Paul Walker shot to international stardom with the release of The Fast and the Furious in 2001. In the film, Walker plays an FBI agent who goes undercover in the world of street racing to catch a ring of notorious thieves. But you know all this already, as Walker's role in the series of films, as well as movies like the surfing romance flick Blue Crush, cemented his celebrity in the public eye even before his tragic death in 2013 while riding in the passenger seat of a speeding Porsche Carrera GT. In hindsight, public perception of Walker may question the wisdom of his obsession with cars, even though his fame cannot be disentangled from the major part that cars played in both his film career and personal life. In fact, in real life, Walker's success allowed him to amass one of Hollywood's great car collections - from historical muscle cars to modern sports cars - revealing that the man's passion spread well beyond The Fast and the Furious.
Updated February 2022: If you're a fan of the late Paul Walker, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this article with even more facts about the incredible cars in his collection.
Shortly after Walker's death, the custodians of his collection at Always Evolving Performance allowed The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah and chance to explore Walker's wide range of cars in their warehouse. The video is absolutely incredible, as Farah almost seems to gloss over "lesser" examples (like Ferraris!) on his way around Paul Walker's collection, as he tries to keep up with both stock and customized versions of some of the world's best cars.
20 BMW E36 M3 Lightweight
BMW introduced the E36 generation M3 in 1992, as the second iteration of the wildly successful and popular M3 model line. Besides the styling changes, the E36 added two cylinders, VANOS valve timing, and even a four-door variant. For American market E36 M3s, power was up to 240 horses and either 225 or 240 lb-ft of torque depending on model year. But the most important aspect of the car was its incredible handling and balance.
Today, E36 M3 examples are highly sought after, but probably the most desirable edition is the M3 Lightweight. Quickly identifiable thanks to distinctive BMW racing decals on the front and a large rear wing at the rear, the E36 M3 Lightweight reduced the cars heft by around 200 pounds thanks to the use of aluminum in the doors, less sound deadening and insulation, radio, and sunroof deletes, as well as forged alloy wheels, a special 3.23 limited-slip differential, and carbon fiber trim pieces. Only around 125 Lightweights were ever produced, and amazingly, Paul Walker owned seven, allowing him to enjoy one while keeping the rest in close to showroom condition. One even had less than 100 total miles on it, making it possibly the best example known.
19 BMW E30 M3
BMW's E30 M3 is the first in a long line of upgraded 3 Series cars that have become some of the best-loved and most sought-after sports cars in the history of the world. Today, BMW churns out an M variant of most of its cars, but when the E30 M3 debuted in 1986, it was only the third M car at the time after the inaugural M1 and the M5 sports sedan. The E30 M3 proved a capable competition racer and a highly desirable road car for the lucky few able to daily drive them.
Upgrades over the standard E30 cars included easily identifiable and dramatic box flares, an S14 engine that upped displacement to 2.3-liters, and cranked out up to 197 horsepower out of only four cylinders, limited-slip differentials, and an optional dogleg transmission. Bigger wheels featured a five-lug setup, while suspension geometry was revised with increased caster, sway bars, and aluminum control arms. Only just over 16,000 examples were ever produced - less than any other M3 model since then, and it should come as no surprise that Paul Walker, who loved his lightweight sports cars in real life as well as on the screen, owned an E30 M3.
18 BMW M1
The M1 is the aptly named first M car that BMW ever produced, and today is one of the most collectible cars on the planet. Originally built to satisfy homologation requirements, the M1 is truly a race car built for the road, and was originally proposed as a joint project to be developed by BMW and Lamborghini. The final outcome was entirely BMW, however, and set the stage for the German manufacturer's future automotive products.
The M1 is the first of only two BMW models to feature a mid-engine layout (the other being the i8) and was powered by an inline six engine which cranked 273 horses to the rear wheels. While those figures may not sound impressive today, during the M1's 1978 to 1981 production run, pairing that kind of power with the handling that a mid-engined BMW could offer proved to be a successful combination - especially in competition tune when the engine could crank out up to 470 horsepower way up at 9,000 RPM. Only 453 M1 cars ever came out of the factory, and a fair amount were used in competition, and many M1 examples now sit in premier collections around the world. Paul Walker's M1 featured a classic BMW paint scheme - white with BMW's iconic M car racing colors.
