Money Can’t Buy Style: The Strangest Cars Owned By Celebrities
Most of us "petrolheads" have a dream machine that we strive for. I can still remember my Lamborghini Countach poster, for instance. Sadly, most of us will never get to experience our dream cars - they are too expensive. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people with so much money that they aren't satisfied even with those cars. Lamborghini and Ferrari? Piece of cake.
Celebrities want something that will stand out. Something personal. In some cases, that means outstanding one-off cars. In others, though, you'd better look elsewhere. Like with most things in life, these strange celebrity cars remind us that not everybody has good taste, even with all the money in the world. Let's see who are they!
50 Cent's Jet Car
SyFy's Dream Machines is an interesting television series, where a team of mechanics and coachbuilders makes any vehicle the customer would wish for. In this case, 50 Cent wanted a Jet Car. Specifically, he wanted a vehicle that would look like a jet airplane.
The thing is, if airplanes looked cool on four wheels, carmakers would've probably produced them. 50 Cent's Jet Car might capture attention, but it's far from a good-looking car. Actually, at least in our eyes, it looks like a cheap child toy, especially with the white/black color combo. We'd argue that any modern supercar looks much better.
Chris Brown's Camo Lamborghini - JC Custom
Chris Brown is not the most beloved celebrity around, especially after the story that he beat Rihanna surfaced in the media. We dig his taste in cars, though. The camo-wrapped Lamborghini Murcielago might look weird, but it's definitely not ugly. Some might even view it as cool.
The studio behind the nicely-wrapped Murcielago is LC Custom, who borrowed the black, white, and red color combination from Chris Brown's Nike shoes. This time, though, the result is much better than Xzibit's Adidas logo.
Xzibit's Adidas 3000 Lamborghini Gallardo
Do you know what Lamborghini and Adidas have in common? We don't know either. But also, our name is not Xzibit. The famous rapper might've learned a lot about cars hosting his show Pimp My Ride, but that fashion went out of style a long time ago.
And why Adidas? Well, probably because he had some sponsorship agreement with the company. However, we'd argue that he did more harm than good to the brand's image with this design. We could imagine the Italians looking at Xzibit's creation and frowning in disbelief. And in this case, they would be right.
Deadmau5's Nyan Cat Ferrari - Ben Wikimedia
Deadmau5 is one of the most popular DJ's on the planet. We could argue that he also has great taste in cars - the Ferrari 458 is a stellar car. Nonetheless, using the Nyan Cat as a theme for the body might be going overboard.
Also, since it's a Ferrari, Deadmau5 got a cease and desist. The Italian supercar manufacturer has strict rules on what the owners can do to their vehicles, and they thought Deadmau5 went too far. Which, of course, we agree on. Now, his Ferrari 458 is in simple white color.
Justin Bieber's Chrome Fisker Karma
We'd argue that chromed car bodies are anything but attractive. Sure, chromed details might look fine, especially on executive cars, but wrapping the whole car in chrome is too much. Justin Bieber obviously doesn't share our opinion. Or, maybe he also thinks likewise and only wanted a car that will stand out.
Well, his chromed Fisker Karma certainly stands out. The problem? It's a safety hazard. The chrome exterior reflects everything, and especially the sun. Those reflections can significantly reduce the visibility of other traffic participants, which might lead to accidents.
Nicki Minaj's Pink Lamborghini Aventador
We can all agree that the Lamborghini Aventador is one of the sexiest cars in recent history. With its angular and aggressive design and optional catchy colors, it's definitely the new poster car. But things change for the worse when you paint it pink as Nicki Minaj did.
Now, sure, a pink car definitely suits Minaj's overall aesthetic and her flashy appearance. But this is a Lamborghini, not a Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper. The rapper/singer/songwriter even painted the wheels pink for that extra "cuteness." Will that make Lamborghini include pink in its new models? We don't think so.
Britney Spears' "Louis Vuitton" Hummer H2
When Humvee's engineers started working on the new military truck, few if anyone thought that in the future, a celebrity would find it amusing to paint it pink. We don't have anything against the color, but a pink military vehicle?
Okay, Britney's Hummer is the H2, which is a smaller road-going version of the Humvee. Nonetheless, the boxy appearance is anything but cute, in contrast to the color. The teenage sensation even lifted her SUV to make it stand out, making it even more hilarious.
