The best celebrity cars, from Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno to Lady Gaga
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15 of the best celebrity cars

15 of the best celebrity cars

From Conan O’Brien’s Ford Taurus and Jay Leno’s Chrysler Tank Car to Lady Gaga’s Ford Lightning and Janis Joplin’s Porsche

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Deadmau5' Nyan Cat livery Ferrari 458 driving in front of trees
Image: Blue One/ Wiki Commons (Fair Use)

Celebrities sure have it rough; they have to star in blockbuster movies or top the music charts and all they get out of it is guaranteed harassment by paparazzi and a few million dollars. They have a public image to uphold and they know everyone is staring, and the car they drive makes a statement to their fans and their haters alike.

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Should they go with a statement car that signals their status? Or should they go with something humble and efficient to skew their public image and save them from run-ins with those pesky environmentalists? Actually most of your favorite celebrity cars fall into neither category, and most fall into the category of cars for car enthusiasts. I said that my favorite celebrity’s car was Paris Hilton’s Lexus LFA because telling non-car-people that you drive a Lexus doesn’t carry the same clout as telling folks that you drive a Ferrari or something flashier. Unsurprisingly the Jalopnik audience chose some more obscure choices, and I am glad that’s the case. These are your favorite celebrity cars.

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2 / 17

Rowan Atkinson’s McLaren F1

Rowan Atkinson’s McLaren F1

The front half of Rowan Atkinson's purple McLaren F1 being hoisted onto a tow truck after he crashed
The McLaren F1 supercar of actor Rowan Atkinson is removed from the scene following a crash, August 4, 2011 in Peterborough, England.
Photo: Paul Franks / newsteam (Getty Images)

The fact that he drove this wild beast so much that he was in two accidents with it is cool/impressive/hilarious.

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Submitted by: FijiST

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3 / 17

Conan O’Brien’s Ford Taurus SHO

Conan O’Brien’s Ford Taurus SHO

Ford Taurus 1985 - 2006 - 11/3/06

Submitted by: Margin Of Error

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4 / 17

Jay Leno’s Chrysler Tank Car

Jay Leno’s Chrysler Tank Car

Ride Along: Tank Car (360 Video) | Jay Leno’s Garage

It’s hard to beat Jay Leno’s collection of cars, and equally hard to pick the best. If I had to choose just one, it would be his Chrysler Tank Car. I mean, it’s a street-legal car...powered by a tank engine. What more needs to be said?

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Submitted by: paradescar

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5 / 17

David Letterman’s Jaguar XK140

David Letterman’s Jaguar XK140

A cream colored Jaguar XK140 parked on a lawn
Image: Wiki Commons (Fair Use)

But seriously, there will probably be a bunch of Leno cars posted; I’m going to counter with Dave Letterman’s 1955 Jaguar XK140.

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Submitted by: Gin and Panic

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6 / 17

Lady Gaga’s Ford Lightning

Lady Gaga’s Ford Lightning

Lady Gaga Goes for a Drive! | TMZ TV

Lady Gaga’s Ford Lightning.

Submitted by: WarShrike

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7 / 17

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Tank

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Tank

Arnold Schwarzenegger likes to crush things with his tank

Arnold has a tank. He gives rides to kids. That’s pretty great.

Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

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8 / 17

Dax Shephard’s Buick Roadmaster Estate

Dax Shephard’s Buick Roadmaster Estate

Dax Shepard And Jay Leno Ride In A 1994 Buick Roadmaster | Jay Leno’s Garage

Dax Shephard’s 700hp LSA-swapped supercharged Roadmaster station wagon (that’s Kristen Bell standing in front of it with their kids).

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Submitted by: Baldur5018

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9 / 17

Deadmau5's Purrari 458

Deadmau5's Purrari 458

A photo of Deadmau5' Nyan Cat Ferrari 458 Italia driving in front of trees
Image: Blue One/ Wiki Commons (Fair Use)

deadmau5 purrari.

Submitted by: Shift24

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10 / 17

Janis Joplin’s Porsche 356C

Janis Joplin’s Porsche 356C

A vintage photo of Janis Joplin sitting on the front fender of her custom painted Porsche 356C
American singer-songwriter Janis Joplin (1943 - 1970) with her 1965 Porsche 356C Cabriolet, circa 1969. The car features a psychedelic paint job by Joplin’s roadie, Dave Richards.
Photo: RB/Redferns (Getty Images)

Janis Joplin’s Porsche.

I’ve always loved JJ’s music, even though she died when I was a child, so I made a special side trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when I was in Cleveland for business.

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Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I

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11 / 17

Nick Mason’s Ferrari 250 GTO

Nick Mason’s Ferrari 250 GTO

Nick Mason takes Brian Johnson for a ride in his Ferrari 250 GTO

He didn’t spent millions on it at an exclusive auction to seal it away in a private collection somewhere. He bought it in 1977 for £37,000, with proceeds from Dark Side of The Moon. And, most importantly, he actually drives it and treats like a car, and not a “rolling sculpture” like all the other 250 GTO owners.

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Submitted by: Knyte

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12 / 17

Vin Diesel’s Dodge Chargers

Vin Diesel’s Dodge Chargers

*1650 BHP* VIN DIESEL’S BRAND NEW $2M TANTRUM CHARGER!

Vin Diesel, the lesser Charger fanatic, and his Chargers:

Tantrum: the $700K carbon fiber ‘70:

And the ‘69 Charger Daytona:

Plus all the 2nd gen Chargers he drove in F&F1, 4, 5, 6, 7 (x 3 Chargers), 8, 9 (x 3 Chargers), 10 and undoubtedly in F&F11. So yeah, his choices float my boat for some strange reason....

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Submitted by: the1969DodgeChargerFan

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13 / 17

Tyler The Creator’s Lancia Delta

Tyler The Creator’s Lancia Delta

Tyler, The Creator - WUSYANAME (Official Video)

I don’t honestly know much about what-celeb-owns-what-car (I love cars but don’t pay much attention to what rich people drive), but I am quite taken by Tyler the Creator’s Lancia Delta and its beautiful light blue:

While on the topic of hip hop artists who drive awesome cars, can’t forget Killer Mike’s Grand National!

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Submitted by: Evan Hayden

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14 / 17

James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder

James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder

James Dean sitting in his silver Porsche giving a thumbs up while parked on the side of the road
Actor James Dean gives a thumbs-up sign from his Porsche 550 Spyder, the Little Bastard, while parked on Vine Street in Hollywood. Dean, who had taken up racing the year before, owned the car only nine days when he lost his life in a fatal highway accident while driving the Porsche to a Salinas race.
Photo: Bettman (Getty Images)

Sure the car was cursed, but just look at it

Submitted by: Tim the KNinja

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15 / 17

Lily Allen’s Ford Focus RS

Lily Allen’s Ford Focus RS

A green Ford Focus RS on an autoshow floor
Image: Thomas Doerfer/ Wiki Commons (Fair Use)

Two surprisingly humble examples would be Lily Allen’s Ford Focus RS and Gordon Lightfoot’s Chevy Monte Carlo.

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Submitted by: Slow Joe Crow

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16 / 17

Gary Busey’s Volvo C30

Gary Busey’s Volvo C30

A silver VOlvo C30 parked on brick in front of a building
Image: M 93/ WIki Commons (Fair Use)

Gary Busey’s Volvo C30, that by looks of it, he drives around crashing into s—. Everything about this video is just perfect, especially when “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” kicks in as his drive-off music, and good ‘ol Gary is just grinning like a lunatic.

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Submitted by: Hankel_Wankel

A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik.

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