17 BMW 850CSi
Paul Walker clearly loved his BMWs, and seems to have preferred them exclusively in white. For any fan of the German manufacturer, Walker's collection includes some of the greatest highlights the brand has ever produced. Included in the wide range of his BMWs is Walker's 850CSi, the top of the line when it comes to BMW's touring coupe. Rather than create a production vehicle based around an M8 concept car, BMW decided - likely because of a high curb weight over 4,000 pounds - that the car couldn't quite live up to the M badge's high performance standards, and instead produced the 850CSi.
With a version of the other 8 Series cars' V12 under the hood that was refined so extensively that BMW even changed its designation code, the 850CSi offered 375 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, while suspension revisions firmed up the ride, lowered the center of gravity, and greatly improved upon the otherwise disappointing handling of the rest of the 8 Series lineup. A six speed manual transmission was offered, and its probably safe to assume that Paul Walker chose to find an 850CSi with the stick shift given the rest of his incredible collection, as well as the focus that clutch pedals and shifters received throughout the Fast and Furious franchise.
16 Saleen S7
The Saleen S7 is widely considered America's first true supercar. Though Saleen is most commonly known as a tuner - mostly of Ford Mustangs - the brand also manufactured their own purpose-built race car from 2000 to 2007, with a variety of versions also available as road-going production vehicles. The S7's dramatic styling may seem excessive, but every fascia and vent on the car has a distinct purpose, and at the time of its introduction the S7 represented the pinnacle of automotive technology. That long and low body is built mainly from carbon fiber, while the chassis is a honeycomb construction space frame design. The mid-mounted engine is an aluminum version of Ford's 7.0-liter overhead valve V8 that produced 550 horsepower initially.
Eventually, Saleen released a twin turbocharged S7 that upped output to 750 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque, dropping a 0-60 run down to only 2.8 seconds. Further improvements to aerodynamics allowed the S7 to produce is own weight in downforce at high speeds, and the S7 was estimated to reach 248 miles per hour. The final iteration of the S7 was a competition package on the twin turbo variant that further bumped power up to 1,000 horses, an insane stat considering the car's sub-3,000 pound weight.
15 Ford GT
In 2004, Ford began production of a modern version of the most significant car in the history of American motoring. The original Ford GT40 was the result of a team up with Carroll Shelby, who had previously used Ford motors in his iconic Cobra sports cars. The GT40 was designed with one purpose in mind: beating Enzo Ferrari and his racing team at their own game. The GT40 was successful, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 with a 1-2-3 finish and then going on to win three more consecutive runnings of the historic race.
The new GT dropped the '40' in its moniker, given its actual height of 43 inches, but otherwise continued on the original car's incredible style and performance. A mid-mounted, supercharged 5.4-liter V8 cranked out 550 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, routing all that power to the rear wheels through a six speed manual transmission and limited slip differential. A 0-60 run took only 3.3 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 205 miles per hour (though modified GT cars have recorded speeds north of 290 mph). Given the rarity as well as the style and history of the model, the GT has to be one of the finest cars in Walker's collection.
14 Toyota Supra Single Turbo Conversion
The fourth generation Toyota Supra that Paul Walker owned is a modified version of one of the most impressive cars of its time. The A80 Supra debuted in 1993 with an optional twin-turbocharged 2JZ-GTE inline six engine that created up to 320 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque. Among the tuning crowd, the 2JZ-GTE is legendary and modified versions regularly exceed 500-600 horses with increased boost and improved air to fuel maps. A variety of Supras exist, from targa top to automatic transmissions and stick shifts, but one of the best first step mods for the car is to switch from the twin-turbo setup to a single turbo.
The single turbo conversion sacrifices the lower-end grunt of the twin-turbo design but increases high-end horsepower. And with a stick shift transmission allowing the driver to make sure the engine is revving at or near the red-line, the single turbo offers an attractive package to help combat the Supra's relatively high weight of around 3,300 pounds when compared to its contemporary competition including Honda/Acura's NSX and Mazda's RX-7. Paul Walker obviously thought the conversion worthwhile, and his white Supra probably comes close to being one of the most classic Japanese domestic market style cars in his collection.
13 "Eleanor" Shelby GT500 Recreation
In the Fast and Furious franchise, a wide range of movie stars drive a wide range of movie cars - some truly impressive and some that are mostly just for show. The cars themselves, while central to the films, are never the true stars of the show, or at least not as much as Eleanor is for the film Gone in 60 Seconds. In the original 1974 film, a 1971 Ford Mustang Sportsroof wearing a 1973 body kit actually received a title credit. In the more modern film, released in 2000, perhaps an even more iconic version of Eleanor figured centrally into the plot as part of Nicolas Cage's haunted backstory.
