A 1952 Hudson Wasp,once owned and driven by the legendary actor dubbed the “King of Cool,” will cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Hershey sale on October 9, 2025.
While McQueen is best remembered for his motorcycles, high-performance sports cars and the movie “Bullitt,” his widow Barbara Minty said this Hudson was among his personal favorites in the later years of his life. McQueen died of cancer November 7, 1980.
About the Hudson
Though nearly forgotten by casual car fans today, Hudson was a formidable force in American motoring during the early 1950s. Founded in Detroit in 1909, the company established a reputation for solid engineering and distinctive styling. The brand’s racing credibility was cemented in stock car competition, where Hudsons routinely dominated NASCAR in the early part of the decade.
In 1952, the automaker introduced the Wasp, a shorter-wheelbase companion to its famous Hornet. The new model was built on Hudson’s trademark “step-down” chassis, which lowered the center of gravity for improved handling, and it was offered in several body styles as both two- and four-door models.
McQueen’s example – offered from the Petersen Automotive Museum collection – is a two-door Brougham finished in light green with a contrasting black roof. The car features heavy chrome detailing and a cabin trimmed with additional brightwork, paired with cloth upholstery on both front and rear bench seats.
Although time has diminshed the car somewhat —the Hudson retains most of its original paint and interior—it remains largely untouched. That originality, combined with McQueen’s ownership, makes the car an ideal candidate for a careful restoration.
Under the hood, the Hudson Wasp delivered more performance than its modest reputation suggests. McQueen’s car carries an inline-six engine topped with a Power Dome cylinder head and breathing through a Twin H-Power dual-carburetor system.
Backing the motor is a Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic, a rare and advanced option for the Wasp in its day. The car shows 63,537 miles, evidence of both regular use and careful maintenance.
The Wasp will be offered with a presale estimate between $40,000 and $60,000—well below the six-figure hammer price of another McQueen-owned Hudson, a 1953 Hornet, which RM Sotheby’s sold in 2019 for $165,000.
About McQueen, And “Bullitt”
Bullitt (1968) cemented Steve McQueen’s status as the ultimate car guy, thanks to its groundbreaking, CGI-free chase through the streets of San Francisco in a Highland Green Mustang. That sequence rewrote the rules for how cars were filmed, and it’s still the gold standard enthusiasts and filmmakers measure against today.