1965 Ferrari 330GT Belonging to John Lennon Going Up For Auction
John Lennon got his driver’s license just after The Beatles had become the biggest band in the world. So it’s probably not a surprise that his first ride was a little fancier than yours.
Lennon’s first car will be going up on the auction block in July.
In February 1965, The Beatles had just finished a year that saw them launch their first world tour, release two new albums and have nine different songs chart in the Billboard Top 100 for the year (including the top two and five in the Top 16). Lennon was already one of the biggest stars on the planet that month when he passed his driver’s test.
When word got out that the Beatles frontman was in the market for some new wheels, every car dealership in England went on the prowl, hoping that the superstar would become the new face of their respective model. With an array of Aston Martins, Maseratis and Jaguars parked in front of his home in Surrey, what ultimately caught Lennon’s eye was a blue 1965 Ferrari 330GT. He paid a little over $10,000 for the new ride (about $171,000 in today's inflation-adjusted dollars) and put just over 20,000 miles on the car before selling it in October 1967.
As one of just 500 of this model Ferrari made and one of the few still with the original engine and chassis, this vehicle would be a valuable commodity on its own. But with its rare history and connection to the biggest band in history, the car is expected to sell for nearly $340,000. So if you’ve got enough money, it’s possible that, while this car might not have been your first ride, it could be your next one.