Ferrari’s luxury sports cars have always had a special affinity with being associated not only with the racing world and the upper echelons of the Formula One Grand Prix, but also as a popular choice for the rich and famous.
A Ferrari parked outside an expensive boutique or cafe in Monaco would never “look out of place”, would it? This is probably due to the fact that Ferrari sports cars have always been priced reassuringly high enough to go along with their owner’s image of wealth.
With this in mind, cars owned by celebrities, Hollywood actors, and famous people have always drawn even more attention than their less famous counterparts. So when some of these famous cars end up at a classic car auction or are announced for sale, it starts a media frenzy and also a bidding war for the highest price.
At a recent classic car auction at Silverstone, a rare 2003 “Ferrari 575 Maranello” with only 10,000 miles on the odometer finally sold for £66,000 and was purchased by an unknown private buyer. What was unique about this car was its special provenance from its famous previous owners.
The fact that this Ferrari was not only rare, but also included by its previous owners; legendary guitar hero “Eric Clapton” and BBC TV and radio presenter Chris Evans, who are huge Ferrari fans in their own right.
Chris Evans has been in and out of the global motoring press for the past few years, with his growing collection of Ferraris now including seven in the line-up. But his latest acquisition is the one that has everyone talking. It is a very rare 1960 Ferrari 250 California Spyder, which cost over £5m at auction. What makes this classic car even more special is that it is the only number 13 of only 56 cars produced of this model, but it was formally owned by the late (great) movie actor James Coburn who was a huge Ferrari fan.
James Coburn got his love of cars from his father and is said to have turned actor Steve McQueen, a car fanatic, into Ferrari sports cars in the early 1960s.
Other celebrities and stars who share a love for Ferrari sports cars include, in particular, Jay Kay of the band Jamiroquai, who has owned several Ferraris, including; a Ferrari F40, a 360 Spider, a Ferrari Enzo, a Ferrari 456GT. Veteran rock singer Rod Stewart also owns a Ferrari F40, a 360 Spider and now a new Murcielago.
Movie and TV star Joanna Lumley owns a classic Ferrari 328 GTS Targa, while as lead guitarist for the rock band Who she also has a passion for Ferraris, as Pete Townshend currently owns a Ferrari 550 Maranello.