Just what fans are looking for as U2 car up for grabs

IF fans of U2 still haven’t found what they are looking for, they could do worse than trying to get their hands on the car that ferried the band to their gigs before they hit the big time.

Among the contents of a 700-lot sale at Kerry Auction Rooms in Tralee is a 1985 4.2 litre Daimler Sovereign previously owned by Principal Management, the company which manage U2.

Used by the band’s management just before Bono and the rest of the lads achieved global domination, the car is sure to be the Sweetest Thing to enthusiasts of U2 memorabilia, particularly since so few of their possessions come on the market.

Tom O’Connell of Kerry Auction Rooms pointed out that huge sums of money had previously been refused for the car but it could still fetch double what you would normally get for a car of the same model.

“The U2 connection alone, of course, makes it of considerable interest. The chap who bought it was going to use it himself but it was never re-registered in view of the famous connection.”

A regular Daimler is worth about €10,000. However, with the U2 connection, Mr O’Connell expects bids of between €15,000 and €20,000.

“There has been huge money refused for the car in the past but we are living in different times now so those figures have come down. Our starting bid is at €10,000,” he said.

Mr O’Connell was hoping to get a picture of the band in the car from that period but none were available. However, the successful bidder is not likely to care. To own the car which once carried the rock giants would be the ultimate Desire.

“Very little of their stuff comes on the market at any time. They were just coming into the big time when they were using this car. We have been scratching around trying to get a picture of the band in the car but we have had no luck but apparently Bono used to take the car in to be serviced himself,” said Mr O’Connell.

The auction takes place in Kerry Auction Rooms, Moyderwell, in Tralee this Tuesday at 4pm.

Among the more unusual items in the 700-lot are a collection of six restored vintage tractors including a Fordson Super Major, Nuffield Universal Four, David Brown 885, a 1967 Zetor 3511, Allis Chalmers and a 1986 David Brown 1210.

If this auction has All That You Can’t Leave Behind, it’s sure to do well.