Celebrity Modest Motors

Once they’ve achieved fame and fortune, plenty of celebrities like to show off their wealth, and some like to keep it real, with a telltale sign being their choice of car.     

While many celebrities have the means to purchase any vehicle outright, even they can appreciate the luxury of choice and flexibility that comes with FINN's car subscriptions. But who among the famous is known for their discerning taste in motors, and who opts for something a bit more extravagant? 

We’ve dived into the data, looking at the prices of their first cars and the most expensive set of wheels they own now, to see who has the most modest motor and how far they’ve come from their humble beginnings. We’ve also looked into which electric vehicles are the most popular with the same A-listers. 

1. Vin Diesel

First car: 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Estimated price: $3,987

A far cry from the classic muscle cars and supercars he drives in The Fast and Furious franchise, Vin Diesel had more humble automotive beginnings. His first motor was a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which cost just under $4,000 today and broke down less than a week after he bought it sight unseen at auction.

2. Claire Danes

First car: Chevrolet Blazer

Estimated price: $5,251

The actress Claire Danes, best known for her roles in Homeland and Romeo and Juliet, takes second place. Her first car was a Chevy Blazer, a full-size 5.7 litre V8 SUV capable of a modest 210 horsepower, which costs around $5,251 on the current market.   

3. Jerry Seinfeld

First car: 1977 Volkswagen Beetle

Estimated price: $5,683

This comedian, actor, and writer is well known as an avid car collector, amassing over 150 vehicles worth an estimated $100 million. His collection includes vintage classics like a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and a 1964 Porsche 911. However, his first car was a 1977 Volkswagen Beetle, worth a modest $5,683. 

1. John Stones

Car: Classic Mini Cooper

Price: $6,128

While most Premier League footballers are rarely seen outside of flashy, high-performance sports cars, the Man City Center-Back has been spotted driving a classic Mini Cooper worth a mere $6,000. With a weekly salary totaling more than $300,000, John Stones could afford to buy more than 2,500 classic Minis every year.  

2. Raheem Sterling

Car: Smart Car

Price: $13,481

Up next is another Premier League footballer with more modest taste when it comes to cars. The Chelsea Forward has a fleet complete with a Bentley Continental and Range Rover Sport, but the most humble vehicle in his collection is a Smart ForTwo, worth around $13,000 when it was purchased back in 2015. 

3. Justin Bieber

Car: Smart Car

Price: $14,000

Justin Biber is a certified gearhead with a car collection worth an estimated $4 million including Ferraris, Fiskers, and Lamborghinis. However, the most surprising car in his collection is a Smart Fortwo customized with the words “swag car” on the hood of the trunk, worth $14,000 when he bought it in 2012. 

1. Leonardo DiCaprio 

First car: 1969 Ford Mustang

Estimated price: $55,879

Leonardo DiCaprio can be crowned the celeb with the flashiest first car. His first set of wheels was a 1969 Ford Mustang, which retails for around $55,000 on the secondhand market today. However, after it broke down on the freeway three times, he sold the classic muscle car and now prefers hybrid or electric vehicles.  

2. Miley Cyrus

First car: Porsche Cayenne

Estimated price: $53,002

Up next is Miley Cyrus, with the singer’s first car, a 2008 Porsche Cayenne, costing an estimated $53,000 on the secondhand market today. The sporty SUV, which can reach 0 to 60mph in five seconds flat, was given to her on her 16th birthday and came with a customised Bose sound system.  

3. Harry Styles

First car: Range Rover Sport

Estimated price: $48,946

Taking third place is Harry Styles, with his Range Rover Sport worth just under $49,000 on the current market. After passing his driving test, Styles bought the 5-litre V8 four-wheel drive luxury SUV, which reportedly cost him $24,000 to insure.

1. Ralph Lauren

Current car: 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

Estimated price: $70,000,000

The title of the flashiest car currently owned by a celeb goes to fashion mogul Ralph Lauren. Also known for his extensive car collection comprising over 100 rare and exotic vehicles, the jewel in the crown is his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, worth an estimated $70 million. Only 36 250 GTOs were built over its two-year production span, and founder Enzo Ferrari personally approved each one. 

