Nobody can disregard the fact that John Lennon is the most recognized cultural icon of the 20th century. Born into a working class family in Liverpool, Lennon achieved international fame and stardom during the 60s as one of the members of The Beatles. Every song they churned out from the recording studio claimed the topmost position of the music charts, creating a whole new phenomenon - Beatlemania. When The Beatles disbanded in 1970, each member, with their own creative and musical genius, sought to pursue their own solo career.
Yoko And John
After the band split, John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono took up residence at the Dakota building in New York City to live a quiet and secluded life; far from the maddening crowd and hysteria of Beatlemania. John managed to pursue a successful solo career with immediate hits such as "Imagine," "Instant Karma," "Working Class Hero" and "Whatever Gets You Through The Night." After the birth of his second son Sean in 1975, John took a five year hiatus from the music industry, who in his own words became a full time 'House Husband,' devoting all his time to the care of his son.
His Car
While in his new found role as a 'House Husband,' Lennon would engage in performing various indoor chores like cooking and cleaning but would rely on his 1972 Chrysler Town & Country Wagon for purchasing groceries or ferry little Sean to school. By 1978, the '72 Chrysler was so beat up that the Lennons realized the need to get a new one - A 1979 Mercedes Benz Turbo Diesel Estate Wagon. Equipped with a mechanically fuel injected five cylinder diesel engine that produced 77 hp, the station wagon was ideally not suited for long cross country trips. However, considering Lennon's desire for solidarity and to stay away from the public eye, the station wagon served as an ideal curtain to Lennon and his family whenever they were caught up in New York's traffic.
According to records, the Mercedes-Benz 300TD was the last vehicle ever owned by the rock icon. for just about a year until he was murdered in 1980. Purchased for a large sum of $ 30,000 in 1979, which wouldn't amount to a lot considering his image and status, the station wagon was the first ever to be shipped to the United States from Europe upon a special request the Lennon's wife Yoko.
When working on his final studio album - Double Fantasy, released in November 1980, John used the car to ferry his musical instruments and master tapes from his home at the Dakota to the studio and back home. For serious Lennon fans, one can note the details of the car and its use in Lennon's assistant, Fredric Seaman's memoir 'The last Days of John Lennon.'
On the night of 8th December, 1980, the station wagon was resting at the Dakota's garage when John was shot at point blank range just at the entrance by Mark David Chapman.
The station wagon stayed in Yoko's possession for a further six years after Lennon's death where it was later sold and served under various owners who wanted to own a rich piece of music's history. In the 1990s, the Mercedes was open for the first time to the public at the Nashville's Legends Museum. In 1997, it was transferred to the Classic Car Museum in Toronto and later to the Classic Car Museum in Sarasota, Florida along with Lennon's band mate Paul McCartney's 1965 Morris Mini Cooper S De Ville where in 2018, both cars were placed for an auction bid.
Although Lennon's '79 Mercedes-Benz 300TD may hold just a tiny space in the history of automobiles, it certainly holds a significant value in the history of music.