueen maintained his body like a machine as well. He trained vigorously, weight lifting, running and studying martial arts. McQueen: A Passion for Speed offers a fresh, handsomely illustrated look into the star's various gearhead pursuits, from desert racing to Le Mans, sports cars to antique motorcycles. It’s a fitting tribute to a life lived in the moment and with pedal to the metal.
Review
"The darling of mens lifestyle bloggers everywhere, Steve McQueen has long epitomized rugged cool. This book is a paean to the legend. It offers iconic photographs of McQueen with his cars and motorcycles but also rare shots of him riding horses, working out and relaxing with his wife. Worth buying for the photos alone." - Forbes.com
Review
"There are books about famous movie stars and books about famous auto racers, but rarely do the two disciplines converge. Paul Newman is one example while Hollywood legend Steve McQueen is another. Some of McQueen's better-known roles included the Mustang-driving detective in "Bullitt" and the motorcycle-jumping POW in "The Great Escape". But it was his 1971 portrayal as Porsche-pilot Michael Delaney in Le Mans where McQueen displayed his fanaticism for auto racing. Frederic Brun's book Steve McQueen: A Passion for Speed is full of behind the scenes photos of the actor / racer's obsession in front of the camera as well as participating in various racing events. www.motorbooks.com" - Newsday
Synopsis
Even 30 years after his death, Steve McQueen remains an icon of cool. His image continues to appear in advertising and pop culture, and car, motorcycle, and racing fans embrace him as one of their own. Now comes this volume featuring rare photography and chronicling McQueen’s fascination with and passion for all things internal-combustion powered. McQueen’s movie characters always had a great motorcycle or car—from the 650cc “BMW” motorcycle (a disguised Triumph) in
The Great Escape (1963) to the Gulf Porsche 917 race car he raced in
Le Mans (1971). His need for speed propelled him from Hollywood into a number of top off-road motorcycle races, including the Baja 1000, Mint 400, and Elsinore Grand Prix. Determined to be ahead of the pack, McQueen trained vigorously, weight lifting, running, and studying martial arts.
Steve McQueen A Passion for Speed reflects a life lived in the moment and with the pedal to the metal.
About the Author
Political attaché in the French Parliament, Frédéric Brun is foremost a movie lover, car fanatic, and amateur racer. A sought-after commentator, he contributes to a number of French magazines writing about movie icons or collector cars. Thanks to his highly specialized knowledge of classic cars and engines, he covers France’s ‘”Tour Auto’” race every year for the French press.
Frédéric Brun is also the author of Pilotes Ferrari (YB Edition), awarded “Best illustrated Sport Book” by the Olympic Committee in fall 2010.