There’s no need for us to use this space to tell you about the Beatles. These four men from Liverpool have been a worldwide cultural institution for over 40 years. To this day, nothing has been able match the Beatles’ body of work, cultural impact or their lasting legacy. Trying to encapsulate what made them so great in 100 words or less is impossible; lucky for us you already know what makes Paul, Ringo, George and John so special.
While the Beatles may be known and loved for a great many things, only a select few — car guys, mainly — know that the Beatles have always liked to ride in style. These men have owned some great machines, and we sure as hell aren’t talking about the Yellow Submarine. Click on ahead to see our top 10 favorite Beatles’ rides.
No.10 – Paul McCartney Edition Lexus RX400h
The cute Beatle is as known today for his activist work as he is for is musical output. However, perhaps it is his music that makes his activist work seem that much more important. Anyway, a few years back, Macca teamed up with Lexus to create a one-off custom RX400h. Designed to commemorate Lexus giving money to McCartney to tour, this hybrid soft-roader boasted a custom wood grain paint job inspired by the ex-Beatle’s 1962 Hofner Bass. This one of a kind ride also came with a reissue of the 1962 Hofner Bass, a VOX amplifier and a collection of McCartney’s music. The vehicle was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Adopt-A-Minefield charity.
No.9 – George Harrsion’s Aston Martin DB5
Who knew that the “quiet” Beatle was a massive petrol-head? George Harrison was an avid car nut who was privileged enough to own some of the world’s most desirable automobiles. We could do an entire top 10 list based on George’s car collection alone. The first Harrison-mobile we got our minds set on is his classic 1964 Aston Martin DB5. Harrison took delivery of his silver DB5 in 1965, and likely spent his time with the car enjoying its niceties including the Connolly leather interior, Motorola radio and power antenna. This Aston traveled to a museum in Tokyo, then Germany, before being sold at a public auction in England for almost half a million dollars.
No.8 – Ringo Starr’s Radford Mini de Ville
Ringo Starr bought a very clean two-tone Radford Mini de Ville from Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein on June 15, 1967. Radford Minis were custom cars built by Harold Radford Coachbuilders, LTD, from 1963 to 1971. Radford transformed standard Minis into luxury vehicles, adding things like leather seating surfaces, wood trim, revised gauges, Rolls-Royce-inspired two-tone paint schemes, and other luxuries. Ringo’s particular Mini was a hatchback, and it is said that he transported his drums in this tiny machine. This car didn’t stay with Ringo for long; he sold it after just two years.
No.7 – George Harrison’s Light Car Company Rocket
The Light Car Company’s Rocket is not a well-known vehicle. It was an F1-inspired street-legal car, powered by a 1,000cc Yamaha motorcycle engine that is the spiritual successor to extreme lightweight machines like the Ariel Atom. Oh yes, we should also mention that it was designed by famed Formula 1 car designer Gordon Murray, and built by former racing driver Chris Craft. Harrison was one of the many celebrities who owned and loved this early hyper car.
No.6 - Paul McCartney’s Lexus LS600h L
Paul McCartney’s Lexus LS600hL is the eco car that caused a ruckus as it was flown from Japan to England just for Sir Paul. The car should have been shipped by conventional means, but Toyota thought it would be a good idea to fly just the one car to McCartney. Obviously, this method of transport was incredibly wasteful of fuel, kind of negating the point of buying a hybrid in the first place. It is said that Macca was “horrified” by the whole ordeal.
No.5 - Ringo Starr’s Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 AMG
Forget Thomas the Train, the sweetest ride owned by the former Mr. Conductor is the blacked-out 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E sedan tuned by AMG. It looks badass, but it packs only a tuned 2.3-liter four-banger under the hood. Though weak by today’s standards, this motor was able to rocket the car to a top speed of over 130 mph. This is definitely the toughest-looking car of the bunch, and it’s definitely one of our personal favorites. You can currently see this ride at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Germany.
No.4 – George Harrison’s McLaren F1
Designed by renowned Formula 1 car designer Gordan Murray, the McLaren F1 is one of the most exclusive cars in the world. It was, for a while, the world’s fastest production car, cost over $1 million new, and only 100 were built. George Harrison owned one of these limited-edition machines; chassis No. 25, to be exact. Harrison’s McLaren F1 is painted Dark Purple Pearl, though many people confuse it for the aubergine (eggplant)-colored chassis No. 16 car. Though it was rumored Eric Clapton wanted to buy this car, it remains within the Harrison family.
No.3 – The Beatles’ 1965 Austin Princess Limo
Everywhere the Beatles went at the height of Beatlmania, their ‘65 Austin Princess went with them. Used as their personal limousine, there wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary about the vehicle, just that it was and is synonymously “Beatles” through and through. After the Beatles’ ownership, a man named Rod Pitman, in Portland, Oregon took possession of the vehicle and proceeded to “lose” it somewhere in Arizona. That was nearly 23 years ago. The search is on to help Rod find his lost Beatles’ ride — and if you want to help the search head to
No.2 – George Harrison’s Mini Cooper from Magical Mystery Tour
While car guys will likely drool over Harrison’s DB5, McLaren F1 or Rocket, most Beatles fans would want to get their hands on his old Mini Cooper. But this isn’t just any Mini, Harrison owned the psychedelic Mini made famous in the Beatles’ film Magical Mystery Tour. BMW-owned MINI built a one-off modern interpretation of Harrison’s classic magical and mysterious Mini Cooper. It was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Material World Charitable Foundation.
No.1 – John Lennon’s Rolls-Royce
Lennon bought his Rolls-Royce Phantom V new in 1965. Lennon modified the Rolls heavily, adding things like a fridge and a rear bench that could turn into a bed. Lennon also had the entire car painted matte black — odd in 1965, currently all the rage at shows like SEMA. The story goes that while filming “Sgt. Pepper,” Lennon grew bored of the flat-black color scheme and gave it the psychedelic paint scheme it still has today. Though thought of as an eyesore in the ‘60s, it eventually fetched almost $2.3 million at an auction in 1985. It now resides in Canada and does the North American museum circuit.
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