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John Lennon’s rare Ferrari and his first ticket to ride set for Bonhams auction

Michael James

John Lennon's first cars, a 1965 Ferrari

Nearly five decades since John Lennon received his first driver’s license and purchased his first car, a 1965 Ferrari 330GT, the former Beatle’s classic sports car will be featured at Bonhams auction July 12 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.

Lennon, who owned the classic Ferrari for about three years, paid slightly more than $10,000 for the new right-hand driver Ferrari and drove it for about 20,000 miles.

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Now restored to its original status, the Ferrari is expected to sell for between $275,000-$340,00 as one of only 500 330GT of its type built.

John Lennon's first cars, a 1965 Ferrari
John Lennon’s first car, a 1965 Ferrari

According to Bohhams, the car comes with its original DUL 4C registration, vast documentation of its history, including a correspondence with Lennon.

Lennon bought the car in February 1965, according to Bonhams. The Beatles had just recorded “Ticket to Ride” and the singer attracted national attention by getting his driver’s license for the first time.

Seeking to win the most coveted sale in the country, numerous car dealerships quickly flooded Lennon’s street with Maseratis, Aston Martins, and the Jaguar E-Type. According to  Bonhams inspect the cars, and settled on this Ferrari.

The 330GT is powered by a 4-liter V-12. Each cylinder displaces 330 cc’s, hence the name. Horsepower is in the 300 range. Though the car is titled as a 1965 — since that’s the year it was purchased — the 330GT model with quad headlights was actually only built in 1964.

According to Bonhams, the current owner bought the car in the late 1980s and restored it to its original specs, including the Azzuro blue paint and blue interior it has today.

Article Last Updated: March 14, 2014.

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