Fast
cars have always had a place in the garage of the most famous rock stars.
Legends like Nick Mason from 'Pink Floyd', 'Kid Rock', James Hetfield from
'Metallica' or Eric Clapton are examples of this. Another inveterate collector
of Jewels on Wheels is Keith Richards: guitarist, singer, songwriter and
co-founder of the 'Rolling Stones'.
His
passion for cars, second only to his musical talent, has led Richards to have
in his garage everything from iconic classics to supercars like the legendary
Ferrari Dino 246 GT, one of the most iconic sports cars of the 20th century.
This
impressive specimen, which could exceed half a million dollars, will go up for
auction on August 17 in Monterrey.
An
oddity of statuesque beauty
The
Dino 246 GT, with its elegant design and its 2.4L V-6 heart with up to 195PS,
is an engineering masterpiece, still considered a symbol of luxury and elegance
today. Keith Richards' unit, chassis number 03354, left the factory on February
10, 1972, with a unique color palette made just for him.
In
addition to the body finished in a beautiful blue-grey 'Argento Metallizzato'
color and a 'Nero Connolly' leather interior, this unit created specifically
for American roads (among other things, it had an odometer in miles) was
delivered to Richards in California in June 1972 through dealer Bill Harrah's
Modern Classic Motors.
Since
then the car became an extension of the musician and accompanied him during his
European tours with the 'Rolling Stones'. With it he traveled more than 40,000
km, not to mention countless anecdotes and stories that he will have witnessed.
In 1975, Richards shipped the Dino to England and was given the registration
"GYL 157N".
The car
continued to be an object of desire for music and car lovers until it was sold
in Japan and incorporated into a private collection in 1986. However, Dino's story did not end there, since in 2014 it found a new home in the hands
of Liam Howlett, co-founder of the legendary electronic music band 'The
Prodigy'.
Shortly
after, the precious Dino underwent an exhaustive restoration between 2015 and
2018 at the prestigious 'Joe Macari Performance Cars house in London, and
according to the invoices that accompany the car today, just restoring the V6
cost almost 60,000 pounds, that is. , about 69,900 euros at the current
exchange rate.
This
meticulous restoration kept the car in pristine condition, just as it was when
Richards first bought it in 1972.
Today,
this Ferrari Dino 246 GT retains its color scheme and other original elements
such as 'Cromadora' alloy wheels shod with Michelin XWX tyres. The dash clocks
read 30,037 miles (about 48,280 kms), further adding to its historical value.
It
should be noted that the Dino "sub-brand" was used by Ferrari to
designate rear-drive sports models created between 1968 and 1976, before
returning to the original nomenclature.
In the
brochures, the Dino was defined as "almost a Ferrari", since this
line was created with the aim of offering a more affordable sports car than
other Ferraris and competing with the Porsche 911, without wanting the Italian
brand to be associated with more accessible cars. or cheap.
With
his name, he paid tribute to the eldest son of Enzo Ferrari, Alfredo
"Dino" Ferrari, who together with the engineer Vittorio Jano
influenced the decision to create a line of racing cars with V6 and V8 engines.
Soon
the prestigious RM Sotheby's will offer this unit for auction at its annual
Monterey's Car Week event, in which important private collectors from all over
the world gather to get hold of unique jewels like this, which can be
considered part of the history of the car. rock.
Experts
estimate that it could reach a price between 400,000 and 500,000 dollars, and
even exceed half a million (about 457,000 euros).
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