Top 10 Strange Cars That Celebrities Own (You Won’t Believe Some of These)
When you picture celebrity cars, you probably imagine flashy supercars, luxury limousines, and garages filled with million pound machines. While many stars do live that lifestyle, some of their car choices are far more surprising than you might expect.
From humble hybrids to quirky electric experiments and forgotten classics, these famous faces prove that celebrity status does not always mean predictable taste. Some of these vehicles are stylish, some are unusual, and a few are simply baffling.
Here are ten of the strangest cars owned or driven by celebrities.
Beyoncé and the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II Convertible
Beyoncé and Jay Z own an impressive collection of luxury vehicles, but one of their most unexpected cars is a 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II convertible. Jay Z gifted the classic car to Beyoncé for her twenty fifth birthday in 2006.
Instead of modern technology and performance, this car represents timeless elegance and classic craftsmanship. It stands out as a sentimental and stylish choice rather than a typical celebrity supercar.
Joe Biden and the Studebaker Champion
The forty sixth President of the United States has long described himself as a car enthusiast. His first car was a 1951 Studebaker Champion, a model known for introducing modern styling shortly after the Second World War.
At a time when many cars still looked dated, the Champion offered sleek lines and a futuristic appearance. Biden has often spoken fondly of the vehicle, showing that his love for cars started long before politics.
Saint John Paul II and the Ford Escort
It is not often that sainthood and a Ford Escort appear in the same conversation, but Saint John Paul II makes it possible. Before becoming Pope in 1978, Karol Wojtyła owned a humble Ford Escort Mk2 1.1 GL, a modest family car that would later become one of the most famous Escorts ever sold.
What made this particular vehicle extraordinary was not performance or rarity, but its history. After his papacy and later canonisation, the car gained immense historical significance. It sold at auction in 1996 for 102,000 dollars and again in 2005, the year of his death, for an astonishing 690,000 dollars. Although its value later settled at 121,000 dollars during a 2018 auction, it remains one of the most valuable Ford Escorts ever recorded, proving that sometimes the story behind a car matters far more than the car itself.
Leonardo DiCaprio and the Toyota Prius
Leonardo DiCaprio chose efficiency over extravagance by driving a Toyota Prius, one of the world’s most recognisable hybrid cars. As a long time environmental advocate, he praised hybrid technology as a step toward cleaner transportation.
His choice helped make environmentally friendly cars more socially accepted in Hollywood long before electric vehicles became mainstream.
Bryan Ferry and the Studebaker Champion Coupe
Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry bought a 1957 Studebaker Champion coupe while studying fine art at university, spending most of his student grant on the stylish American classic.
The car even appeared in lyrics from the band’s debut single Virginia Plain. Unfortunately, Ferry later admitted he spent more time pushing the car than driving it because it frequently broke down.
LeBron James and the Kia K900
When basketball superstar LeBron James partnered with Kia in 2014, many people assumed his praise for the Kia K900 luxury saloon was purely promotional.
However, James insisted he genuinely liked the car before the partnership began, explaining that authenticity mattered to him. His support turned what many considered an unexpected choice into one of the most talked about celebrity car endorsements.
King Charles III and the MGC
Before becoming King, Prince Charles received an MGC GT shortly after his eighteenth birthday. The car featured a powerful straight six engine and was produced for only a short period during the late nineteen sixties.
Although critics once questioned its handling, Charles remained fond of the car, which has stayed within the Royal Family and was later passed to Prince William.
John Lennon and the Austin Maxi
John Lennon was never known for his driving ability, and one particular journey explains why. In 1969, he borrowed an Austin Maxi for a family road trip to Scotland.
The journey ended when Lennon crashed the car into a ditch, injuring everyone onboard except his son Julian. The damaged vehicle was returned to his estate, and Lennon relied on chauffeurs for the rest of his life.
Princess Diana and the Ford Escort RS Turbo
Princess Diana became closely associated with her Ford Escort RS Turbo Series I, a hot hatch that broke royal tradition. The car was uniquely painted black rather than white after police requested a more discreet appearance.
In 2022, the car sold at auction for more than seven hundred thousand pounds, far exceeding previous records thanks to its royal history and exceptional condition.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Land Rover
Queen Elizabeth II was associated with many official state vehicles throughout her reign, but some of her most beloved cars were far more practical. Among them were early Land Rover models, later known as the Defender, which she regularly drove around royal estates.
Unlike many world leaders, the late Queen was a trained mechanic during her wartime service, meaning she actually understood how vehicles worked and could have repaired them herself if needed. The rugged Land Rover suited her hands on approach perfectly, offering durability and practicality rather than royal extravagance. It remains one of the most relatable and unexpected vehicles connected to the British monarchy.
Why Celebrity Car Choices Matter
Celebrity garages are not always about showing wealth or status. Many of these vehicles reflect personality, beliefs, or meaningful moments in life.
Whether it is environmental awareness, nostalgia, or simply personal taste, these unusual choices show that even global icons can have surprisingly relatable preferences when it comes to cars.
Credits to Shutterstock FernandoV for image of the Rolls-Royce silver cloud 2 convertible
Credits to Shutterstock Sergey Kohl for image of Studebaker Champion
Credits to Shutterstock Sue Thatcher for image of Ford Escort
Credits to Shutterstock RYosha for image of Toyota Prius
Credits to Shutterstock Gestalt Imagery for image of Studebaker Commander Coupe
Credits to Shutterstock betto rodrigues for image of KIA K900
Credits to Shutterstock Sergey Kohl for image of The MGC
Credits to Shutterstock Sue Thatcher for image of Red Austin Maxi
Credits to Shutterstock Sue Thatcher for image of White Ford Escort rs turbo
Credits to Shutterstock Sue Thatcher for image of Land Rover
