Fans of The Beatles can now become the owner of guitarist George Harrison’s cherished 1984 Mercedes – for £40,000.
The Fab Four rocker’s black Mercedes 500 SEL AMG has been listed for auction later this month.
Harrison, famed for his love of cars, was the first owner of the car and went on to own it for a further 16 years, clocking up 30,000 miles in it.
When he bought it from dealers Strattons of Wilmslow on May 23, 1984, Harrison had the specifications done to his liking which meant its total cost was £85,000 – which at the time could have bought a house.
The Beatle had the car made with hand-stitched leather upholstery, 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with black centres, black chrome trim, black piano lacquer wood trim, black windows, spoilers, a leather steering wheel, and a wired-in mobile phone.
George Harrison’s black Mercedes 500 SEL AMG (pictured) has been listed for auction later this month
He also had the Mercedes mascot – which are typically silver – made so it is black and lowered the suspension and added Penta wheels.
Harrison’s beloved vehicle, which he owned for longer than any other car before selling it to a friend in August, 2000, will go on sale at an auction in Newton-Le-Willow, Lancashire, on March 24.
Merseyside-based auctioneers Omega Auctions expect the Mercedes to fetch £40,000.
The five-door sedan’s VQ7 registration document shows Harrison was the first owner at Friar Park, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon.
Also included with the car is a pile of MOT certificates and paper with mileage recorded annually from 1996 in a wallet from a garage near his home.
Footage online shows Harrison driving the 1984 Mercedes to rehearsals in Bray, Berks, before his 1991 Japan tour with Eric Clapton.
Harrison was well-known for his passion for sports cars and motor racing and was one of 100 people who bought the McLaren F1 road car. His first luxury car was a 1964 Aston Martin DB5.
Just over a year after he sold the car, Harrison lost his battle to cancer aged 58 in Los Angeles, USA.
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said: ‘George loved and cherished this car for 16 years.
‘It’s a beautiful looking car, a classic in its own right and ready to drive away.
‘Given that it also features in the Beatles official video for ‘Real Love’ (1996) with Paul, George and Ringo, I expect there to be significant worldwide interest.
‘A Porsche owned by George sold last year for £37,000.’