Many drive cars from his brand, but what’s in Elon Musk’s own garage?
Elon Musk is known by many for being the iconoclastic entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, and the cars his company makes are known for being a large part of the growing movement towards electric cars, with many traditional manufacturers seemingly using Tesla as a benchmark for their own operations in the rapidly growing EV space. However, Elon Musk is very much a car enthusiast and collector himself, and the Elon Musk car collection list has quite a few cars that are stylish, fast, and luxurious, including his own. If you’re wondering, “How many cars does Elon Musk own?” keep reading and you’ll discover the breadth of Elon Musk cars, and his taste in his own craft.
1920 Ford Model T
It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if one of the reasons the Ford Model T is a piece in Elon Musk’s car collection is because he draws a comparison between the iconic car and his own company’s creations. As we’ve already seen, like the Ford Model T, Tesla as a brand has represented a turning point in the automotive world, not only for its electric powertrains but also for being known for things like autonomous driving and over-the-air updates.
1967 Jaguar E-type
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the Jaguar E-type has maintained quite a bit of appeal through the decades as a desirable collector’s car for any enthusiast. For Elon Musk, the same applies, and he has had his own Jaguar E-type Roadster for years, and even among his prestigious collection, it’s a stunning example of some of the best automotive design, engineering, style, and classic luxury and performance the world has ever seen.
1976 Lotus Esprit “Wet Nellie”
One of the crown jewels in the Elon Musk private car collection is a movie star. Featured in the 1976 007 film, The Spy Who Loved Me, this Lotus Esprit was made famous for a scene in which it transformed into a submarine after being driven straight into the water. The car was auctioned, and Elon Musk purchased it for an amount just shy of a million dollars. Now, the car sits in Elon Musk’s collection, possibly as a reminder of the wonder and fascination of imaginative design, even if it comes from the world of fantasy.
1978 BMW 320i
The now legendary BMW 3 Series was Elon Musk’s humble first car, especially considering his current level of wealth and success. He worked on the car himself, and owned it until it unfortunately met its demise after a wheel fell off of it while an intern of his was driving. The car was an example of the first generation of the 3 Series, which has since become one of the world’s most popular luxury cars in its category for its sporty nature and timeless style, and it helped build a world-famed name for BMW in the European luxury and performance car world.
1997 McLaren F1 #67
Owning what is now PayPal at the time, Elon Musk celebrated his entrepreneurial success with one of the most extravagant automotive purchases in the world then and now: a rare McLaren F1, which was when he bought it the world’s fastest production car. The Elon Musk McLaren F1 delivery came at a time when he had just sold one of his companies and was at a high point in his career, and he got his money’s worth for the McLaren, putting 11,000 miles on it as it made the trip from the Silicon Valley to Los Angeles quite frequently, which is quite the distance to drive in such a brutal hypercar. It’s a good thing he did drive it so much, as the Elon Musk McLaren F1 crash happened not very long after owning the car. Worse still, Elon Musk’s McLaren F1 was uninsured, so he had no way of recouping the damage of the McLaren accident. He eventually sold it in 2007.
2006 BMW M5
While of course, the Telsa Model S from Musk’s own brand has reached an incredible height of luxury sedan performance, Elon Musk’s love for BMW along with the M5’s unique performance, especially in its time earned it its place in his garage. What is unique about Elon Musk’s BMW M5 is that it was tuned by Hamann in order to further increase the performance of the incredible V10 engine in the Ultimate Driving Machine.
2010 Audi Q7
While this might be one of the least glamorous residents of Elon Musk’s garage, it is certainly one of the more practical. In fact, the Audi Q7 is quite popular as a family-ready luxury SUV, and with Musk’s large family, that’s exactly what he needed. He must have seen some room for improvement in the vehicle, as he would of course eventually go on to introduce the Tesla Model X to the market, which improves rear-seat access compared to more traditional family SUVs like the Q7 with its bold and innovative wing-like door design.
2012 Porsche 911 Turbo
Even for a man who is in charge of one of the world’s most talked-about purveyors of the most modern and innovative luxury performance vehicles, there is definitely something to be said about the irreplaceable charm of the Porsche 911. Its unique layout, skillful engineering, classic looks, and hair-raising performance have made it one of the most iconic sports cars in the world for decades, and having one of the quickest and most luxurious iterations of it is great for any car collection, even Elon Musk’s.
Tesla Roadster
While this car is in Elon Musk’s collection, it isn’t in his garage at the moment, and that’s because it’s the world-famous Elon Musk car in space. As part of a project with his company SpaceX, the Elon Musk Tesla Roadster in space was a demonstration of the capabilities of the Falcon Heavy rocket, and it is still in space to this day, and a site called “Where is Starman?” is able to calculate where it is. Starman is the dummy astronaut placed in the driver’s seat of the car.
Tesla Model S
Of course, Elon Musk’s daily driver is a Tesla Model S, as regardless of it being a car from his own company, it’s a staple luxury sedan with plenty of performance potential and comfort that makes driving a simple pleasure. It’s easy and fun to drive, and even easier to enjoy with plenty of creature comforts and appointments that make it a bona fide luxury machine. Surely it’s even more enjoyable to drive when you’re the CEO of the company that makes it.
Tesla Model X
Essentially the sequel to the Audi Q7 in his garage, Elon Musk’s Tesla Model X serves as his family vehicle. With plenty of seating, high electric range, and the revolutionarily easy ingress and egress through the unconventional rear doors of the vehicle, it’s a no-brainer when it comes to a luxurious and competent family hauler, and it’s even more of a no-brainer when it’s your company’s car that you’re driving.
Tesla Cybertruck
Elon Musk’s car collection is worth millions of dollars, but in hype and anticipation, one vehicle in his garage is worth quite a bit on its own, and that’s because it’s the famed, controversial, and feverishly anticipated Tesla Cybertruck. The model is still yet to be mass-produced, but of course, that doesn’t stop Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, from owning one. Its highly unconventional looks and lofty promises of performance and capability make it one of the most interesting parts of Elon’s car collection, even among legends like the McLaren F1 and James Bond movie-starring Lotus Esprit.