Also on sale is Tazio Nuvolari’s 1950 Cisitalia Abarth 204 A Spyder
A 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT, first owned by the Rolling Stones rock star Keith Richards, is to be sold at no reserve at Coys’ auction in Monaco on Friday 9th May.
The Dino 246 is one of those rare examples that acquired the title of “collector’s car’ almost while still in production. It established itself rapidly as one of the ‘must have’ accessories of the 1970s and gained a fairly star-studded list of owners. This example on offer at Coys’ auction must represent one of the most starry as it was purchased new by the rock and roll legend Keith Richards in California in February 1972.
Already a connoisseur of fine cars by the time he took delivery of this car, Keith kept the Dino for fourteen years until 1986, and in this time he covered over 25,000 miles. He brought it to the UK in 1975 where it was registered to his address in Munro Terrace in Chelsea, London, and assigned the UK registration number GYL 157N.
Accompanying the car is a letter from the Rolling Stones’ manager Alan Dunn confirming Richards’ ownership and mileage up until April 1986. The car has since then spent an extended period in a prestigious Japanese collection.
Chris Routledge, Managing Partner at Coys, said: “A Dino offered at no reserve is rare enough in itself and would make this is a highly desirable and collectible item in its own right, but when one adds to this proven long-term ownership by rock and roll aristocracy, the Keith Richards’s car has to be the ultimate Dino and will surely give any car collector and rock enthusiast a great ‘Satisfaction’!”
The sale will also feature a 1950 Cisitalia Abarth 204 A Spyder, driven by the legendary Italian motorcycle and race car driver Tazio Nuvolari on at least two occasions in 1950. First, he raced it in the April 2nd Targa Florio, where he was sidelined by transmission failure, and then a week later in the April 10th Palermo Monte Pellegrino hillclimb, where he brought it home first in the 1100cc class. This was the final race of Nuvolari’s overwhelmingly diverse and successful career.
This car is one of four two seat Cisitalia 204 A Spyder Corsas taken by Carlo Abarth, which were the basis of Abarth & Co. Srl. This car is Cisitalia chassis number 4 and is the last one built in Italy. It was then assigned chassis number 8 by Abarth in the sequence of 204 A’s built and is the first Abarth, documented by the original Certificate of Origin retained by a museum in Italy. The car is estimated at €1,400,000 to €1,800,000.
The 204 A was designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi with spare botticella style Spyder Corsa coachwork crafted by Carrozzeria Rocco Motto and adaptable to both formula competition and, with bumpers and lights added, as a road going sports car.
Chris Routledge said: “This is an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the most serendipitous gathering of postwar racing and automobile personalities. A car with splendid appearance, impeccable history and tailored to the requirements of “The Flying Mantuan”, Tazio Nuvolari, by a master of Italian speed, Carlo Abarth. Likely to be one of the most historically important sport racing cars, this may be the only opportunity to acquire this icon at auction.”
For further details about this cars and other important lots for sale, please visit www.coys.co.uk
