Like classic watches, provenance is a big factor in classic cars, especially those purportedly owned by celebrities. To civilians, the acquisition of an iconic timepiece or a luxury car marks the milestone of a skyrocketing career and in the case of rock legend Keith Richards, it so happens that his stratospheric turn as lead guitarist for arguably the world’s most famous rock band – The Rolling Stones, means that his former ownership of this 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Coupé carries the weight of not just the provenance of a classic Ferrari Dino but also one which celebrates his head-banging career spanning over six decades.
Up for Auction: Keith Richards 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Coupé
Keith Richards is infamously reputed to be every inch the hard living rock guitarist, crashing his Bentley Continental ‘Blue Lena’, auctioned by Bonhams in 2015, in multiple occasions, thus when his classic 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Coupé survives for auction in relatively unmolested condition, it’s nothing short of miraculous.
Richards took delivery of this Ferrari Dino in 1972. Notably, the rock legend avoided flying whenever he could, and Alan Dunn, The Rolling Stones Tour Manager attests to the fact that while the band would fly to each gig, Richards would drive the classic Dino to the band’s hotel, racking up 25,000 miles before it was eventually sold in 1986 to a prestigious private collection in Japan.
Keith Richard’s Ferrari remained in Japan until 2014 when it was purchased at a Monaco auction by another rock star, Liam Howlett, co-founder of The Prodigy. The engine was rebuilt in 2015 by renowned marque specialist Joe Macari, and the following year the classic Dino was sold to the current owner where the vintage 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Coupé has been maintained and serviced with no issues arising, with a total mileage of circa 30,000.
The 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Coupé is retains the mid-engine layout of the successful limited edition Dino 206S sports-racer of 1966. The compact, aluminium-bodied coupé is named after Enzo Ferrari’s late son Alfredino Ferrari. Powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cam V6 driving via an in-unit five-speed transaxle, the motor’s 180 brake horsepower was good enough to propel the lightweight, aerodynamically-efficient Dino to 142mph.
A signed letter from The Rolling Stones’ Tour Manager Alan Dunn confirming Keith Richards’ ownership, represents not only an opportunity to own a highly collectible classic car but also a very significant piece of rock music history. Soon to be auctioned by Bonhams on 8 September, it is expected to fetch SGD 530,000 – 700,000. Bid for Keith Richard’s classic Ferrari here.
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