1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Limousine

Few cars carry provenance this theatrical. This Phantom VI entered Sir Elton John's ownership in March 1973 in characteristic fashion: en route to a concert, he spotted it through the window of a Manchester Rolls-Royce showroom, instructed his chauffeur to pull in, completed the deal on the spot, transferred his bag to the new car, and continued on to the gig. The purchase was countersigned by manager John Reid, and the car remained with Elton for years — used regularly enough that his staff nicknamed it 'The Bus' and 'The Tank', and at one point adorned with his coat of arms on the driver's door.

Coachbuilt by H.J. Mulliner Park Ward, the car has been comprehensively restored twice: once between 1995 and 1996, and again in 2014 by Jack Barclay Rolls-Royce at a documented cost exceeding £200,000, with all invoices present. It presents in Mason's Black over black leather with tinted glass. The rear compartment has been redesigned with two occasional seats and a television, but the defining feature is the bespoke 36-speaker hi-fi installation reportedly costing £28,000 — powerful enough that the rear windscreen required structural reinforcement against sound pressure during the initial installation.

Now showing 51,000 miles, the 6.2-litre pushrod V8 drives through a three-speed automatic. Elton himself described this as one of his favourite vehicles from a considerable collection, and the paperwork to substantiate every chapter of its story is comprehensively in place.