George Clooney's Tango T600
We are totally supportive when celebrities fight for good deeds, like saving the environment for example. George Clooney did just that when he bought the Tango T600 EV. The actor was one of the first to own an all-electric vehicle, which is definitely the way forward.
However, the Tango T600 looks quite comical - it's almost as narrow as a motorbike. It looks like someone literally squeezed it from the sides and it's not a particularly good sight. Besides, it cost Clooney $121,000 to buy it, which is galactically expensive for such a car.
Will.i.am Quirky Beetle
Will.i.am is a famous rapper, also known for his eccentric style. With his car, though, will.i.am went into the peculiar territory. Interestingly, the no-name vehicle is based on a VW Bug, and it was completely redone by West Coast Customs.
The car looks like it came from a cartoon and it certainly turns heads. Nonetheless, it is still an overdone car, especially the way adults view it. Moreover, will.i.am invested $900,000 in it, an exorbitant sum for what is a VW Beetle.
Darren McFadden's Buick Centurion
Real SUVs look quite cool when lifted, especially when paired with some large off-road tires. American convertibles, though, not so much. Now, we won't argue if you like it, but Darren McFadden's Centurion looks overdone, to say the least.
That was probably the footballer's idea all along, though. The purple-green color combo has a "Barney the Dinosaur" vibe, although Darren was purportedly inspired by Batman's Joker. The real eyesore is the 32-inch green rims, which would look better on a roller.
T-Pain's Cadillac Hearse
If you look at it head-on, nothing particular would stand out from T-Pain's Cadillac Hearse. Except, of course, the choice of orange-teal color combo, and the strangely high roof. Well, there is a reason for that - the car is a hearse.
T-Pain and his (not) funny sense of humor even keep a coffin in the back. Inside the coffin, there is a skeleton dummy with a chain on its neck.
Daniel Radcliffe's Fiat Grande Punto
Harry Potter is one of the greatest stories ever told, and when we think about the young sorcerer, the face of Daniel Radcliffe always comes to mind. His choice of cars is the opposite of memorable, though.
When Daniel turned 18, he chose the Fiat Grande Punto. A fine supermini, but surely not your first choice when you have $37 million in the bank account, just like Radcliffe. But we guess he wanted to show humility, just like the character he played.
Justin Bieber's Leopard Audi R8
Leopards are cool and perhaps some of the most beautiful cats around. However, they don't look particularly good on other things, such as cars. But we are honestly not surprised that Justin Bieber chose leopard wraps for his Audi R8 at one point - he has a particular taste in colors.
Today, his supercar is matte black, although he kept the animal print inside. Anyway, we don't expect car manufacturers to follow suit anytime soon. Animal prints never looked good on four wheels, and they probably never will.
Jay-Z Maybach Exelero
The Maybach Exelero is a supercar/limousine that looks like it came from comic books. The styling might not be everyone's cup of tea, but there is no denying it looks menacing. It would undoubtedly look cool with some famous villain behind the wheel (ahem, Darth Vader).
Anyway, the car is a one-off made by Italian's coachbuilder Stola and owned by Jay-Z and Beyonce. Under the long bonnet, there is a large V12, which accelerates the Exelero to 60mph in brisk 4.4 seconds.
Jay Leno's Tata Nano
When Indian manufacturer Tata launched the Nano in 2008, it captured everyone's attention with the price. In India, the small city car cost $2,500, which seems bonkers for a new car. The idea was to give every Indian a new car, although the small car didn't sell well.
The thing is, the Tata Nano is as basic as it gets. It doesn't score highly in safety tests, it's painfully slow, and not particularly efficient. Curiously, Jay Leno has one in his garage, and it definitely seems out of place when put next to all his classics.
Elon Musk's Lotus Esprit Submarine
The Spy Who Loved Me is a memorable James Bond movie, largely thanks to the Lotus Esprit "Wet Nellie" amphibia he drove. Yes, this car can drive on the road and dive underwater, thanks to four electric propellers. Obviously, the cabin is water-tight.
Elon Musk deemed the car very cool, and he bought it at an RM Sotheby's auction for $997,000. The Wet Nellie is absolutely stranger than any Tesla vehicle, including the Cybertruck, but we'd also argue it's much cooler.
