Simon Cowell is most known for his blunt criticism and often harsh judgments of participants on numerous reality talent shows. He’s been a judge and producer of Pop Idol, The X Factor, and Britain’s Got Talent among others. He’s been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2004 and 2010. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph ranked him #6 on their list of the “100 Most Powerful People in British Culture.” So, you could say he’s kind of a big deal.
Updated May 2022: As celebrity car collections constantly grow and change, we've updated the list of Simon Cowell's most impressive rides. While he did recently sell his exuberant Bugatti Veyron and auctioned off his Bentley Azure, Cowell has also had plenty of new additions to his garage, such as the Lamborghini Urus sports SUV. Read on to catch up!
Cowell can push someone to superstardom with a single kind word. He single-handedly created the iconic pop boy band One Direction, as well as others. He also has a net worth of about $600 million and in 2022 he picked up an annual salary of $95 million from his multiple reality show ventures, making him one of the highest-paid TV personalities in the world.
Given all that money, you might wonder what he spends it on. Well, we’re pleased to say that he has one of the most beautiful car collections in the world, packed full of British beauties and Italian sports cars. His car collection certainly gives other celebrity personalities like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld a run for their money. Throughout the years, he’s accumulated a collection that consists of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Jaguars, Aston Martins, Ferraris, and even one of the world's fastest cars produced by Bugatti.
Here are all the coolest cars from Simon Cowell’s collection.
21 Bugatti Veyron
What would an A-list celebrity's car collection be if it didn't feature one of the most renowned, fastest, and most expensive cars the world had ever seen, the Bugatti Veyron of course? The Veyron was powered by a gargantuan 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 that produced 1,000 hp, and if your foot is heavy enough, and your heart strong enough, you could put all its power down and surpass 250 mph. For a feat this large, the Veyron also cost Cowell a pretty penny, over $1 million to be exact.
20 Tesla Model X
Mr. Cowell definitely loves gas-guzzling performance beats, as the Veyron proves, but he also likes his eco-friendly EVs as well, and that of course means Tesla. Simon Cowell doesn't own a ludicrously fast Model S Plaid, but rather Tesla's family SUV, the Model X. However, this Tesla isn't quite what you'd expect it to be. Contrary to many of the other entries on this list, his Model X was wrapped by the one and only Yiannimize in a stunning red color scheme. Whether you like it or not, you have to appreciate the work put into it.
19 Everrati Porsche 911
If you've never heard of Everrati, we wouldn't blame you, they're not one for producing their vehicles in a mass quantity, they rather focus on a very specific niche, electrified classic sports cars. So that's right, the picture you're seeing up above used to be an old Porsche 911 that featured an internal combustion engine, but after some very tasteful modifications, Everrati morphed Cowell's 911 into a fully-fledged electric sports car from the past. It is said that this Porsche cost Mr. Cowell around £250,000, and it can reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 4 seconds - crazy.
18 Ferrari 360
The Ferrari 360 is certainly not the most expensive car in Simon’s garage or even the most expensive Ferrari. In fact, it’s kind of a “starter” Ferrari, now only costing between $90,000 to $119,000 (“only” is a relative term here). It’s a two-seater, rear-wheel-drive sports car that was produced between 2000 and 2005, succeeding the Ferrari F355.
It was made from an entirely new all-aluminum space frame that made it 40% stiffer than the F355’s steel frame. The car ran on a 3.6-liter Tipo F131 V8 engine, which gave it 395 horsepower, a manufacturer’s top speed of 183 mph (though it redlined at 175 mph), and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of under 5 seconds. Cowell opted for the stealthy black exterior and a black interior, much like his other Ferraris too.
17 Ferrari F430 Spider
The Ferrari F430 was the successor to the Ferrari 360, in case you’re keeping track of the timeline. It was produced between 2004 and 2009 and was unveiled at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. Simon's one was colored black, just like his other Ferrari down on our list. It's more expensive in the used market than its predecessor, with values ranging from around $125,000 to $150,000.
The car featured the E-Diff, a computer-controlled limited slip active differential that varied the distribution of torque based on inputs such as the steering angle and lateral acceleration. It featured a 4.3-liter V8 engine of the “Ferrari-Maserati” F136 family, which gave it 483 hp, a 3.6-second 0-60 mph acceleration time, and a top speed of 196 mph.