The cars used for the film were actually a variety of reproduction Shelby GT500 clones, the grey paint job and black racing stripes paired with the Mustang's already aggressive lines to make the car a newly minted movie star. An authenticated Eleanor used for principle and promotional photography sold for $1,000,000 at auction in 2013, a surprise given that none were true Shelbys. Paul Walker's car is a recreation of the 2000 film's Eleanor, complete with matching paint, stripes, wheels, and all. Though not used in filming, the car's looks help it stand out even in an incredible collection like Walker's.
12 Shelby GT350SR
Eleanor isn't the only Shelby Mustang that Paul Walker owns, he also owns a 40th anniversary special edition fastback GT350SR. The GT350SR models were produced to celebrate the iconic GT350, and feature a modern take on the original American muscle car. Chance are, Walker's GT350SR packs a walloping aluminum 427 V8 under the hood, churning out 585 horsepower through a Tremec five speed and 9-inch locking rear differential. Though the GT350SR is a reproduction that was in fact licensed by Shelby, there are other major upgrades that allow the car to greatly outpace its predecessors.
Tubular reinforcements to the body and chassis increase rigidity, while suspension components follow the same design as the original cars but utilizing modern production metallurgy for race quality durability. Power steering, adjustable trailing arms, and even a torque arm to help the rear diff stay in place with all that power are included in the package. Custom side exhaust should burble and snort like the stallion the Mustang lineup was named after, making the inclusion of an AM/FM radio almost seem silly. Altogether, the GT350SR is a striking version of one of America's most classic cars, built for the track crowd but equally comfortable on the streets of Hollywood.
11 Saleen SA10 Mustang
Walker owns a number of Fox Body Mustangs, but the highlight of the bunch is this Saleen modified example known as an SA10. The SA10 was built to celebrate Saleen's first 10 years of modifying Mustangs, and only nine examples were ever produced, making the SA10 one of the rarest Mustangs ever built, in any generation of the long-tenured muscle car. (Originally, 10 buyers lined up to match the number of years, but one backed out during production and was never replaced.) The SA10 happened to coincide with the final year of Fox Body Mustangs produced in 1993, and the lucky nine buyers had to deposit a down payment and already be a member of the Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club to be considered.
They then sat down with Steve Saleen himself to figure out the exact details for their car - though all were built with a 1993 Mustang 5.0 LX hatchback as the basis. Options included supercharger packages, interior details, and more, and each car's drivetrain and interior combination was totally unique, but it is impossible from the outside to know exactly what Paul Walker's SA10 specifications were because the exterior of each was the only thing kept identical for all nine examples.
10 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
Paul Walker's character in the Fast and Furious films takes road racing to a whole new (and often times highly illegal) level thanks to custom sports cars and wildly illogical yet fun and engaging plotlines. In the real world, sports cars can best be enjoyed on winding mountain roads where safety is in the hands of the driver, or on designated tracks racetracks open to the public. Walker's Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale is a special track-focused version of the 360 Modena road-going car with a number of critical upgrades.
Versus the 360 Modena, the Challenge Stradale ups power by only 20 horsepower, but reduces weight and improves suspension dramatically to boost overall performance on the track. Tuned throttle response, ceramic brakes shared with the Enzo, plexiglass windows, carbon fiber mirrors and seat options, a tighter steering wheel, Resin Transfer Molding on bumpers and side skirts, and more were part of the Fiorano Handling package that the Challenge Stradale offers and shaved up to 150 pounds off the already lightweight and impressive, base-level Modena. A 0-60 run dropped to 4.1 seconds, though acceleration wasn't as prioritized on the Challenge Stradale as much as the ability to keep speed high when cornering and during braking.
9 Ferrari F355 Spider Sirie Fiorano
The Fiorano test track figures heavily into the history and development of Ferrari's incredible cars, and the facility's name filters its way down through a wide range of options packages and special edition cars that specifically deserve the nomenclature. Case in point is Paul Walker's Ferrari F355 Spyder, already an impressively well designed and powerful car that was only further enhanced for the final 104 examples produced and named Fiorano Editions. Even a base F355 impressed Car and Driver enough for the magazine to describe it as a "...fast, feral, glamorous new car [that] puts Ferrari back on the most-wanted list."
