Here’s a piece of Rolling Stones memorabilia you’d never want to sully with an autograph: a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, owned by one Keith Richards, who got it new.
In 1972, the Rolling Stones had just seen major success with Exile on Main Street, which reached number one in both the US and the UK, and they also put out a compilation record with years’ worth of recordings (*queues up “Play With Fire”*). The band had definitely come into some money, indicating this ride was probably a landmark purchase for Richards.
Then came 1973, which saw another dual US-UK number one with Goats Head Soup. Were any of the tracks composed behind this wheel? “Angie”, perhaps? That’s a fun thought.
One might also wonder if Keith Richards ever operated the vehicle under the influence. Considering his penchant for tying one on, driving like a madman and the fact he put 25K miles on it in the 14 years he owned it, it’s a fair assumption.
Dino 1972 (4 images)
Eventually he split with the Dino in 1986, a time when Richards and Jagger were fighting, almost to the point of dissolving the band. You can imagine the catty, one-way banter he spat zipping around in the Dino on the way home from the studio where he felt like he was pulling most of the weight.
From there, the car went to a “prestigious Japanese private collection.”
And now it’s being auctioned at Bonhams: The Goodwood Festival of Speed Revival next month, on September 8th, in the UK. Estimates value it between $390-520K, and it comes with an authentication letter from The Rolling Stones’ Tour Manager.
If you’ve got cash to burn, this is one time that you may, in fact, be able to get what you want, whether you need it or not.
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