Ringo Starr's Facel Vega could raise half million at auction

Ringo Starr’s Facel Vega could raise half million at auction

John, Paul, George and Ringo, the four men that made up The Beatles, lived in an interesting time when it came to the cars on offer. Power was cheap and fuel was cheaper, while the designs were some of the finest in automotive history. With fame and money, they could have nearly any car the 1960s auto industry could come up with, up to and including what you see above – a 1964 Facel Vega Facel II. This particular example was owned by Ringo Starr, and will be going up for auction at Bonhams in London, on Sunday, December 1.

The Vega Facel II, was the rock-and-roll era’s equivalent of a Bentley Continental GT Speed – a brutally powerful, but supremely comfortable four-place coupe that didn’t skimp on style. Power came from a thumping 6.3-liter Chrysler Typhoon V8 that turned out up to 390 horsepower and could scoot the Facel II to a reported top speed of 150 miles per hour.

Suitable for a member of a band that was “more popular than Jesus,” Ringo’s Vega was special. It’s one of only two Facel II examples built with a 6.7-liter V8 in place of the standard 6.3-liter mill, which means it should be quicker than the numbers indicated above. It was also one of only 26 right-hand-drive Facel II coupes to be produced, making this a very unique example of an exceedingly rare car.

It is expected to sell for anywhere from 300,000 to 350,000 pounds ($484,770 to $565,565, at today’s rates). Take a look below for the full press release from Bonhams, and then jump up top for a few pictures of Ringo and his FV.

Ringo Starr's Facel Vega could raise half million at auction