Even John Lennon loved a boring Mercedes wagon

John Lennon’s car is up for auction. No, no, not his psychedelic Rolls Royce. This ex-Lennon limo is much more suburban. But apparently it was no-less well loved.

After semi-retiring to stayat-home-dad-dom after his mid-1970s move to New York and the birth of son, Sean, Lennon did what all fathers do at some point: he bought a practical family car.

Yes, the colourful Roller could have taken the baby buggy too, but imagine the gas bill, let alone the hassle of having to squeeze it into a Manhattan multi-storey car park near the Dakota Building.

The 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD is the last car Lennon owned. He doubled down on the suburban look by opting for a five-cylinder diesel capable of wheezing out a meagre 77hp. Still, what it lacks in oomph it makes up for in load-lugging; one of its most important duties — allegedly — was hauling the master tapes for Lennon’s Double Fantasy album between recording studio and record company offices in the months before his death.

We’re huge fans of the W123-era Mercedes-Benz T-Wagens’ cars, which have shot up in value. Of course, with the pedigree on the ownership papers, let alone a relatively sympathetic respray and what looks to be a slight lowering of the springs, this particular family wagon will be well outside our price range.

Lennon’s Merc is for sale at RM Sotheby’s Auburn Auction on September 1.