Tom Selleck
Porsche 928 S4 $30K Magnum, P.I. aired from 1980 to 1988. Eighties TV couldn’t be called, “Eighties TV,” without this handsome private investigator patrolling tropical resort towns in a flashy candy-apple red Ferrari each week. And would Hawaiian shirts have become a thing without Mr. Magnum? As legend has it, he was supposed to drive a Porsche 928 in the series, but his substantial 6-foot-4 frame could not squeeze into the sports car, and neither would the Porsche execs custom-provide an altered 928.
I’m sure the man whose mustache comes before him enjoyed the Italian-model upgrade. In 1988, however, Selleck got himself a custom Porsche 928 S4 5-speed—fully loaded with a beige leather interior and charcoal-black paint.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Fisker Karma $135K Leonardo DiCaprio took responsible-driving to a whole new level. Falling in love with the Fisker Karma, he moved to invest in Fisker Automotive, become its brand ambassador and, of course, purchase a shiny new silver Fisker Karma. He was one of 3,000 on the sold-out waiting list anticipating buying the $100,000 luxury plug-in hybrid. He’s long supported sustainable causes and was also on board with the Tesla Roadster, another high-end electric sports car. As for the Karma, he says it’s beautiful-looking and rides like a sports car. He likes it because of its extended-range capability, an upgrade to the hybrids he had purchased in the past.
Now that he’s an equity investor, he’ll plug the Fisker liberally! Fisker Automotive also agreed to support the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in the deal, as well as his eco-friendly manufacture goal requests such as cruelty-free upholstery. The Karma is solar-powered. Just like solar-paneled homes, solar panels on the roof of the Karma generate electricity that charges the car’s Lithium-Ion battery and runs the climate control system.
Clint Eastwood
GMC Typhoon $30K Clint Eastwood is a Hollywood legend. His name is internationally recognized as the synonym for badass. Cars, guns and retribution. So, what does the man who played “Dirty Harry” drive? Unsurprisingly, muscle cars like the green 1972 Ford Gran Torino, the one Eastwood co-starred within Gran Torino, come to mind. Or, maybe, supercharged luxury Corvettes. The truth is, as he revealed to Jimmy Fallon one night, he drives a GMC Typhoon. A what? Exactly. The GMC Typhoon is a limited-production vehicle that came out in 1992.
He still has it. Don’t worry, it’s fast. With a turbocharged V6, the hulking SUV whips from 0-60 in 5.3 seconds! Alternatively, to balance things out, he buzzes around in an all-electric Fiat 500e. It can go 84 miles on a full charge. And, like the Typhoon, it’s affordable. The Fiat 500e costs about $32,000. If it seems a bit steep, just think about how you’ll save about a hundred dollars a month on gas!
Jay Leno
Mercedes-Benz 300SL $1.8Million Prepare yourself for an avid collector. Comedian Jay Leno has amassed over 130 remarkable autos. (Where does one find a 130-car garage?!) He collects motorcycles as well. All told, his collection is worth $50 million. It’s a fun way to invest over 10 percent of his $350 million net worth! Nothing he’s acquired, from his McLaren F1 to his Ford GT supercar is as beloved as his 1955 race car-red Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. He found the 2-door coupe in a storage container out in the desert, stranded with neither an engine nor transmission since the 1970s. The original car was used for racing. The old Betty’s pretty powerful. It’s got a 3.0-liter V8 220 horsepower engine that reaches a speed of 130 mph. Leno had the car meticulously fixed up.
At $1.8 million, it’s worth much more than a new one. On his show, Jay Leno’s Garage, the legendary late-night host details the restoration process. Also in his collection, is a 1986 Lamborghini Countach with a Quattro V12, 5.2-liter engine. He’s the proud owner of two McLaren’s—a P1 and an F1. And, Leno has acquired a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, also restored on Jay Leno’s Garage. His actual garage? An aircraft hangar in Los Angeles serves as a warehouse.
Conan O’Brien
Ford Taurus Priceless Conan O’Brien’s original 1992 emerald green Ford Taurus has made many appearances on his late-night talk show. At one point, he brought the beloved manual-transmission car that he drove before making it as a comedian onto the stage of Conan. With a State Farm agent at hand, he described the classic details of its vintage value and celebrity status, having been owned and driven by himself. (And Brad Pitt, it turns out.) As the original owner, Conan described the vehicle’s pristine condition.
Everything is in its original condition, he claimed. “They’re the original tires. A lot of people say, ‘change the tires,’ I say, ‘no, keep the original tires.’ So, it slides around the road a lot’.” A new Ford Taurus, pictured here, will run you about $40,000, Conan’s is incalculably valuable. The time Brad Pitt dropped the clutch and peeled out of an NYC parking spot in the almost 30-year-old Taurus crowned its immeasurable worth with celebrity added-value. Taking another layer off of the vintage bald tires probably helped too.