Gooding Christie's annual Pebble Beach Auctions is a staple event on any car collector’s calendar. This year, the highly anticipated auctions will take place on 14 and 15 August at the Parc du Concours in Pebble Beach, California. The curated catalogue features over 160 antique, classic, and contemporary cars, including Ferrari, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and more.
In Gooding Christie’s exceptional selection, the spotlight shines this year on a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS that boasts prestigious provenance and important Ferrari history. Gooding Christie’s has the honor of bringing Steve Winwood’s 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS to auction in Pebble Beach with an estimate of $700,000 - $1,000,000 (about £520,000 to £745,000 GBP).
The Ferrari Dino 206 GT was first introduced in 1967 and named in honor of Enzo Ferrari’s son, who was nicknamed Dino. The car’s exciting mid-mounted, four-cam design with a V-6 engine and elegant silhouette marked a new look for Ferrari in the mid-20th century. The E series cars, which were the last versions produced of the Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, appeared in the early 1970s. The most coveted Ferrari Dino 246 GTS models were known for their "Chairs and Flares" factory option. The chairs were the leather Daytona-style seats, while the flares were widened to house special Campagnolo wheels. This unique combination gave the car a distinctive racing-inspired look.
The auction’s 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS is a highly rare "Chairs and Flares" model, of which fewer than 150 were produced. This specific car was one of just five of these models that was delivered to the United Kingdom. It was singular in its color scheme: a Nocciola Metallizzato (Metallic Hazelnut) exterior paint with a black upholstered interior. About 20 years ago, Winwood had the car restored by a Ferrari specialist, and he traded the original Metallic Hazelnut for an eye-catching navy shade and the black upholstery for an elegant tan.
In 1973, Steve Winwood bought the new 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS. At this time, the English musician had already achieved stardom throughout the 1960s as part of rock bands the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith. He later embarked on a successful solo career, and in 1987, he won two Grammy Awards for his multi-platinum hit "Higher Love." For his role in founding Traffic, he was inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 2004. In addition to his musical prowess, he is also a noted car collector.
For decades, Winwood regularly zipped around the British countryside in his beloved Ferrari Dino. The car has been kept in excellent condition over the past 53 years and only displays about 44,000 miles today. Now, after a half-century of ownership, Winwood has decided to give this iconic Ferrari a new home.
"It is a wonderful car, and I believe it should be driven and enjoyed rather than simply kept in storage," said Steve Winwood in a press release. "The time has come for me to pass it on to someone else who can take pleasure in it and create their own memories, just as I have."
Discover this Ferrari and much more at Gooding Christie’s Pebble Beach Auctions held at the Pebble Beach Parc du Concours on Friday, 14 August, at 16:00 p.m. PDT and Saturday, 15 August, at 11:00 a.m. PDT. View the Online Catalogue and Register to Bid.
