As these things tend to go, the sad death of David Bowie almost a year ago has ignited interest in the vehicles he once owned on the collector car market. One such example, a 1981 Volvo 262C Bertone, just sold at auction in Switzerland, fetching 212,800 Swiss Francs (US$ 218,000), which is almost three times higher than its top estimate.
Fitted with a 2.8-litre V6 engine from the PRV (Peugeot, Renault, Volvo) range and a three-speed automatic transmission, the 262C was designed in collaboration with Bertone and was built in Italy at the Grugliasco plant. It didn’t feature a vinyl top like other Bertone-designed coupes and had a hard top instead. Only 6,622 units were built, with most of them exported to the USA.
The 262C was delivered new to the musician’s Swiss home in June 1981 and registered under his real name David Robert Jones. Ownership was transferred to his Bewlay Bros record label in 1985, but Bowie continued to drive the car when he stayed in Switzerland. The current owner acquired the unique piece in 1998, and it is still well maintained in good condition with 53,000 km on the clock.