Upgrades to the Serie Fiorano (in Italian) versions adjusted the car's track wider, added stiffer springs and thicker sway bars, and utilized vented and drilled brakes paired to competition brake pads. A Competizione-sourced steering rack improved road feel and lock-to-lock time, while carbon fiber inserts on the center console, door sills, and even paddle shifters helped to keep weight down. Horsepower peaked at 375 at a stratospheric 8,250 RPM, good for a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 183 miles per hour (when pushed past the redline). An F1 transmission was the most common choice, though a six speed manual was also available.
8 BMW 2002tii Touring Alpina
Paul Walker's love for BMW products extends even to the aftermarket tuner Alpina, who has produced a plethora of performance and styling-enhanced BMWs over more than four decades of work. The Buchloe-based company actually began its run by modifying BMW's little 2002 model in the early 1970s. Besides the Alpina badging, a number of other modifications included a close-ratio dogleg five speed manual transmission, a limited slip differential with up to 75% lock, ventilated rear disc brakes, as well as upgraded Bilstein shocks, a closer ratio steering rack, and extra gauges.
The 2002 in Touring spec was a hatchback form of BMW's popular 2002 model, which was only built from 1971 until 1974 and actually proved relatively unsuccessful (when compared to the rest of the 2002 lineup's 11 year production run of more than 140,000 cars built). Only 130 horsepower created by a 2000cc inline four doesn't sound like much today, but the 2002 is a collectible car in any form thanks to iconic style nimble driving characteristics, which are only enhanced by Alpina's changes. Though Paul Walker might not have wanted the Alpina to race around the streets of town, it would be hard to imagine he bought the car simply as an investment.
7 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V Spec
The second Fast and Furious film may have lost Vin Diesel as Paul Walker's outlaw counterpart, but the movie got a huge boost by the appearance of a new star (and not Tyrese). Automotive enthusiasts the world over held their breath when Walker's character, Brian O'Conner, showed up for a street race in a JDM Nissan Skyline GT-R, fully modded out and even still right-hand drive. Of course, Walker's hero demolishes his competition in the car, and anyone who knew cars of that era probably recognized just how potent of a car he'd brought to the table.
The Skyline GT-R is a highly upgraded version of Nissan, Datsun, and original manufacturer Prince's Skyline model line, though the R34 variant is barely recognizable compared to the first Skyline released in 1957. With the Skyline GT-R playing such a big role in 2 Fast 2 Furious, it should come as no surprise that Walker owns one in his collection - notably an R34 GT-R in V Spec trim. Various V Spec levels added limited slip differentials, aero packages, deleted features like radios and rear windshield wipers, and more, but all shared the race-bred underpinnings of a twin-turbocharged inline-six engine sending power to all four wheels.
6 Nissan S15 Silvia
A couple of Paul Walker's cars are straight up illegal to drive on the streets of America, and especially California, as they were never imported to the states and don't meet emissions requirements. The 25 year import rule means that these cars will one day be possible to register, perhaps out of state, but currently Walker's Nissan Silvia, an S15 generation, still requires at least six more years given its initial introduction in 1999.
Nonetheless, the Silvia is a popular car for tuners, given its light weight, simple design, and turbocharged inline four engine which produced up to 250 horsepower in stock form. Chances are Walker owned a Spec-R Silvia, which came with a six speed manual transmission, larger sway bars, chassis reinforcements, and strut braces. A larger brake booster and a helical limited slip rear differential make the Silvia in Spec R trim very attractive in the drifting scene, and a modified Silvia plays a large part in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Even though Walker didn't play a role in that film, he no doubt appreciated the Silvia's role in the movie and in the culture that inspired the story. Hopefully he got some time behind the wheel, perhaps in the remote hills outside of Los Angeles.
5 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Convertible
One of the most lasting and consistent images throughout the Fast and Furious franchise is of Vin Diesel's Dom Toretto revving the enormous engine of his huge Chevrolet Chevelle SS, which dwarfs the rest of the largely Japanese import automotive cast. From the first film when the car is red to the third clad in primer as Diesel makes a surprise cameo in Tokyo, the Chevelle always looks beefy and powerful in a quintessentially American manner, matching Diesel's character in power and intensity. Paul Walker owns a Chevelle SS, as well, though the convertible top alone is enough to differentiate it from the exact car that Diesel drives through so much of the series.
