8 Stars With Modified Cars
Many celebrities not only have the cash for flash rides, but also seek to make a statement with their choice of opulent transport (even if that statement is just “Look, I have the cash for this opulent transport!”)
Here are some of the more interesting, eccentric and perhaps surprising stars’ cars.
WILL.I.AM’s DELOR.I.AM
In 2012, Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am announced that he was starting his own car company, IAMAUTO, to “bring jobs to the ghetto that I came from”. But the “prototype” he unveiled was in fact a heavily modified DeLorean DMC-12 (I saw the car’s build in progress at California’s West Coast Customs, where it was brilliantly dubbed the “DeLor.I.Am”). Sadly, little has been heard of Will.I.Am’s admirable start-up idea since, and the kit car-like IAMAUTO proto resembled a Star Wars stormtrooper helmet (without the retro charm).
DAVID BECKHAM’s SUVs
Becks is not just a soccer legend and sex symbol, but also a devoted father of four. So, as well as his Porsche 911 Turbo, Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe and Ghost, Bentley Mulsanne and Continental Supersports, and an Audi RS6 Avant (which he crashed in England in December), the fit Brit has also owned some super-swanky SUVs: a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, a Range Rover (Beckham is a “brand ambassador” for Land Rover sister brand Jaguar and his wife Victoria was “Creative Design Director” for the RR Evoque), and a Cadillac Escalade – all blacked-out, natch.
TRACY McGRADY’s MERCEDES-BENZ CL600
If you’re looking to actually own a celebrity’s ride, recently-retired NBA great Tracy McGrady’s 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL600 is (at the time of writing) currently listed on eBay for $38,950 (down from an extremely ambitious $150k). The problem is not just that this potentially stunning V12 coupe is baby blue, but that this decidedly acquired-taste color scheme is one of its classier “personalizations” (by West Coast Customs), which include matching pastel interior trim and rims, “T-Mac” logos in the headrests, and Gucci upholstery. On the upside, McGrady’s ex shows just 32k miles.
