Check Out These Awesome Car Collections By Famous People Not Named Jay Leno

So what does it take to enter the pantheon of car collecting greats? Money. Lots and lots of money. But money isn’t enough to create a great collection of the world’s most desirable cars. To get to that lofty perch, it also takes passion and an eye for what makes a car worth collecting.

And here are a few of those fortunate souls who seem possessed of both money and taste when it comes to hoarding automobiles.

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson, the English actor, comedian, and writer, is best known for his work on such sitcoms as Blackadder and Mr. Bean. He first came to prominence in the BBC sketch comedy show Not the Nine O'Clock News, and he appeared in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again.

But it was his role as the hapless Mr. Bean who steered around his yellow Mini Cooper to hilarious effect on his way to various misadventures that made him famous. In real life, Atkinson’s taste in cars is pure class and epitomized by his collection of automotive magnificence. The actor’s collection contains an Aston Martin V8 Zagato, a Bentley Birkin Mulsanne and a host of other fantastic rides.

Atkinson also happens to be an exceptionally devoted amateur race driver, though perhaps not as accomplished as he would prefer. He once crashed his beloved Aston Martin V8 while competing during an owners’ club race and also crashed his ultra-rare, purple McLaren F1 a couple of times.

He’s not a man to tuck his cars away in showrooms. He actually loves getting behind the wheel of his cars. He once said, “I’m not a collector. I don’t like the toy cupboard syndrome that causes so many good cars to evaporate. It depresses me that they are hidden away like investment art, or gold ingots in a Swiss vault.”

Lady Gaga, one Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Gaga began her career performing as a teenager by singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays after studying at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

While her collection is hardly huge for a woman of her considerable means, Gaga has assembled an impressive collection of American muscle cars. She owns a classic mint blue Chevy Nova SS and a black Chevy El Camino. Among the other classics in her collection are a Mercedes-Benz W123, a Ford F-150, two Rolls-Royce Phantoms, a Porsche Boxster, and a Lamborghini Huracan.

The car collection of the 29th Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is said to be the largest private car collection in the world. His stable consists of some 7,000 cars which have an estimated value of more than $5 billion USD by various accounts.

The Sultan’s collection includes a number of Ferrari F40s, McLaren F1s, and various rare Rolls-Royce models.

As one of the richest men in the world, it’s not entirely surprising that his collection would include priceless classics and a wide range of concept and custom cars. Among them is one of the world’s most expensive cars, a custom Rolls-Royce Spur Limousine decked out with 24k gold.

Although no one has yet fully documented his entire collection, it’s speculated that his collection includes more than 300 Ferraris, 11 McLaren F1’s, and 600 models Rolls-Royce vehicles.

The American fashion designer, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman, Ralph Lauren, is well-known for his collection of rare and immaculate automobiles. He often sends them out for display in museum exhibits. Lauren, no longer active as CEO of his eponymously named company since 2015, is thought to be worth some $6.3 billion.

His collection includes more than 70 cars such as a McLaren F1, a Lamborghini Reventon, and a 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK ‘Count Trossi’ among many others. Experts place the value of the collection somewhere north of $350 million, and he regularly rolls out examples as props in his fashion shows along the catwalk.

And his collection is properly housed within a two-floor museum built in what was once a car dealership in New York City, which features black floors, white walls, and flattering lighting. The garage museum includes a fully equipped workshop next door, a dedicated living space, an office, and an automotive library.