16 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
Simon is a fan of cars new and old, and the F-Type Coupe is one of his most modern candidates. It’s a two-seater sports car that was based on the shortened platform of the XK convertible and was launched for 2014. It is still in production today and is considered the spiritual successor to the famous E-Type.
His 2014 F-Type was one of the first the world had ever seen, and it could be had with anything from a turbo-four, to a six-cylinder, or even a growling V8 engine that put out 575 hp in its SVR trim level. After some careful research, we concluded that Cowell's F-Type's trim model is indeed an R, meaning it came with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that produced 550 hp.
15 Ferrari California
The Ferrari California is a grand touring sports car and the third and final Ferrari in Simon Cowell’s garage. It was produced between 2008 and 2017, first powered by a front-mid mounted, naturally aspirated 4.3-liter V8 engine, then using a new twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8. The car was introduced as the entry-level of the model range, even though it includes man design innovations from Ferrari (and starts at $202,000).
It was the first front-engined Ferrari with a V8, the first to feature a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, the first with a folding metal roof, the first with multi-link rear suspension, and the first with direct fuel injection. Cowell’s is also, unsurprisingly, painted black.
14 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the most expensive Rolls-Royce model money can buy at the moment, excluding their newly-unveiled Boat Tail of course. Given that knowledge, it should come as no surprise that he owns two. This car is the epitome of British elegance and luxury, and since Cowell is such a big fan of all things British, it’s the perfect car for him.
The Phantom coupe uses a 6.75-liter V12 that’s found in older Phantom models, with 453 hp and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. It also uses suicide doors, since it harkens back to older Rolls-Royce Phantoms, the first generation of which was first produced in 1925!
13 Mitsubishi Evo VII Race Car
Simon Cowell has a definite need for speed, and this car is the perfect example of that. It’s a Mitsubishi Evo VII racing car, which is one of the most frequently-modded JDM cars in the world. Cowell was also a partner in the Royal Ascot Racing Club, a thoroughbred horse racing syndicate that also shows his need to see things go fast.
The Evo VII was produced between 2001 and 2003. The car was based on the larger Lancer Cedia platform, so it was heavier than the Evo VI, but it also had multiple tweaks to make it more powerful. Seeing as Simon Cowell has topped the Top Gear racing charts not once, but twice, shows that this is a car perfectly suited to his needs.
12 Caterham 7 CSR
The Caterham 7 CSR is a pretty rare sports car that is a heavily modified Caterham Super Seven. There are two engine options for the car, including a 200 hp 2.3-liter inline-four Ford Duratec engine that has a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.7 seconds, and an upgraded Cosworth-tuned, 260 hp unit with a 3.1-second 0-60 mph time.
The CSR has excellent handling and is extremely agile, and it’s a fully British car, making it fit right at home in Simon’s eclectic car collection. The car costs £37,000 if Caterham builds it, or £34,500 if you do it yourself.
11 Morgan Aero SS
Here’s another classic car that Simon Cowell owns, the Morgan Aero SS. There aren’t that many of these luxury Aeros in the US, but Simon is the proud owner of one. The Morgan Aero is actually a traditionally styled car that came out in 2000, not in the ‘50s as it looks. The car is made from an aluminum chassis and is designed to resemble post-War classics, and it’s built with a BMW V8 engine which gives it stellar performance figures. The Aero puts out 367 hp, a top speed of 170 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds.
10 Aston Martin DB7
Simon Cowell has owned three of these beauties in his lifetime. The Aston Martin DB7 had an original MSRP of $151,800 and is another example of British car manufacturing at its finest. The car was a grand tourer that was produced between 1994 and 2004, available as either a coupe or a convertible. The car ran on a 3.2-liter supercharged I6 engine that was based on the Jaguar non-supercharged AJ6 engine, or a 5.9-liter V12 engine.
It was marketed as the “entry-level” model below the V8 Virage, and it was the highest-produced vehicle in Aston Martin’s history, with over 7,000 built and sold before it was replaced by the DB9.
