Sixties pop hero and Kinks frontman Sir Ray Davies' Bentley heads to auction

A Bentley that was once owned by legendary singer-songwriter Sir Ray Davies is set to go under the hammer in May. Davies wrote The Kinks’ hit Apeman in the back of this 1960 Bentley S2 and the car was used in a photoshoot for one of the band's albums. It will be offered at Silverstone Auctions' sale on 13 May.

The car was bought by Sir Ray in 1970 after the Kinks’ single Lola went to number one in music charts around the world. He was persuaded by his family to invest in a big car - unusual for him as he didn’t actually drive at the time, in fact he didn’t start driving until he was 44 years old.

Sir Ray said, ‘I succumbed to the pressure and purchased a secondhand Bentley from Hadleigh Green Garage in Barnet. My then wife drove it on my behalf because I was unable to drive at the time.

‘We lived in a little semi in Muswell Hill and the neighbours were in shock and awe when they saw this huge black Bentley drive up along the narrow shingle path to the house. We subsequently went on holiday in the Bentley to Cornwall, an exotic spot in England, which was our family outing with my two daughters in the back with their buckets and spades.’

It was also in this car that Sir Ray wrote the next single after the hit Lola Sir Ray said, ‘While on our holiday in Mullion in Cornwall I sat in the back seat of the Bentley and wrote a follow up to Lola called Apeman on a Spanish guitar which I carried in the back.’

Not only that, but The Kinks used the car in a photoshoot for the band’s album Preservation. It was even used occasionally as a tour bus by the band.

Sir Ray said, ‘When I moved to Surrey in the 1970s the car came down with me, I still could not drive, I had never driven the car which gives it some element of Kudos. It was occasionally taken out for special events like weddings and family outings. The Kinks took it once on the road in England but the fans started writing on the car with lipstick and our then manager Ken Jones promptly retired my car to the garage.’

The Bentley has been in long-term storage since 1991 and now requires some restoration work. It is offered for auction direct from the ownership of Sir Ray, estimated at between £25,000 and £30,000.

Arwel Richards, classic car specialist at Silverstone Auctions, said, ‘It is rare to auction a car direct from rock royalty and this Bentley offers an incredible opportunity for rock ‘n’ roll fans and Bentley aficionados alike.’

For more information on the car visit www.silverstoneauctions.com