It is not a replica, but the real copy of the Interceptor used in the movies Mad Max (1979) and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981), which the Orlando Auto Museum in Florida, USA, has put up for sale.
Based on the 1973 Australian Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe, it was transformed as a police chase car for the apocalyptic world where agent Max “Mad” Rockatansky lives — and a star was born… and I'm not just referring to Mel Gibson, the actor who played the role of Max.
The Interceptor is currently owned by real estate agent Michael Dezer, and has been said to have turned down an offer of around $2 million (€1.82 million) to sell it in the past — a figure that is expected to give a point of reference of how much can now be sold. The Orlando Automotive Museum did not set a base figure.
Those interested in the Interceptor are not limited to potential collectors. There is at least one Australian museum that has publicly shown an interest in acquiring this symbol of Australian popular culture. An Australian publication is also lobbying the Australian government for the vehicle to return to Australian soil and be on permanent display.
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According to the museum, the Interceptor carries a V8 engine with 302 ci (cubic inches) under the hood, the equivalent of 4948 cm3, but if the car remains as it was used during the filming of the films, it is most likely be the biggest V8 of 351 ci or 5752 cm3 (the biggest engine that powered the Ford Falcon XB).
Weiand's bulging supercharger was unfortunately not functional. It was simply screwed onto the top of the air filter and for the film, they just had to make it spin and move when loaded — cinema magic at its best…
Where has the Interceptor been?
After the first two films, the mighty Interceptor was abandoned for years, until it was found and acquired by a fan of the films. He was the one who handled the restoration process, and years later, the Interceptor would end up in a UK museum, Cars Of The Stars. The entire inventory of the British museum would be acquired later, in 2011, by Michael Dezer (as mentioned, the current owner).
Dezer was also responsible for opening the Miami Auto Museum in 2012 (more recently renamed Orlando Auto Museum, due to the museum's relocation to Orlando, Florida), where he exhibited his automobile collection. In addition to the Interceptor, he owns other "cinema star cars", such as the "Batmobile" used in films directed by Tim Burton.
Much of the museum's collection is now for sale, so it's also worth visiting the site, where points of interest abound.