Still, the second generation Chevelle, especially in SS trim, is an integral part of American muscle car history. Powered by engines that range all the way up to a 7.4-liter big block V8 and cranking out as much as 450 horsepower out of an LS6, the Chevelle has the grunt to match its huge haunches and intimidating front end. Other films featuring Chevelles have included the Tom Cruise action flick Jack Reacher, as well as Bullitt with Steve McQueen, and Bad Boys II starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
4 Pro Touring Chevrolet Camaro LS7
The American muscle car phenomenon is a constant game of one-upmanship, adding enormously powerful engines to classically penned body styles with the goal of creating a new American masterpiece. Paul Walker's Pro Touring Chevy Camaro is no different, with an LS7 crammed under the hood that likely cranks out around 500 horsepower in stock form. Somewhere between a hot rod and a restomod, the Camaro checks all the boxes, with style oozing from every surface, including the clean engine bay and modern wheels.
While modern Camaros often exceed 500 horsepower from the factory, it's important to remember that first generation cars maxed out at 400 horses in highest spec Z/28 trim with dual four-barrel carburetors. Add in the probable inclusion of a 9-inch limited slip rear diff, modern five speed transmission, and all the suspension interior goodies that bring the car up to snuff, and the car probably approaches the performance of a modern Camaro (which is a great car and one that has helped to right the ship of American manufacturing) with a much bigger coolness quotient. Though Walker's cars tend towards the small and sporty, sometimes some big beefy power just rounds out a well put together collection nicely.
3 1969 Yenko Super Camaro
For serious car aficionados, watching 2 Fast 2 Furious was like being a kid in a candy store. While the first film in the franchise featured way too many front wheel drive imports with body kits and huge spoilers, the second installation upped the ante with cars like the Skyline GT-R and the little known Yenko Super Camaro - a limited run of cars that were built by dealership owner and race car driver Don Yenko as a way to massage his way around the corporate limits GM had put on Camaro engine size and output.
At the time, GM wanted to keep the Camaro in a certain class, even if that meant competition in the form of Ford Mustangs and Dodge Darts were available with more power. These were the days when manufacturers were tripping over each other to crank out bigger stats, so Yenko figured he'd go the same direction as Carroll Shelby and upgrade Camaros himself. The result features a 7.0-liter 427 shared with the Corvette that made 450 horsepower. A fiberglass hood, heavier duty suspension, and 4.10 ratio rear differential rounded out the package, while some cars even received an aggressively styled Yenko-specific rear spoiler.
2 Porsche 930 Turbo
The Porsche 930 was Porsche's first production turbocharged car, and debuted in 1975 to widespread shock and awe. Initially intended to be a homologation version of a competition racer, the 930 ended up becoming a legend in its own right, thanks to a 3.0-liter flat six engine that produced 256 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque utilizing a single K03 turbo. The aggressive rear fenders, enormous rear tires, and a (functional) whale tail spoiler distinguished the Turbo from its lower-spec stablemates, even if it hadn't quite received the all wheel drive that would eventually become standard on Turbo models.
An even larger engine debuted in 1978 with displacement increased to 3.3 liters and the addition of an intercooler to improve engine performance. Output increased to 296 horsepower and 304 lb-ft of torque, though weight also increased slightly. Suspension was tightened, while brakes from the 917 racer were sourced to help cope with the added power. During the 1970s, Car and Driver tested all of the world's fastest and best cars, and both editions of the 930 Turbo ended up besting the rest of the world with a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds. Paul Walker owned 2 930s, both in Guards Red, so hopefully he had one of each.
1 Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche's mid-engined Carrera GT began its development by stealing components from actual competition race cars, but in the end became a monster of its own. Futuristic technology like a pure carbon fiber monocoque and subframe construction, adaptive damping suspension, and active aerodynamics set the Carrera GT apart from its competition, while the mid-mounted 5.7-liter V10 sent 603 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six speed manual transmission. A 0-60 run took under 3.57 seconds, while cornering achieved measurements of 1.4 g. Only 1,270 Carrera GT examples ever came out of the factory, and Paul Walker owned a red one.
Of course, the Carrera GT had to come at the end of this list because of the fact that the legendary and impressive feat of German engineering will eternally be connected with Paul Walker due to his tragically losing his life in 2013 while riding in the passenger seat of his friend's Carrera GT. The great mystery surrounding the accident was cleared up when an investigative report concluded that the car had been traveling between 80 and 93 miles per hour - a speed typically well within the Carrera GT's capabilities but in this case the car's tires were too old to maintain traction.
References: caranddriver.com, bringatrailer.com, and bmwblog.com.