David Bowie’s Volvo Sold for Over $200,000
David Bowie’s Volvo smashed auction house estimates and sold for over $200,000. What makes it so special?
Written by Alex Healey
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
What do you think of when you hear the term “
classic cars
”? Many people imagine a luxury sports car, like a 1961 Jaguar E-Type or ‘63 Corvette Stingray, especially if it's part of a celebrity’s car collection
.But some classics are newer, and less flashy, as highlighted by the sale of David Bowie’s Volvo 262 Bertone Coupe. In its heyday, the 262C didn’t score many cool points:
Volvo’s trademark boxy shape
was considered old-fashioned, and the brand was known as reliable but boring. But this didn’t stop someone from paying $216,000 for the rocker’s old car, just a few months after he passed away in 2016. Read on to learn more about the Volvo, and other unusual vehicles in Bowie’s collection.
David Bowie’s Volvo 262C
As detailed by
HotCars
, David Bowie bought one of the last models of the Volvo 262 Bertone Coupe (also known as the 262C), just before production ended in 1981.Unlike earlier models, this version did not have a vinyl roof, but the interior boasted full leather and natural wood grain trim. It also offered heated front seats, air-conditioning, and cruise control. Despite its reputation as being rather dull, Bowie’s 262C was considered a luxury model.
The 2.8-liter V6 was paired with three-speed automatic transmission, and only capable of producing 150 horsepower. It took 11 seconds to go from 0-60, which was pretty tame, even by contemporary standards.
Still, David Bowie could make anything cool, and when his beloved 262C went up for sale in 2016, it tripled the estimate and sold for $216,000.
The price was no doubt inflated by Bowie’s ownership, and the timing of the auction just a few months after Bowie’s death. Other Volvo 262 Bertoni Coupes, in similar condition, sell for less than $10,000.
Bowie’s eclectic car collection
Like many other musicians, David Bowie was a car collector in his spare time. His collection included a wood-framed Riley Gamecock racing car from the 1930s, and a classic Harley Davidson Heritage Softail motorbike.
In 1999, Bowie collaborated with Mini to commemorate the brand’s 40th year in production. The result was a fully metallic Mini Cooper (picture a car made out of mirrors!), which sat outside the London Design Museum for three weeks.
Bowie clearly had a taste for the eclectic, so why he was drawn to the average-looking Volvo 262C is anyone’s guess. Maybe he was just impressed by the fuel economy!
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