Elite Car Collectors
These Folks Are Serious About Their Toys!
You know I’ve always been a car guy, and I follow car collecting closely. Since the beginning of the automotive era, expensive and luxurious cars have always been associated with the rich and famous. Whether it’s Hollywood stars, famous athletes, monarchs, or heads of state, car collections are an integral part of the image and a sure sign that a particular person has discerning taste when it comes to prestigious cars.
Sometimes, the car collection is directly connected to the net worth of its owner and, regardless of what cars are in vogue, is a sure symbol of status.
The collection below has a lot of variety, ranging from people who buy these cars to show off to other celebrities or for the paparazzi, or they buy these cars because of their aesthetics or the history behind them, or they buy them just because they can.
Lady Gaga
There's a huge stigma about female car enthusiasts, namely that they don't exist, but that's simply not true. In addition to being a renowned musician and actor, she truly has a passion for collectible cars. From a 1955 pink Cadillac El Dorado (that once belonged to Elvis!) and a vintage ’65 Lincoln Continental convertible with rear-hinged doors to a couple of Rolls-Royce Phantoms and a ’67 Classic Ford Mustang convertible in ivy green, this lady is absolutely into “heavy metal.”
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson, better known as “Mr. Bean,” is a far cry from that lovable clown character that he created, the one who drove a Mini. Judging by the cars in his collection, some of the exquisite in existence, Rowan is a man of taste and class. He owns multiple cars such as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and a Bentley Mulsanne, along with an extremely rare purple McLaren F1 – that he crashed twice. And since parts of the car were gold-plated, the repair bills cost him more than he originally paid for it!
LeBron James
LeBron James, among the best and most popular basketball players ever, has won multiple championships for his teams, as well as the NBA MVP award 4 times. Along with those trophies, he owns a Lamborghini Aventador with a custom-made wrapper, the same liner pattern found on his shoe line. His garage also contains a Porsche 911S, a Ferrari F430, a Maybach 57, and many more.
Michael Jordan
At the peak of his career, Michael Jordan used to arrive at his games and interviews in his Ferrari 512 TR, a classic legendary car. In addition to golf and Cuban cigars, he loves really fast cars, and has many of them in his collection. The most notable ones are the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and the Mercedes-McLaren SLR 722 Edition.
Ralph Lauren
Fashion mogul Ralph Lauren has been instrumental in shaping the fashion world over the past four decades, but he now spends a great deal of his time in specially designed hangars on his property, where he keeps his incredible car collection valued at close to $350 million. Some of the most iconic are a McLaren F1 LM, a Lamborghini Reventon, and a 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK “Count Trossi.” The most valuable of all is a lineup of racing, one-off Ferraris, prewar Bugattis, and Mercedes roadsters, often displayed in galleries and museums worldwide. The super-rare Bugatti Atlantic is the most valuable among those incredible automobiles, with an estimated value of over $40 million.
Jerry Seinfeld
During the height of Seinfeld’s popularity, Jerry bought classic Porsches long before they were the hot property they are today. Over the years, Jerry has compiled a collection of rare, racing Porsches (43 total), including early 356s and, at one point, Steve McQueen’s old Porsche 917. His collection isn’t as extensive as those of some of his peers, but he did have to rent an airport hangar just to store them. The Porsche theme, meticulous research of each car’s history, and immaculate condition of his collection make it worth around $100 million!
Nick Mason
The legendary Pink Floyd drummer was enamored with cars long before becoming famous and wealthy; as a kid, he dreamed of being a racing driver. People thought he was crazy for paying £37,000 (then the equivalent of $85,655 USD) for a shabby old Ferrari in the early ’70s. That car is now the most valuable in his collection, with an estimated value of over $70 million! Other cars in Nick’s garage are rare racing Maseratis, prewar Bugattis, and a McLaren F1 GTR. Mason knows racing cars inside and out; he actually races some of the cars in his collection, realizing his childhood dream.
Bruce Meyer
As a real estate executive, Bruce has done very well. As an avid car collector, he may have done even better. The famous Petersen Museum in Beverly Hills is practically his own personal garage, with a concentration on Le Mans winners. These include 1929 Bentley, an autographed Shelby Cobra, and a ’61 Ferrari 250 SWV. A true showpiece is a Mercedes-Benz he bought from Clark Gable’s widow, with Gable’s luggage in the trunk and original luggage tags – with Gable’s home address and phone number!
Other standouts are a 1960 Corvette, the first American car to race at Le Mans, a fully-restored 1930’s Duesenberg that measures 19 feet long, and the Greer Black Prudhomme dragster with an incredible won-loss record of 237-4. Bruce’s collection is valued at more than $50,000,000.
Jay Leno
Does Jay look like the kind of guy who’d be into cars? No. But his imposing collection (181+ autos, 160 motorcycles) tells us otherwise. From being a guy who once slept in his 1956 Buick to becoming a world-famous talk show host, Jay Leno has stayed true to his roots and his love for all things automotive. He owns a 1965 Shelby GT350, various Bugattis, a McLaren F1, and a super-rare 1937 Duesenberg Walker Coupe, which is valued at some $20 million. He’s extremely involved in restoring and preserving rare vehicles, loves unusual and unique cars such as the Stanley Steamer, and writes articles for multiple popular car magazines.
The Sultan of Brunei
There are incredible stories about the Sultan of Brunei’s car collection, and with good reason: the Brunei Royal Family bought the world’s most expensive cars in bulk! There are special rooms for their Ferrari, Mercedes, and Bentley, all with unique bodies, materials, and mechanical features. The collection has grown to over 7,000 vehicles of all brands, including 600 Rolls-Royces, 380 Bentleys, and about 450 Ferraris, along with countless Mercedes, Porsches, and other luxury brands. The Sultan is also reportedly the world’s most prominent collector of Koenigsegg models with over 100 examples of this brand. Information is limited, though, as his collection is kept highly secret, with very few people are ever allowed to see it.
But Wait, There’s More!
Those aren’t the only well-known collectors. Among the bitten with impressive collections are rappers Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Snoop Dog, T-Pain, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott, wrestler-turned-actor John Cena, actor Tim Allen, boxers Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and soccer stars David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. How’s that for a star-spangled array?
As always, stay safe and…happy motoring!