Zac Efron's Oldsmobile Alero
There isn't anything particularly strange about the Oldsmobile Alero. It's a run-of-the-mill limousine with forgettable looks, and it's certainly not fun to drive. Would you own it if you had millions in your pocket? We guess not.
Well, Zac Efron might not look like it, but he is as humble as it gets. You can mostly see him around in an Oldsmobile Alero, which shows that not every celebrity is interested in driving a car that stands out.
Justin Bieber Smart
Justin Bieber did a Zac Efron thing with his Smart, a tiny city car that costs less than a Corolla or Civic. It's a strange choice for a man that also drives a chromed Fisker Karma and leopard Audi R8, but hey, we already expect everything from Bieber.
Anyway, we really dig the matte-black wraps and wheels, making the Smart more menacing than it deserves to be. Despite the looks, the Smart is actually kind to the environment, thanks to the small three-cylinder engines.
Pope's Renault 4
Pope Francis broke many taboos when he became the Pope, but he was doing some good things even before that. Namely, he drove an old Renault 4L, contrary to the opulent lifestyle of other priests.
And although strange, this time, the Renault 4 plays quite well with the church's values. Seeing a priest in a cheap compact car from the 1980s paints the church as a helper of the poor. Moreover, Father Renzo Zocca, who gave Pope Francis the car, used it for charity before, further adding to the appeal.
Jay Leno's Blastolene Special
The Blastolene Special perfectly captures the neo-classical style, spiced up with some steampunk elements. Doesn't that look weird on four wheels? Of course, it does, but it's also an engineering monstrosity.
For instance, the Blastolene Special features a V12 Patton tank engine and front wheels that are literally in front of the whole car. The designer turned the idea of overhangs over its head this time. If you want to see one in person, you'd have to visit Jay Leno, who has a particular taste for weird machines.
Jay Leno's Decopod Scooter
Blastolene strikes again, only this time with small art-deco scooters. We know they aren't technically cars, but they are so weird we think you can forgive us cheating a little. Besides, the Decopod scooters pair perfectly with Blasolene's bus/motorhome.
Jay Leno only owns the three-wheel Decopod Scooter, which was powered by a moped engine. As expected, these scooters aren't particularly fast, but we'd argue they needn't be. Actually, they look better as art-deco art pieces than actual scooters.
Jeremy Clarkson's Lamborghini Tractor
Jezza aka Jeremy Clarkson is arguably the most famous automotive journalist. He has a particular sense of humor and binds it perfectly with vehicles of any kind. If you haven't already, you should go check out his shows Top Gear (BBC UK) and The Grand Tour (Amazon).
Jeremy even jokes with himself from time to time, like when he bought a Lamborghini. Sorry, a Lamborghini tractor. Yes, the supercar manufacturer also produces tractors (Lamborghini Trattori), and we think they suit Clarkson's style just fine.
Jay Leno's Chrysler Turbine
At one point in time, Chrysler engineers coined the idea of a turbine car. The idea was to cut maintenance costs since turbines have fewer moving parts and last longer. Also, a turbine can work on any kind of fuel, including gas, diesel, or kerosene.
However, the Chrysler Turbine also had a miserable fuel economy and wasn't particularly fast. It was also very expensive to produce. That didn't stop Jay Leno to buy one for his garage, of course.
Wayne Rooney's Ford SportKA - getty
Wayne Rooney is one of the most successful English soccer players of all time. His choice of cars, though, at least initially, was questionable. His first vehicle was a blue Ford SportKA, which wasn't good even when new.
Wayne had a sponsorship agreement with Ford at the time, which explains things. However, we think that both Ford and then 17-year old Rooney could make a better choice. The SportKA looks quirky, it's slow in a straight line, and not particularly fun to drive. Ford should've given him the first-gen Focus RS instead.
Meek Mill's Armored Military SUV
Meek Mills is a famous rapper, but also a self-proclaimed car enthusiast. Now, we don't know about others, but we never dreamt of owning a military SUV.
Anyway, the Knight XV is produced by the Canadian Conquest Vehicles. It's an armored SUV that looks like it came from the battlefield, but one that has a stunning interior. The cabin features leather almost everywhere and has ultra-spacious back seats. Conquest Vehicle will be happy to sell you one, provided you have $629,000 laying around.
