A screen-used Back to the Future Part II police cruiser, one of only two ever built for the 1989 film, is now up for auction at Bonhams, where it’s expected to sell for $80,800 to $115,444. Designed by concept artist Tim Flattery and hand-built by legendary Hollywood fabricator Gene Winfield, this full-size prop is the only version constructed on a Pontiac Fiero chassis with a functioning engine and drivetrain, allowing it to move on its own during exterior shoots.
Its arrival on the auction block follows a growing trend of high-profile film vehicles coming up for sale. Among them, this cruiser stands out as one of the most recognizable non-DeLorean cars in the entire trilogy.
A Rare, Fully Functional Prop From the “Hill Valley 2015” Sequences
According to the Certificate of Authenticity signed by Gene Winfield, this cruiser appeared in the “Hill Valley 2015” scenes of Back to the Future Part II. Winfield sculpted the car in his Mojave workshop, shaping a fiberglass body over the Fiero platform with enclosed canopy glass, integrated future-styled light bars, and aircraft-inspired contours that defined the movie’s retro-future aesthetic.
While most screen vehicles are static shells, this example is the only one from the film built with a running powertrain, giving it the ability to drive for camera setups and exterior shots. After filming, the car remained in Winfield’s personal collection for decades before receiving a cosmetic restoration for the film’s 30th anniversary in 2015.
It later spent time on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles as part of the Hollywood Dream Machines exhibition, showcased alongside other iconic film machines.
Condition, Ownership History, and What’s Included
The police cruiser is being sold on a bill of sale, as it isn’t road legal and was never intended for use outside controlled sets. Bonhams notes that the vehicle would benefit from cosmetic and mechanical attention, but still retains its original production fiberglass bodywork, filming-period decals, and lighting systems.
It’s now offered by Movie Cars Central, the same group known for curating high-profile entertainment vehicles. Screen-used props with this level of provenance have steadily become more desirable, just as other collector segments, from classic muscle cars like the 1965 Ford Mustang to wild track builds such as the 1977 Porsche 911, continue to surge in value.
Why It Matters
Few movie props have the combination of on-screen use, one-off engineering, and direct provenance from one of Hollywood’s most influential car builders. As Back to the Future remains one of the most enduring sci-fi franchises of all time, vehicles tied to the trilogy rarely surface, and almost never with functional drivetrains.
For collectors of film memorabilia, custom cars, or late-80s pop-culture artifacts, this police cruiser represents a genuine opportunity, for you to own a screen-verified, museum-displayed piece of cinematic history, built by one of Hollywood’s greatest fabricators and preserved largely in its original form.
