Keith Richards' rare classic Bentley sold at auction for $1.8m
A classic Bentley that was formerly owned by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has sold for $1.8m at auction.
The S3 Continental Flying Spur was bought by Richards in 1965 and dubbed “Blue Lena” in honour of his favourite American singer Lena Horne.
One of only 68 right-hand-drive S3 Continental Flying Spurs built by Bentley, the car features a 6.2-litre V8 engine and several unusual modifications, including a secret compartment in the frame for the concealing of illegal substances.
Richards also had the car fitted with darkened rear windows and a Philips record player, while a pair of loudspeakers behind the front grille were used by Richards’s then-girlfriend Anita Pallenberg to impersonate a policewoman and issue bogus instructions to other motorists.
During the time Richards owned “Blue Lena”, the car was involved in several accidents, the most serious of which occurred in 1976, when it left the road and ended up in a field, having ploughed through a hedge and a fence. When the police arrived, they found illegal substances and Richards was arrested.
Richards sold the car in 1978, and it has just emerged from a full restoration, which took five years to complete.
New wing sections and door panels had to be specially handcrafted. Plus, the mechanicals were overhauled, the engine was rebuilt, and Connolly was specially commissioned to recreate the original beige leather.
The ex-Keith Richards Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur was sold as part of the Bonhams auction at the Goodwood Revival historic motor racing festival, which is took place last weekend.
-Daily Telegraph