Celebrity classic car collectors


2015-06-26 11:36:09


Celebrity classic car collectors

With a need to look good, and the bank balances to achieve it, a number of famous faces invest in cars

A discussion of famous car collectors really has to start with Tonight show presenter Jay Leno. He owns over 80 alongside a large number of motorcycles (not to mention a fire engine).

Eight of the cars are actually steam-powered whilst Leno also owns an electric car (Baker Motor Vehicle) from 1909, which runs on batteries designed by Thomas Edison. Pretty impressive, even though it does "look like a telephone booth" in Leno's words.

Leno's golden oldies can be found near mouth-watering speedsters and modern classics: a McLaren F1, Dodge Viper GTS, Audi R8, Lamborghini Miura and the scary, skeletal, Ariel Atom. Altogether, Leno's vehicles require 3 full-time employees to maintain them.

Another great car collector is the comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who is addicted to Porsches, owning nearly 50, mostly from the 1960s.

Famously, he was horrified to discover that the Porsche 959 he was importing could not legally be driven on American roads because Porsche had only made 200 and were loath to give up four for the necessary crash-testing.

A 1999 law change allows a limited amount of road time for classic cars in similar situations.

Of course, tastes differ. Comedian Rowan Atkinson owns a number of cars - mostly recent classics like the Bentley Mulsanne, and even a McLaren F1 - but ruled out owning any Porsches.

"[Porsches are] wonderful cars," he once said, "but I know I could never live with one. Somehow, the typical Porsche people - and I wish them no ill - are not, I feel, my kind of people."

There are many others. Simon Cowell owns many cars and is particularly gushing about Rolls Royces, of which he owns three.

Elton John had a huge car collection, but has sold much of it off (twenty cars) recently, notably selling off several of his beloved Bentleys including the 1987 one in which he went Princess Diana's funeral.

Other classic car owners include Steve McQueen, Harrison Ford and David Beckham.

Kept in good condition, well-selected classic cars are a good investment. Beauty and careful engineering will always be desirable.

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