Most people dream about what they’d do if they came into a lot of money via lottery, inheritance, or some other fame-and-fortune kind of scenario.  And while quitting a job and jet-setting around the world is at the top of the list for many, owning rare and expensive automobiles come in at a close second.  In fact, there are plenty of wealthy celebrities that seem to have a fascination with owning more cars than they can ever hope to drive.  Here are just a few celebs that have a decided love affair with automobiles.

1. Jay Leno.  He is arguably the most famous celebrity car collector, and considering that his collection is said to rival that of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, it’s not hard to see why.  With nearly 200 cars and motorcycles sequestered at a huge warehouse in Burbank, you might have trouble thinking of a collectible automobile that isn’t represented.  But some of the most interesting cars in his showcase include a Stanley Steamer (yup, it runs on steam), a 1909 Baker electric car, and a motorcycle that is powered by a turbo jet.  It’s simply impossible to enumerate the many appealing cars in his eclectic collection, but luckily he has a website (jaylenosgarage.com) to show them off.
2. Ralph Lauren.  This fashion mogul may best known for his style on the runway, but his haute couture collections pale in comparison to the lineup of rare and desirable automobiles he keeps in his garage (or, you know, the gallery he designed to display them).  Because he has only a few dozen cars to his name, you might be tempted to ask how he rates an entry on this list.  But when you realize that each and every automobile is akin to the Hope Diamond, his collection of cars starts to look like the crown jewels.  Most notably, he has the keys to a 1930 Mercedes Benz SSK (Count Trossi) Roadster, a 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (in fact, he has a room devoted to Ferraris), a 2006 Bugatti Veyron, and a 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe (one of only two left in existence).
3. Jerry Seinfeld.  Anyone familiar with gossip surrounding this NYC comedian has probably heard rumors about the $1.5 million parking structure he built in Manhattan to house a portion of his car collection.  In fact, this is true.  The guy who wrote a show about nothing has plenty to show for it, and the money coming in has allowed the car nut to build up an extensive collection, which leans heavily in favor of Porsche.  Amongst his gems are a 959 (one of only 300+ made), a 917 Le Mans racecar, and a 1955 550 Spyder (not “the” James Dean car, but the same model).  In fact, it is said that his Porsche collection, with a value of about $10 million, is second only to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
4. Billy Gibbons.  This ZZ Top guitarist may be a bit rough around the edges, with his beard-wearing, guitar-flinging, rock-and-roll lifestyle, but he is just as attached to the culture of classic cars as he is to his famous Rip Van Winkle beard.  He tends to go for hot rods, and he is probably most associated with the 1933 Ford Coupe “Eliminator”, which has made frequent appearances in his music videos.  He also has a number of custom street rods, amongst them a Boyd Coddington creation that started out as a 1958 Cadillac.  He claims to have so many cars in his collection that he can no longer keep track.
5. Nicholas Cage.  Known for his flamboyant spending habits, this member of the Coppola clan is no stranger to throwing down some hard cash for a collectible automobile.  He has a hankering for Lamborghinis, and he infamously purchased a Miura SVJ that was confiscated from the Shah of Iran in 1979 (he apparently paid half a million for the car, although it was only reported to be worth about $300,000).

Emma Martin is a contributing writer for UsedVolkswagenEngines.com  where Volkswagen engines are shipped nationwide every day.