There are plenty of classic car enthusiasts out there, ranging from fervent fans who attend every car show, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of their favourite vehicles – to obsessive collectors, who are prepared to spend thousands, if not millions to obtain rare models.
With often quite a lot of cold hard cash in the bank, there are a number of celebrity classic car collectors, and many are devoted petrolheads themselves.
We’re taking a look some of these famous faces the UK, who have managed to amass some impressive collections…
Rowan Atkinson
Many will recognise the British born actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson from the likes of Mr Bean, and Blackadder – but he’s also a massive car enthusiast, and has managed to accumulate a pretty cool collection of classics.
Atkinson has made numerous appearances on the BBC’s Top Gear and is a self confessed car obsessive.
His vast collection of luxury classics includes an Aston Martin DB2 and a 1939 BMW 328 – along with some standout stars like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and McLaren F1.
Steve Coogan
Perhaps most famous for portraying the inept radio and television presenter, Alan Partridge, actor and comedian Steve Coogan has a great passion for vintage vehicles, which extends beyond his private life.
While also featuring many times on Top Gear, he regularly showcases his classic cars on his comedy shows.
Coogan sports a fantastic collection, which includes a Porsche Carrera 4, and he has a particular fondness for Ferraris.
Idris Elba
The Emmy Award winning actor, best known as Stringer Bell from HBO’s The Wire, Idris Elba is a notorious petrolhead.
His father worked in the the Ford motor factory at Dagenham, and when he’s not being a DJ in London, Elba spends his time indulging in his enthusiasm for exotic cars. He hosted the BBC show, King of Speed, which saw him travel the globe to take in the best local car culture, and participate in regional style races.
He has several classic and rare vintages in his car collection, including a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black and a Bentley Continental GT.
Chris Evans
Chris Evans is a successful broadcaster, radio and television presenter and is well known for his classic car obsession – especially for rare Ferraris.
Evans has spent a fortune over the years, buying rare and legendary vehicles, and then selling some off as investments. One of his most notable purchases was the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, previously owned by actors James Coburn and Steve McQueen.
Some of his other rare cars have including a 1963 Ferrari GTO, a Rolls Royce Phantom, and even the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.
Richard Hammond
As one of the three former Top Gear presenters, it’s to be expected that Richard Hammond would have a healthy obsession with motoring, just like his now Grand Tour co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
His impressive collection is kept within his garages at his castle in Herefordshire. The presenter owns many Porches and clearly has a penchant for the German built classics – his collection includes a 1982 Porsche 911 SC, a Porsche 928 and a Porsche 911 Carrera S.
