Were Led Zeppelin the greatest rock group of all time? Well, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones might have something to say about that, but it would certainly make for an interesting argument… and we certainly know who was the loudest and heaviest. Formed in 1968, the group consisted of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham and for just over a decade they were the biggest, baddest band in the world.
Then, on September 25th, 1980, following a day of seriously heavy drinking, Bonham passed away in his sleep. Rather than try and replace their drummer, as a mark of respect Zeppelin disbanded, releasing the following statement: "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend and the deep respect we have for his family, together with the sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were."
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Bonzo's tragic death, on the GQ website you can also admire their style legacy, and now discover their favourite cars. All the band had great taste in motors… even their notorious manager, Peter Grant. In fact, it is such a fabulous and eclectic selection that it might just leave you a little dazed and confused. But hey, enough of my yakking – whaddya say, let's boogie.
GMC 3100 Pick-Up (1948)
When the singer moved to a farm to get back to nature, he decided he needed something of a utility vehicle to get around. Yes, he could have bought a Land Rover (and he did later), but Percy wanted something a little more rock’n’roll. His choice was a 1948 GMC 3100 pick-up. “She's a great old girl," Plant said at the time, "but you have to watch out sometimes for the petrol dripping onto the manifold and catching fire.” Zeppelins and fire… yeah, not a good combination.
Chrysler Imperial Crown (1959)
Only 555 Imperial Crown convertibles were ever made, and there was a little bit of the Elvis Presley about Robert's 1959 Chrysler because it was bright pink. The King met The Zepp in 1974 and, although they were a little wary of each other at first, according to Stephen Davis, who wrote the legendary Hammer Of The Gods, they were able to break the ice when Robert and Elvis sang "Love Me" (a hit for Presley in 1956) together at a press conference. They got together later in Elvis' hotel room where Big E and Big John Bonham bonded over their car collections.
Aston Martin DB5 (1965)
If we had £1 for every rock star who once owned an Aston Martin DB5, we would probably have enough to buy one ourselves. Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and George Harrison all had one, and Plant bought his 4.0-litre 1965 version in the early ’70s – and it came in a rather fetching colour, Dubonnet Rosso. Robert sold it in 1986 with just 62,400 miles on the clock, and it is now worth millions. The singer probably regrets parting with it, but as he would probably admit, “it's nobody's fault but mine”.
Jaguar XJ (crashed in 1968)
In 1970, Robert Plant owned a Series 1 Jaguar XJ. A 4.2-litre straight six, it came with power steering and a leather interior and was Jaguar's flagship car. What does Plant remember about it? Not very much. In a civil lawsuit brought against Zeppelin in 2016 over the copyright of “Stairway To Heaven”, Plant said he could not remember very much from the time, including watching the band Spirit (who claimed the band stole their guitar riff) in Birmingham, because on the evening in question he had been involved in a serious accident in his Jag, in which his wife suffered a fractured skull. "Part of the windshield buried in the top of my head, which was interesting," Plant told the court. "I don't remember a thing." Disappointing for Jaguar fans. Very costly to the surviving members of Spirit.
Buick Riviera Boat-Tail (1972)
When the radically re-designed Buick Riviera was unveiled in 1971, the design element that really captured the public's imagination was the “boat-tail”. It took inspiration from the rear of a ’63 Corvette Stingray, had a 7,500cc V8 engine, and was supposed to recapture the GM magic of the ’60s. Well, it certainly worked for Plant, who owned one for 12 years.
Mercedes AMG W126 (1985)
A European wolf in sheep's clothing, the AMG version of the S-Class Mercedes came with a fierce 5-litre engine that pumped out 245bhp. It came complete with a bespoke bodykit and all the advanced German engineering the company could throw at it. Percy bought his AMG post-Zeppelin's break-up, and more cynical music fans might say this car was as understated and unremarkable as the singer's early solo material. We wouldn't be so rude.