9 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III
One of the classiest cars in Simon Cowell’s luxury collection is certainly this Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III. The Silver Cloud was produced between 1955 and 1966, during a time in which 7,372 were produced.
The Silver Cloud III was first introduced in Paris in 1962, along with the Bentley S3. Only a little over 2,000 of these were produced during its four-year run (1963 to 1966). It used a 6.2-liter 220-horsepower V8 engine, but this car wasn’t designed to go fast. It was designed to turn heads, which it certainly does.
8 Lamborghini Urus
Obviously, Cowell is a huge fan of fast cars, and that passion extends to this practical SUV as well. Why settle for an ordinary family SUV when you can have a supercar in an SUV disguise? And indeed, Cowell's brand-new Lamborghini Urus is an absolute monster, featuring a 642-horsepower twin-turbo V8 that sends it flying to 60 mph in just 3 seconds. That's just half a second slower than the Bugatti Chiron, and the Urus weighs 5,000 lbs!
7 1932 Ford Model B
Simon Cowell's highly-customized 1932 Ford Model B is definitely one of the more unusual cars in his collection. Yes, the car is 90 years old, but it's been updated into a cool hot rod thanks to a powerful Ford V8 that's been installed under the hood. The vehicle was built by Galpin Auto Sports.
6 Bentley Azure
The Bentley Azure was a large convertible luxury car that was produced between 1995 and 2009 with a short production break between 2003 and 2006. The Azure was the rival to what we now know as the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The Azure was no slouch either. It used a twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V8 engine, which was tuned to develop 450 horsepower. It had a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of almost 170 mph. As you can guess, the Azure was no cheap addition to his collection either, his 2009 model year Azure would have cost him at least $355,000.
5 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
Since Simon Cowell loves sports cars so much, we're sure you might be a little surprised to finally find the only Lamborghini on this list, when you were probably expecting more. But alas, this Gallardo Spyder is the only one that Simon Cowell actually owns. The Gallardo Spyder was released in 2006 at the Los Angeles Auto Show and was considered to be an entirely new model of the car, with a 513-hp engine and a lower-ratio six-speed manual transmission. It was the convertible version of the car.
The V10 Gallardo was Lamborghini’s sales leader and was the stable mate to a succession of V12 flagship models, first to the Murcielago, then to the Aventador. The car was produced between 2003 and 2013, cost around $200,000, and had a top speed of 196 mph.
4 Aston Martin DB9 Volante
The Aston Martin DB9 was a British grand tourer that was produced between 2004 and 2016, and its convertible version was called the Volante. The DB9 was the successor to the DB7, and it was initially criticized a bit for its weaker engine and handling, even though overall ratings from critics went well, and it is now seen as one of the greatest Astons to ever exist.
The engine was eventually tweaked to produce more horsepower (from 450- to 470- to 510 hp) and torque. The performance-version of the DB9, the DBS was also James Bond’s car of choice in multiple films. The car’s original MSRP was $203,295, for that price you received a 5.9-liter V12 engine that had a top speed of 186 mph initially, then 190 mph, and then somehow down to 183 mph with its 510-hp configuration.
3 AC Cobra MK IV
The AC Cobra, or Shelby Cobra in the United States, is one of the most iconic sports cars of the 1960s. The car has been produced intermittently in both the U.K. and the U.S. since 1962. With its monstrous engine in its small body, the noise and power and speed, it’s no wonder that Simon Cowell loves this car so much. The Cobra was designed to use small and large Ford V8s, which was different from all the other small sports cars that used I4s or V6s at the time. It was loud and powerful and revolutionary for an English car to have an engine from an American car, but it fits perfectly in Simon’s garage.
2 Ferrari 458 Spider
By now, it should be clear that Mr. Cowell is a big fan of the Italian prancing horse. The 458 is one of the most gorgeous and desirable cars from the brand, and Cowell acquired one back in 2012. Priced at about $270,000, Simon Cowell's Ferrari 458 Spider not only looks good but boasts 562 horsepower under the hood, able to take the car to a top speed of 202 mph! But one thing that boggles our minds is why he would choose to own a silver 458 Spider, breaking his pattern of black topless Ferraris.