2. Jay Leno

Current car: 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coup

Estimated price: $20,000,000

Up next is comedian and devoted petrolhead Jay Leno. The former talk show host even has a column in Popular Mechanics dedicated to his car collection. So, it's no surprise he takes third place with the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coup, worth an estimated $20 million. Thanks to its one-of-a-kind body shape, the car was the most expensive model manufactured by the company, reportedly costing over $25,000 back in 1934. 

3. Rowan Atkinson

Current car: 1997 McLaren F1

Estimated price: $12,200,000

Taking third place is comedy icon Rowan Atkinson. Perhaps best known for being behind the wheel of a Mini 1000 Mark IV in the beloved TV series Mr. Bean, the comedian and actor is also a passionate gearhead with a diverse collection of cars. He takes third place with his 1997 McLaren F1, worth around $12.2 million.   

1. Ralph Lauren

First car: 1961 Morgan

Current car: 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

Price difference: $69,955,270

As his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO takes the top spot for the flashiest motor, it’s no surprise that Ralph Lauren has had the biggest car glow-up. His most expensive car, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, cost an incredible $69 million more than the secondhand Morgan he started his car collection with. 

2. Jay Leno

First car: 1934 Ford Model BB

Current car: 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coup

Price difference: $19,980,399

Next is the TV show host with a passion for vintage cars, Jay Leno. His first car, a 1934 Ford Model BB, is valued at around $19,600 today, a far cry from his Duesenberg Walker Coup from the same year. The unique luxury vehicle cost nearly $20 million more than his first car.    

3. Rowan Atkinson

First car: Morris Minor

Current car: 1997 McLaren F1

Price difference: $12,192,701

Perhaps the most humble first car of the top three, Rowan Atkinson’s Morris Minor, is valued at an estimated $7,299. This makes his most expensive current car, a $12 million 1997 McLaren F1, 1600 times more expensive. The price difference of $12,192,701 takes the beloved comedy actor to third place.  

As the world grows more concerned about the impact of their vehicles on the environment, car manufacturers are looking to greener technology to address the climate crisis. Wealthy celebrities are often able to be on the cutting edge of technology, with electric cars being no exception, but which eco vehicle is the most popular amongst the A-listers on our list?  

1. Tesla Model S

Number of celebs: 40

By far the most popular electric vehicle driven by celebs is the Tesla Tesla Model S, with 71% of the celebrities we looked at spotted behind the wheel of the luxury EV packed to the brim with cutting-edge technology. Stars as diverse as Ben Affleck, Novak Djokovic, and Eva Longoria all count the Model S among their car collections.  

2. Tesla Roadster

Number of celebs: 5

Up next is the sportier model offered by Tesla, the Roadster. Favored by Hollywood A-lister Dustin Hoffman and billionaire businessman Michael Dell, the Roadster was the first mass-production all-electric car to use lithium-ion batteries, and the model was famously launched into space back in 2018 on a Falcon Heavy rocket test flight.   

3. Audi E-Tron, BMW i3, Rimac Nevera

Number of celebs: 2 

Three electric cars share third place, with two celebrities spotted behind the wheel of each model. These range from the low-key BMW i3, the German manufacturer’s first foray into mass-produced zero-emission vehicles favored by Rowan Atkinson and James May, to the more luxurious Audi E-Tron driven by Prince Harry and Robert Downey Jr. 

We used list articles from sites such as The Mail Online to create a list of celebrities, their most modest cars, and the amount these cars cost at the time they were spotted behind the wheel.   

To calculate the biggest car glow-ups we used articles from sites like The Hollywood Gossip to create a list of celebrities and their first cars. 

For each, the retail price was sourced from PriceAnyCar (note that this shows the cars’ current prices on the resale market rather than their original prices). 

These prices were then compared to the celebrity’s most expensive current car, with their values being sourced from articles, mainly from CARHP.

We also used sources like TopSpeed to find the most popular electric vehicles driven by celebs out of a sample of 57 celebrities.  

Currencies were converted on 9/21/2023.