London Concours: Swinging Sixties
THE CARS OF THE PROMINENCE At the top event London Concours 2024, automotive beauties from music and film stars of the 1960s will be presented at the beginning of June. Among others, Steve McQueen's Dune Buggy and Eric Clapton's Ferrari.
In the 1960s, rock stars and film actors were particularly fond of presenting themselves together with automotive gems. As part of the Carnaby Street Class, the high-class summer event London Concours on June 4-6 will showcase a whole range of cars from the chic crowd of the time. One example of the stars' unusual vehicles is the Dune Buggy from Meyers Manx, which was based on the VW Beetle. Steve McQueen drove this car, which was equipped with a Chevy Corvair boxer engine, in the film 'The Thomas Crown Affair'.
Clapton in the Ferrari
Eric Clapton, guitarist of the great 60s bands Yardbirds and Cream, drove a Ferrari 365 GTC Berlinetta that he had bought from Beatle George Harrison. Under the long hood is a 4.4-liter V12 engine with 320 hp. An Aston Martin DB6 Coupé was not only driven by Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger, but also by model Twiggy and actor Peter Sellers.
Singer Shirley Bassey and Tim Hauser from Manhattan Transfer opted for the convertible Mercedes 190 SL, while actress and writer Jackie Collins preferred the Ford Mustang.
Top dog Rolls-Royce
The 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, which appeared at the London Concours 2024, was also often to be found in Carnaby Street and on the Kings Road - not in such psychedelic paintwork as John Lennon's Phantom V, but also with a 6.2-liter V8 and automatic transmission.
Andrew Evans, Managing Director of the London Concours, says: "The cars of the rich and famous that we showcase at the London Concours on Carnaby Street are a fascinating throwback to the great days of innovation and optimism. London Concours 2024 is another opportunity to pay homage to the car."
