Music is in the air
Many people are surely familiar with the rock musician Steve Winwood. His solo album “Back in the High Life Again” made it into the charts in most Western countries in the mid-1980s and went triple platinum in the U.S.; songs like “Higher Love” were probably played on many car stereos in the 1980s and beyond. Definitely in mine!
At that time, at age 40, Steve Winwood was already practically a veteran rocker. He'd already enjoyed success in the '60s and '70s with the bands “The Spencer Davis Group,” “Traffic,” and “Blind Faith.” With “Traffic,” described as a “progressive rock band,” he released the LP “Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory” in 1973, which apparently brought in enough money for Winwood to treat himself to a brand-new (right-hand-drive) Dino 246 GTS in the rare “Nocciola Metallizzato” color, complete with Daytona seats, fender flares, and the corresponding wider Campagnolo wheels. And unlike other rock stars, he has remained loyal to the car to this day.
However, at nearly 80 years old, he apparently no longer feels fit enough to drive the Dino as much as he'd like. He is quoted as saying: “It's a wonderful car, and I believe it should be driven and bring joy, rather than just sitting in a warehouse. The time has come to pass the Dino on to someone who will enjoy it and create their own memories with it, just as I have.”
Steve Winwood has entrusted the sale to Gooding & Company Christie's. The 1973 Dino with chassis number 06698 will go under the hammer on August 14, 2026, in Pebble Beach , with an estimated value of USD 750,000 to 1 million set for the car—which was restored about 20 years ago and repainted dark blue—from its first owner.
This would likely make it one of the most expensive Dino 246 GTS models in history, but after all, only a few of the 1,280 examples built remain in first-hand ownership to this day—and this one is in the hands of a well-known rock musician whose songs are still enjoyed today.
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