An Aston Martin DB5 and a 1966 Mini Cooper S Radford conversion, respectively owned by The Beatles’ Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, are set to be auctioned by Bonhams next month.
The DB5 is worth an estimated £1.5 million while Ringo’s old Mini could sell for £120,000.
The highly collectible DB5 was ordered by Sir Paul before the Fab Four set out on their world tour in 1964. He owned it for six years.
The car was finished in Sierra Blue with a black interior and was registered “BYY 379B” – as it remained for 48 years.
“64 MAC” plate added to DB5 in 2012
In 2012, TV presenter and petrol-head Chris Evans bought the car and fitted it with the “64 MAC” plate it bears today.
The new keeper commissioned a full restoration that included Silver Birch paint and red Mulberry leather interior.
The restoration aimed to be to a standard “at least as good, if not exceeding, that achieved by the factory when the car was built”.
That rebuild took four years but since then the DB5 has covered just 2,600 miles.
Mini Cooper cheaper but as collectible as the DB5
In its own way Ringo’s Mini is equally collectible, though it comes at a more modest price tag estimate of £90k to £120k
All four of The Beatles owned Minis, but Ringo’s had to be a little bit different. He needed more luggage space to carry his drum kit and a suitable conversion was carried out.
“LLO 836D” was bought by manager Brian Epstein in May 1966. Ringo took possession on June 15 1967. He kept the car until December 1968.
There were plenty of other additions to the Mini, including flared arches, alloy wheels, sunroof, cigar lighter, electric windows and reclining seats.
Ringo Starr’s old car – “the Rolls-Royce of Minis”
Finished in two-tone Regal Red and silver-grey, it was described as the “Roll-Royce of Minis” when it appeared on Blue Peter in February 1984.
It was also featured in displays at the Beatles City exhibition in Liverpool and Dallas during the ’80s.
In 1990, the car returned to the UK and was restored.
It has won the coveted Cartier “Style et Luxe” concours award at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and was on Top Gear in 2001.
These Beatles classic cars would clearly make the drive more pleasurable along the long and winding road, while Adrian Flux can offer peace of mind with its value for money classic car insurance.
