Start Me Up: Keith Richards’ ’72 Ferrari 246 GT at Auction

Rolling Stones rocker’s ride joins other famous vehicles owned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which hit the auction block Sept. 8.

A wise man once sang that you can’t always get what you want. But if what you’re looking for is a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Coupe once owned by rock icon Keith Richards, you might be in luck. The Ferrari once driven by Richards will be auctioned off at Bonhams upcoming Goodwood Revival.

There must be something in the water (or the whiskey) because Richards’ Ferrari is on the auction block the same time as two other cars once owned by rock idols: Paul McCartney‘s custom 1965 Mini Cooper S DeVille, and John Lennon’s last car, a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD (both pictured below). The two Beatles’ cars are to be auctioned by Worldwide Auctioneers.

Former Beatles manager Brian Epstein bought each of the members of the band one of the Mini Coopers in 1965. Lennon’s Benz is a piece of rock and roll history, having the distinction of being the last car Lennon drove and serving as his daily driver. He even drove the master tapes of his musical masterpiece “Double Fantasy” to The Record Plant from The Hit Factory in the Mercedes-Benz 300TD. Baby you can drive their car, but it will likely cost you some big bucks.

Richard’s Ferrari is expected to fetch $500,000. But given the car and its history, that’s not too surprising. What is surprising is that a car owned by one of the baddest and wildest rock stars ever is in such great shape! Richard’s owned and drove the car for 14 years and racked up 25,000 miles. He got the Ferrari Dino new in 1972 and drove it often when The Rolling Stones were on tours in Europe.

“On these European tours of the 1970s, the band would fly to each gig and Keith, who avoided flying whenever he could, would choose to drive the Dino, frequently arriving at the band’s hotel in the middle of the night. The majority of the Ferrari’s mileage in Keith’s ownership was covered in this way.” Alan Dunn, The Rolling Stones Tour Manager, recalled.

Richards sold the Dino to a private collection in Japan. Then, in 2014 it was bought at auction by another rock star, Liam Howlett, co-founder of The Prodigy. Howlett had the engine rebuilt in 2015.

The 2.4 liter V6 engine is paired to a 5-speed manual transmission and produces 195 hp at 7,600 rpm.

The Dino GT is finished in sleek and sexy Argento (silver) with a Nero (black) leather interior. It has Cromodora alloy wheels, a nice period-correct detail.

There is only 30,000 miles on the rebuilt engine, so this silver bullet is ready to rock. If you’re in the market, please consider adopting us. And check out the auction at Bonhams.

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S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.