Motoring: Rolling Stone’s Ferrari bound to give satisfaction

A 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT, first owned by Rolling Stone Keith Richards, is to be sold at no reserve at Coys’ auction in Monaco on Friday.
 
The car was purchased new by the rock and roll legend in California in February 1972, shortly after the band completed their landmark Exile on Main Street album.

Already a connoisseur of fine cars by the time he took delivery of this car, Richards kept the Dino for 14 years until 1986, and in this time he covered over 25,000 miles.

He brought it to the UK in 1975 where it was registered to his address in Munro Terrace in Chelsea and assigned the UK registration number GYL 157N.
 
Accompanying the car is a letter from the Rolling Stones’ manager Alan Dunn confirming Richards’ ownership and mileage up until April 1986. The car has since spent an extended period in a prestigious Japanese collection.
 
Chris Routledge, managing partner at Coys, said: “A Dino offered at no reserve is rare enough in itself and would make this is a highly desirable and collectible item in its own right, but when one adds to this proven long-term ownership by rock and roll aristocracy, the Keith Richards’s car has to be the ultimate Dino and will surely give any car collector and rock enthusiast a great ‘Satisfaction’!”
 
The sale will also feature a 1950 Cisitalia Abarth 204 A Spyder, driven by the legendary Italian motorcycle and race car driver Tazio Nuvolari on at least two occasions in 1950.

Mercedes flagship shows its class with quartet of awards
 
THE Mercedes-Benz S-Class has won an unprecedented four awards at the Vehicle Dynamics International Awards, 2014.
 
The luxury flagship was nominated for the awards by both Vehicle Dynamics International magazine’s expert readership of chassis and dynamics professionals and by its editorial team. Between four and six shortlisted finalists in each category were then put to an international and independent judging panel of automotive journalists, each of whom voted for the outright winners. The judging panel was made up of 27 judges from 19 countries.
 
With the judging complete, the S-Class drove off with ‘Car of the Year’, its Magic Body Control won ‘Innovation of the Year’, Dr. Hermann Storp, who led the development of the S-Class, won ‘Dynamicist of the Year’, and the wider Mercedes-Benz Research and Development department won ‘Dynamics Team of the Year’.
 
Dr Storp said: “We are very proud of this recognition – I’m not sure any single brand has won so many awards in this category and it’s down to the hard work and dedication of my team for making it possible.
 
“When we were developing it, the S-Class aimed to set new benchmarks and be the best car we could possibly make – and dynamics play a big part in this. I’d like to thank the judges for their kind comments.”
 
The S-Class is the most diverse range within the Mercedes-Benz line-up – available with a choice of four-, six-, eight- or 12-cylinder engines, three Hybrids and two wheelbases. Likewise, it’s available with the most sophisticated array of comfort, dynamic and safety technologies fitted to any car.
 
In the UK, the S-Class remains the Number One luxury car in its market segment, with the new S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid arriving in showrooms this month. Equipped with a four-cylinder diesel engine and a 27 hp electric motor, Mercedes claims the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid is capable of returning 61.4 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 120 g/km of CO2.

Nissan flexes its SUV muscles

The company has announced full pricing and specifications for its all-new X-Trail.
 
Sleeker and more modern-looking than the outgoing model, the new X-Trail arrives in UK showrooms in July.
 
Stressing the current trend for innovation, Nissan said the new model would incorporate a suite of in-class technology firsts.
 
It also promised a “highly competitive and flexible pricing structure” which it said had been developed to ensure the latest model appeals in equal measure to both the loyal army of X-Trail devotees and new customers.
 
Prices will start from £22,995 for the entry-level five-seat 2WD Visia, which is £2,600 less than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the five-seat 2WD Acenta, expected to be the most popular model in the range, costs £24,795 – £800 less than the outgoing entry level Acenta.