Cord 810 Phaeton (1936)
Designed by Gordon Buehrig for the Cord car company, the 810 was the first American front-wheel-drive car with independent suspension. It was also a design classic. Door hinges, head lamps and even the petrol filler cap were concealed, and the ubiquitous running boards of the day were absent. The interior was similarly ahead of its time, with fingertip levers, easy-to-read dials and pistol-grip handbrake. And the Phaeton version was the best of the lot. With four seats, a convertible roof and a top speed of 90mph, it was at one time described as one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Years later, it was even exhibited in New York's Museum Of Modern Art. No wonder the musician famed for his guitar riffs bought one… it was the ultimate power Cord.
Ferrari GTB 275 (1966)
Once described as “the most satisfying sports car in the world”, the Ferrari GTB 275 was a front-engined V12 grand tourer designed by Pininfarina. Why did Jimmy Page buy one? Just look at it. And Jimmy wasn't the only one to fall for it. Other famous 275 owners include Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Miles Davis and Roman Polanski.
Ferrari 400 GT (1978)
Jimmy's Ferrari 400 GT was one of only 27 right-hand-drive versions. A 4.8-litre, V12 2+2, it was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1976. It was the first Ferrari to have an automatic transmission and was the Italians' attempt to compete with the luxury machines of Bentley and Mercedes. As a grand tourer, it was the perfect car for travelling over the hills and far away.
Andy's Instant T Hot Rod
The only thing John Bonham loved more than playing the drums was cars. The hard-hitting, even harder-drinking Bonzo had one of the best car collections in rock and never passed up an opportunity to add to it. Although he was obsessed with Jensens (more later), the car he is best known for is his Andy's Instant T hot rod that appeared in the movie The Song Remains The Same. Built in San Francisco by “The Rodfather” Andy Brizio, it was based on a C-Cab Model-T and featured a Chevy V8 engine. Bonzo had it transported to the UK and kept it until 1976. A few years ago it was advertised on eBay for £250,000.
AC Cobra 427 (1965)
Bonham owned a rare right-hand-drive AC Cobra 427 that he picked up in the mid ’70s. A British-American sports car, it was developed by the legendary Carroll Shelby, who incorporated a Ford V8 engine into an Ace sports car to create the ultimate Corvette killer. “My recollection of Dad and cars was… at one point, he had about 30,” Bonham's son, Jason, recalled years later. "He changed cars like underwear. He'd go out one day and come back with another car."
Corvette 427 (1967)
Bonzo had a soft spot for Corvettes and his 427 was an absolute classic. An American icon dubbed the C2, it had a 350 horsepower V8 and sounded as aggressive as Bonham's playing style. However, the best Bonzo Corvette story happened in the early ’70s in Dallas, when he spotted a new Stingray on the street and fell in love. He ordered Zeppelin's road manager, Richard Cole, to hang around until the owner returned and then insisted the man join Bonzo “for a drink”. With a little liquid encouragement, Bonham persuaded the owner to sell him the car for $18,000 (about three and a half times what it was worth) and had it shipped to LA. The drummer showed it off to other musicians for a couple of days and then, after the novelty had worn off, sold it.
Rolls-Royce (1970)
There are plenty of stories about Bonzo and Rolls-Royces, but the best one is from Zeppelin's time in LA. One afternoon, bored and walking along Sunset Boulevard, Bonham walked into a Rolls-Royce dealership looking suitably dishevelled. The salesman dismissed the long-haired Englishman as a time waster, until Bonzo produced a bag of cash and a test drive was hastily arranged. However, when the drummer drove back to the showroom, he crashed the Rolls through the store's front window. Whereupon he hopped out of the car, paid the salesman and asked him to repair the car and have it sent to his hotel. That really is rock'n'roll.
Ferrari Daytona (1973)
The last car Bonham owned before his death was a Ferrari Daytona, purchased just two weeks before he took his final stairway to heaven. Produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1973, the Daytona was a two-seat GT and was named in honour of the Italian marque's 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 Daytona 24-hour race. “His Ferrari Daytona, there were only seven made in the world, right-hand drive like his,” Jason said in an interview. "He had Jaguar E-Types, an XK140, XK120. He had everything…. he even bought himself a Limousine Mercedes at one point. He bought it off an Arab in London, and the trouble was, my dad would drive his drinking buddies around in it."
