Sold: Janis Joplin's psychedelic 1964 Porsche fetches $1.7 million

Oh, Lord, won't you buy me ...a psychedelic 1964 Porsche? For $1.7 million?

Somewhere, the late Janis Joplin is cackling in her grave. Her prized Porsche 356C Cabriolet, wildly painted in the colors and shapes of the 1960s counter-culture era, fetched $1.76 million at auction, well above its top estimate of $600,000.

RM Sotheby's offered it as part of its Driven by Disruption vintage-cars sale Thursday night in New York. The auction included more than 30 vehicles spanning 70 years in automotive innovation.  A 1956 Ferrari sold for $28 million at the auction.

Joplin, who died of a drug overdose in 1970 at age 27, was the bluesy-rock singer of her generation, but one of her most memorable ditties of desire was Mercedes Benz, with the opening lyrics:

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends."

But she drove a Porsche, too. She bought the used white German-made car for $3,500 in September 1968 and got a friend to customize it with a psychedelic mural that includes her astrological sign — Capricorn — and a scene of northern California.

(Joplin was from Port Arthur, Texas, but joined the burgeoning San Francisco music scene in the mid-1960s.)

She drove her Porsche regularly until her death. Her family, who have owned it since 1973, sold it, following two decades when it was featured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

The car was said to be in good condition — its 4-speed manual transmission vehicle was given a meticulous restoration in the early 1990s.

But condition likely would not be the main reason someone bought something once owned by the tragic Joplin, who remains a compelling personality and performer more than 40 years after her death.

A documentary film, Janis: Little Girl Blue, released last week from director Amy Berg, traces Joplin's evolution into a star from letters she wrote over the years to her friends, family, and collaborators.

Who bought Janis' car? As per usual with these high-ticket auctions, Sotheby's is not saying and the buyer did not come forward.

Contributing: The Associated Press