Paul McCartney's Aston Martin DB5 Sells for $495K

12 years, 1 month ago - 4 November 2012, Autoblog

During RM Auctions' Battersea Evolution event in London, Paul McCartney's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 was one of 93 lots on the block. It worked its way just above its pre-sale estimate of £300,000 to £380,000, finally going for £307,000 ($495,000 U.S.) before fees.

Thought to be the first Aston that McCartney owned, he ordered it new just before going on tour in 1964 and kept it for six years and 40,000 miles. Tailored options inside the 280-horsepower Sierra Blue coupe include a Motorola radio, the Philips Auto-Mignon record player that could spin 45s on the go, and a black interior with stitched music-note patterns (of which only a sample remains).

When George Harrison's platinum-colored 1964 DB5 went to auction with Coys in London last year, it fetched a hammer price (the price before fees) of £310,000. On top of that, while McCartney's DB5 met its estimate, Harrison's car exceeded expectations by more than £150,000.

So far, John Lennon is still sitting this battle out. His Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 was expected to go to auction but was pulled before the sale due to "vendor's remorse." And everything pales before a provenance that includes the 'real' James Bond, the lone remaining DB5 from Goldfinger and Thunderball going for $4.6 million.