Jensen Interceptor Mk III convertible (1976)
Of all the cars in all the world, Bonham's favourite were Jensen Interceptors. Based in the Midlands close to where Bonham was born, Jensen Motors was a small British manufacturer and the V8 Interceptor was its crowning glory… and rock drummers loved them. Ginger Baker (of Cream) owned at least three, Mitch Mitchell (the Jimi Hendrix Experience) had one, and so did Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac), but no one was as passionate as Bonzo. “[My dad] loved Jensen Interceptors, so much so that he had three at one time,” remembered Jason Bonham (his father may have had at least seven over the years). “He had a Mark I FF, a Mark II FF and an Interceptor convertible. And the licence plates were JB11, JB12, and JB7.”
Jeep J10 Pick-Up (1978)
The story of how John Bonham came to own this six-wheel J10 Jeep, modified to right-hand drive and fitted with an extra axle – because… well, why not? – is something of a mystery, but it really did happen. The only answer must be: what does the greatest drummer in rock history buy himself when he is a bit bored?
Jensen Interceptor (1972)
Bassist John Paul Jones was always the quiet member of Led Zeppelin and he also didn't have quite as much interest in cars as the rest of the band. He did have an Interceptor, but I think we've covered that and the Jensen song remains the same.
Pierce-Arrow Model B Doctor’s Coupe (1929)
The infamous “fifth” member of Led Zep, Peter Grant was their fearsome, intimidating and colossal manager who was considered one of rock's most ruthless negotiators. The former bouncer/wrestler/actor worked with the band throughout their career and made them millions with his contract arrangements. He was also well paid by the group, enabling him to indulge his passion for cars. For instance, he spotted his Pierce-Arrow Model B Doctor's Coupe in the States in the late ’60s in the early days of Zeppelin and had it shipped back to the UK with the band's equipment.
Isotta Fraschini 8A (1929)
The Isotta Fraschini automobiles were once the most expensive cars ever made in Italy, and in the 1920s were the preferred transport of early Hollywood movie stars Rudolph Valentino and Clara Bow. Grant's 8A, which had formerly been owned by an Indian Maharaja, was built by Milan coachbuilder Cesare Sala, and featured a 7.3-litre, eight-cylinder engine that was capable of nearly 100mph… in 1929 that would have trampled under foot any other vehicle except a Bentley. Having spent almost all of its life in India, the car was picked up by Grant at auction in 1972, and he held on to it until his death in 1995.
Ferrari Dino 246 GTS (1973)
Peter Grant bought his rare right-hand-driver Dino brand new in 1973. He ordered from London's HR Owen in November '72 and it arrived from Italy four months later. Named after Enzo Ferrari's son, the Dino was a mid-engined, famed for its incredible handling, and was capable of nearly 150mph. However, it is difficult to imagine the generously proportioned Grant being overly comfortable behind the wheel, and he sold the car just three years later.
Schuler Range Rover (1980)
A much more obvious fit for Peter, the Range Rover he acquired in 1980 and registered with the number plate LZ1 was a beast… especially having been modified by Schuler. Encouraged by John Bonham, himself a Range Rover fan, when Grant went to spec his bespoke Range Rover he ended up doubling its price with his requirements – upgrading everything from the stereo to the suspension, having a telephone installed and a leather-bound lamb's-wool carpet fitted – and he absolutely loved it. Whatever happened to Schuler, you are probably wondering? Well, they are still going… but nowadays they are known as Overfinch.
The Starship
And finally… no celebration day would be complete without a mention of The Starship. Zeppelin's gold and bronze aeroplane was a former United Airlines Boeing 720 passenger jet used by the band to tour North America between 1973 and 1975. American journalist Lisa Robinson, writing for Vanity Fair, recalled her time onboard: “The stewardesses were Wendy — who wore a blue feather boa — and Susan, dressed in maroon and pink. The walls of the plane were orange and red; there were circular velvet couches, white leather swivel chairs, a mirror-covered bar, a nonfunctioning fireplace, and a white fake-fur-covered bed in the back bedroom. Tour manager Richard Cole described the plane as 'elegant’.” It would later be used by The Rolling Stones and Elton John.
Christ, can you imagine doing a DNA search?
The Rolling Stones did get satisfaction from collecting cars
Pete Townshend's classic car collection is out of this world
