In his nearly 60-year career as a performer, Sir Elton John has established himself as an icon. His stardom and money, estimated to be over $500 million, have also allowed him to pursue some of his favorite interests. He won five Grammy Awards, five Brit Prizes, two Globe Awards, and has sold over 300 million records worldwide.
But those are not all of his accomplishments. A big automotive aficionado as well as a singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer, Sir Elton John, has amassed a huge collection of impressive cars over the years. From Rollers to Bentleys, Aston Martins, and Jags, expensive cars seem to have always piqued his interest—because why shouldn’t they?
In fact, Sir Elton’s collection has gotten so big over the years that he had to auction many of his automobiles off. Twenty of Elton’s automobiles were auctioned off in a Christie’s auction in London on June 5, 2001. Bringing in over £2 million for the already wealthy musician. Sir Elton’s ardent accumulation of cars over a thirty-year period resulted in a collection that has remained confidential to date. Let’s take a closer look at a few of Sir Elton John’s coolest cars over the years.
10 1960 Bentley S2 Continental Flying Spur
via Bonhams
Sir Elton John bought the car in 1970 and named it ‘The Ex-Sir Elton John.’ He was the car’s fourth owner. It was the first Bentley to bear the now-famous ‘Flying Spur’ designation. And its more practical four-door design was a collaboration between Rolls-in-house Royce’s style division and renowned coachbuilder HJ Mulliner.
via Bonhams
Only 2,308 Bentley S2s were made between 1959 and 1962. A 6.2-liter Bentley V8 replaced the straight-six engine of the S1. When sold, this one fetched almost $88,300 in today’s money.
9 1965 Jaguar E Type 4.2 Roadster
thesun.co.uk
A 1965 Jaguar E-Type was dubbed “the most beautiful car ever produced” by Enzo Ferrari. When it was initially released in 1961, it was one of Elton John’s most recognizable vehicles.
via Bonhams
Sir Elton and his employees nicknamed the E-Type as ‘OK Elton,’ according to his fleet manager because of the number plate OKE 1, which got worn during his ownership and was eventually sold with the car. It went for roughly $105,600 at Christie’s.
8th 1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III
via pinterrest
The Silver Cloud III was the final generation of Rolls-Silver Royce’s Cloud. They introduced the Silver Cloud III in 1963, and it had an improved 6.2L V8 engine and a new design. New dual front headlights distinguished it from its predecessor.
via classiccars.com
Coachbuilders developed convertible and coupe versions of the Silver Cloud III. They built the Silver Cloud III until 1966 when it was discontinued. Sir Elton auctioned it for $112,780 in 2001 at a Christie’s auction.
7 Rolls Royce Phantom V
via Wikimedia Commons
Rolls-Royce produced huge, luxury four-door saloons 1959 through 1968, and the Phantom V continued that legacy. They shared the V8 engine and GM automatic transmission with the Silver Cloud II.
via The Tiriac Collection
Elton John is not the type of person who likes to keep a low profile. He used to own a pink Rolls-Royce Phantom V, which is now valued at about $450,000. There are just 516 automobiles of that kind on the globe.
6 1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
via Bonhams
Aston Martin has a special place in John’s heart because it was his first step into vehicle collecting. Over seven years of ownership, it appeared that the 390-hp 5.3-liter V-8 engine was no longer up to the task of powering the “Rocketman.”
via Bonhams
As a result, an RS Williams upgrade was installed to this V8 Vantage in 1992, increasing the engine’s displacement to 7.0 liters and its power to 510 hp. This one fetched $134,300.
5 1985 Bentley Continental Convertible “NIKITA”
via Bonhams
Sir Elton John purchased this luxurious Bentley Continental and debuted it in the video for the 1985 hit single about a lovely female Russian border guard named Nikita. The Continental had a 6.7-liter V8 engine with a maximum speed of 120 mph.
via Bonhams
It features Royal red paint, a red-piped beige leatherette inside, and a complementing material roof for Sir Elton’s royal presence. It sold for £71,000 at a Bonhams auction in 2015.
4 Jaguar XJ220
via Supercars.net
The Jaguar XJ220 may only have held the title of “the fastest car in the world” for a short period, but that hasn’t dampened its appeal, which has perhaps grown even stronger with time. Sir Elton John was quite proud of the historic automobile collection he had amassed over the years.
via Jaguars
In 2001, however, he decided to share his most valuable stones with the rest of the globe. It was the most expensive car at the auction, selling for about $307,000 out of a total of 20 cars.
3 1992 Ferrari 512TR
via carpixel
In 2001, the British singer, composer, and occasional actor auctioned off a portion of his car collection. This included a Ferrari 512TR with only 1,812 miles on the clock, for £98,000. Pininfarina aluminum body, side grilles, and high-mounted side mirrors distinguish the Ferrari 512 Testarossa.
via: Mecum
The car has a flat V12 engine and speeds up from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. It is capable of reaching a top speed of 192 miles per hour.
2 1997 Bentley Turbo R400
via Flickr
The Bentley Turbo R debuted at the 1985 Geneva Motor Show, continuing the current ‘Blower Bentley’ motif. They debuted these turbos Rs for the 1996 model year. And came with a Cosworth-developed Zytec engine management system that helped improve output to 385 hp.
via YouTube: Marlowcars
The Turbo R’s cast-alloy rims and low-profile Pirelli tires distinguished it from the previous Mulsanne Turbo from the outside. This car initially sold for roughly $150,000, and it was the 20th and last car sold at the Christie auction at approximately $108,000.
1 1973 Rolls Royce Phantom VI Sedan by HJ Mulliner
via pinterrest
Under the extended hood of the 1973 Phantom VI was a 6.7-liter V8 engine. Standard features included power steering and hydraulic brakes to assist overall handling. A good example of the potentate’s Roller now sells for roughly $30,000, although Sir Elton used his for UK tours and says it has a “great sound system.”
via Rolls Royce
That’s because, for £28,000, he installed a 36-speaker stereo system. With HJ Mulliner accouterments, this one sold for £223,000 at auction.
Elton John Is Auctioning Off His 1997 Aston Martin
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About The Author
Ramya Shah
(143 Articles Published)
Ramya is a Computer Engineering graduate with a lifelong love of automobiles. Digs all types of cars but has a special place in his heart for Japanese and Italian two-seater sports cars.
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