LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The white Ford Bronco that was used by former soccer superstar O.J. Simpson in the infamous chase in 1994 when he tried to evade Los Angeles police, is up for sale, the local KTLA TV reported Thursday.
The car involved in the 60-mile (102 km) pursuit through Los Angeles which was broadcast live around the world, was regarded as a historic item by the owner Mike Gilbert, Simpson' s former agent.
Gilbert bought the car from "A.C." Al Cowlings, who was Simpson' s friend and former teammate in University of Southern California.
During the chase, Cowlings drove the car and spoke with police on his cell phone while Simpson rode in the back, armed with handgun. They were followed by helicopters and hundreds of police vehicles before eventually surrendered.
Gilbert revealed that he had been offered lump-sum payment of 500,000 U.S. dollars for the Bronco, the report said, adding Gilbert touted that the car is the most viewed vehicle in history, ahead of the car that former U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated.
But experts familiar with automobile auction don' t believe this car could be sold out at any price closing to 500,000 dollars.
Jeremy Brown, a sports memorabilia expert, was quoted by the KTLA as saying that the notoriety of the car and the chase probably make it worth more than 100,000 dollars.
Patric Wang, a businessmen living in Los Angeles who chairs a charity group to organize sports car and classic car shows, told Xinhua Thursday, in terms of resale and collective value, the Ford Branco usually had not so much demand among the auto collector society.
"However, with the fact OJ is a NFL (National Football League, in the United States) football legend, it would have added some historical value to it, for that reason, some collectors might pay above market value premium to acquire such item," he said, "on the other hand with the works famous murder case, how OJ is known ever since, it awkward anyone who would pay good money for the car unless they are seeking for permission public attention."
"Personally this particular Ford is worth nothing but the blue book value to me," he said.
