Like most Formula 1 drivers (and racers in general), 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button has excellent taste in cars, having previously piloted a Ford Mustang NASCAR racer, owned a 2005 Ford GT that was sold at auction a few years ago, and also had a 1970 Ford Bronco that was also sold at an auction back in 2022. As one might imagine, the fact that Button owned this particular 1970 Ford Bronco undoubtedly helped add at least a little to its hammer price of $166,000, which is apparently why the person who purchased it is now suing the racer after reportedly discovering that it wasn’t his to begin with, according to the Daily Mail.
The original auction listing for this 1970 Ford Bronco claims that Button owned it for around four years, though it only had 170 miles on the clock when it was sold to a businessman named Leo Eccles. Eccles notes that he paid a premium for the SUV because of this purported fact, only to later discover that the Bronco actually belonged to Button’s then-girlfriend and now-wife, Brittny Ward.
Eccles claims to have some evidence to back up this claim, it seems, as the Bronco was allegedly titled in Ward’s name – not Button’s – and Ward also posted pictures of the SUV on her Instagram account that have since been deleted, with captions alluding to that fact. Additionally, in 2019, Button also posted a photo of himself in the vintage restomod with the caption “Cruising in Brittny Ward’s Bronco, basically keep the battery charged for her!” In an interview in November 2020, Button also stated that “I’ve got a Bronco, which is actually really not mine, it’s my missus’ car, but I’ll say it’s mine.”
After this discovery, Eccles opted not to ship the 1970 Ford Bronco to himself, instead filing a lawsuit claiming that the vehicle is worth far less than he paid for it, as it never actually belonged to Button as advertised. He’s now asking for a full refund on that purchase, though the former F1 star claims that Eccles is backing out of the deal because he is “unable to register the car” in South Africa, where he is currently traveling, and is merely experiencing buyer’s remorse.
We’ll have more on this case soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comment
I agree with the buyer. As Button did NOT actually own it he essentially misrepresented it.