Drive Like A Rolling Stone In Keith Richards’ Ferrari Dino 246 GT

You’ve finally made it. You’re a rock star. Your albums are topping the charts. You’re getting radio play-time left and right. You’re greeted by adoring fans everywhere you go. So what do you do now? You buy an exotic sports car, of course.

That’s what Keith Richards did in 1972 with the acquisition of this Ferrari Dino 246 GT. And he drove it extensively. Despite the left-hand drive setup for the US, he had it shipped back with him from California to London, driving it (instead of flying) across Europe while the Rolling Stones were on tour.

“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,” recalls the band’s tour manager Alan Dunn, who certifies the car’s provenance.

Richards kept the Dino for over a decade and a half before selling it to a Japanese collector. There it remained until 2014 when it was auctioned off in Monaco to another rock star: Liam Howlett of The Prodigy. Howlett kept it for a couple of years before selling it to its current owner, who in turn is putting it up for auction again – nearly a half-century since the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist took delivery.

Resplendent in silver over black, the Dino has about 30,000 miles on the clock – some 25,000 of which was accrued by Richards on those European tours in the ’70s and ’80s. It had its engine rebuilt just a few years ago, and Bonhams expects it will sell for £300-400k (or about $450k, give or take) when the gavel drops at the Goodwood Revival this coming weekend.

“If you want to feel like a Rock God, this is the car for you,” notes Bonhams’ Sholto Gilbertson. “The stunning low-sloping bonnet, purring engine power and 0 – 50 mph acceleration time of 5.5 seconds makes the 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT a very attractive choice.”