Tom Cruise's driving exploits in movies might not place him in the same league as fellow actor/drivers James Dean and Steve McQueen, but his co-star in "Risky Business" — a 1979 gold Porsche 928 coupe — certainly helped enhance his reputation.
Three Porsche 928 cars were used during the production of the film, and one of them will be up for auction at Bonham’s Quail Auction event in Carmel, California, scheduled for August 16. The estimated selling price is between $1.4 million and $1.8 million.
In the 1983 film, Cruise plays a high school senior who sets up a brothel and engages the services of a sex worker played by Rebecca de Mornay. During the climactic chase scene, the 928, driven by Cruise's character, manages to outrun and outmaneuver a 1975 Cadillac Coupe Deville driven by a pimp. At the end of the chase, reportedly in this car, Cruise's character looks directly into the camera and delivers the iconic line, “Porsche. There is no substitute.”
According to Bonhams' press release, Cruise learned to drive a stick shift in this particular Porsche, which was built with a five-speed manual transmission. Producer Jon Avnet supposedly assisted with the training.
Originally finished in white, this 928 was repainted Platinum Metallic — a color not introduced until 1981 — for the film. It features a 4,474cc SOHC V8 engine with Bosch K-Jetronic Fuel Injection, producing 230 horsepower. Initially housed in California, the car was later moved to a collection on the East Coast, where it underwent significant cosmetic and mechanical refurbishment, with receipts on file. Acquired by the current owner in 2021, it has been stored in a climate-controlled garage for the past three years, according to Bonhams.