You Can Question Frank Sinatra's Infamous Ferrari Quote, But Not His Taste In Cars
"You buy a Ferrari when you want to be someone. You buy a Lamborghini when you ARE someone." Or something to that effect. That's supposedly what Frank Sinatra said in 1969 after ordering a Lamborghini Miura for his 54th birthday. The quote can't be authenticated, so it's more of a supposed quote, but the sentiment is interesting nonetheless. Heck, it was even used in the trailer for the 2022 film "Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend."
In fairness to Sinatra, when you're talking '60s GTs, for sure the Miura takes some beating — even if the competition wears that all-important prancing horse badge. However, the quote doesn't quite work so well in the modern day, as if anything, Lamborghinis have become the poser's choice, while Ferrari instead manufactures technological masterpieces and treasured collectibles.
Regardless of whether you side with Sinatra on the quote, though, one thing cannot be argued. The man had impeccable taste in cars.
Sinatra clearly had an eye for style
Show business is a glamorous world, so it's no surprise that a singer and actor as successful as Frank Sinatra drove around in some pretty eye-catching pieces of machinery. The Oldsmobiles and humdrum Chevys of the day were left for others. Instead, Sinatra would often be seen piloting stylish drop-tops like his '42 Chrysler Convertible or '55 Ford Thunderbird, which our readers find to be one of the most beautiful "normal" cars ever made.
That's not to say that he didn't appreciate a bit of practicality when the time called for it. To tick the boxes for Los Angeles life, Sinatra picked up an '85 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Station Wagon. Reportedly the last car he ever drove, the wagon served him well, and eventually sold in 2019 for just shy of $6,500. It was quickly put up for sale again through Bonhams with an estimate of roughly $20,000 to $28,000 with no reserve, but the result has been kept private.
In fact, looking back through his car history, it's clear to see that Sinatra appreciated a Chrysler. His honeymoon car of choice after his 1939 wedding to Nancy Barbato was a new '39 Chrysler convertible, and over the years, an '81 Imperial FS Edition and a '56 Continental Mark II — now one of the most valuable '50s American cars — also made their way into his stables.