To be frank, the idea of being a famous celebrity isn't too appealing to us. The constant attention, annoying paparazzi on every corner, and constant drama are just a few of the negative aspects of stardom.
However, even though there's a lot of downsides to being a celebrity, there are also just as many benefits (if not more). As we said before, fame isn't something that concerns us, but the income sure does! With action-star levels of cash, we could get any of the coolest classic cars out there that we could only dream of!
Plenty of real-life celebs have done just that, creating car collections worthy of anyone's wildest dreams. For now, though, we're just going to focus on one particular kind: muscle cars.
With millions of dollars to dump into any project, famous individuals have all the time and resources to make an awesome car, as evidenced by these ten custom celebrity-owned muscle cars.
10 Gabriel Iglesias’ Dodge Challenger
Some of the greatest celebrity car collectors got their big breaks from comedy including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and others. All of these have a garage to die for and, now, there's one more member joining them: Gabriel Iglesias.
While Iglesias has garnered a lot of attention for his vast number of Volkswagen Busses and Beetles, we're most interested in his sports cars. To be specific, his mid-2010's Dodge Challenger.
A satin white paint job, designer rims, and reupholstered interior are just parts of what makes this build so amazing. The builders over at RDB LA really know their stuff when it comes to modding nice cars.
9 Eric Bana’s 1973 Ford Falcon XP Racecar
Although acting can be a tiresome and time-consuming endeavor, many well-established performers go through the effort of having a secondary source of income. A hobby, as well. For Australian actor Eric Bana, that hidden love is auto-racing.
Bana's vehicle of choice is this Ford Falcon XP, which is made for the track above all else. A hollowed-out interior, structural roll cage, revamped power-unit, and other mods ensure that this old muscle car won't be a slouch around the corners, either. After seeing him whip this beauty around the track, we think Eric Bana may have missed his true calling of being a racecar driver.
8 Ben Affleck’s 1966 Chevelle SS
Upon initial reflection, Ben Affleck didn't strike us as the type of celeb to be interested in cars, let alone old American muscle. Nevertheless, we're happy to be proven wrong in this case!
Pictured above is Affleck's modified 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Coupe. Just looking at its stance and rims is enough to give away that it's been tuned a bit, but we don't know by who. If only he'd not smoke inside of it—that's a good way to ruin a nice interior.
7 Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s ‘Xtreme Lee’
If it were just a few years ago, there wouldn't really be any social pressure surrounding the ownership of 'General Lee' from The Dukes of Hazzards. Now, the same can't be said. So, the question remains: "What do Dukes of Hazzard fans do if they want a Charger like the show's, but don't want to get canceled for it?" Well, you follow Kenny Wayne Shepherd's example.
You see, this doesn’t hint at a "racist past" or a prejudiced TV show. No. In fact, it's a creative spin on the classic design. Swapping out the General to 'Xtreme' and the flag ever so slightly, Shepherd gets to have his cake and eat it too! No angry mobs and you still get your dream car.
6 Jay Leno’s Shelby A/C 427 Cobra
Attempting to comprehend just how vast Jay Leno's car collection is would be a fool's errand for most. Quite frankly, he has so many cars that he probably doesn't remember all of them himself. However, one car we're sure he’ll never forget is his authentic Shelby 427 Cobra.
As the car that helped uplift Carroll Shelby to his current legendary status, the 427 Cobra represents more than just an old racecar. Tacitly, the Cobra is a one-of-a-kind car that far surpassed what it should've been capable of at the time. It's a car the likes of which will never be seen again.
5 Lewis Hamilton’s Mustang Shelby GT500 Eleanor
Some Americans have a twisted view of Europeans. In the media, they're portrayed as 'holier than thou' and look down upon American creations. In reality, that couldn't be further from the truth. Tons of Europeans love Americans and their inventions, particularly classic muscle cars.
Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is one such person. Though he's a Brit, he still loves his fair share of badass U.S. antiques. Besides his 427 Cobra, Hamilton has a candy-red Mustang Shelby GT500 'Eleanor'. It's stunning to look at, but we imagine that it's even more mind-blowing to drive!
4 Joe Rogan’s Corvette C2 Stingray Restomod
A little while back, we here at HotCars discussed ten of the greatest Chevy Corvette restomods we'd seen thus far. Back then, we considered famous podcaster Joe Rogan's C2 convertible to be very high on that list. Today, we still hold the same opinion.
The standard C2 restomod is usually closer to a normal restoration than any significant remake. In Rogan's case, though, it's the opposite. The rims in conjunction with the sleek metallic aesthetic add that modern look to it; it certainly differentiates itself from every other C2 out there.
3 Kevin Hart’s 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda Hellcat
The final three entries in this article may be owned by separate people, but all are derived from the same place: the restomod specialists known as Speedkore. They specialize in all sorts of cars, particularly rare muscle cars. Among the many they've had commissioned, Kevin Hart's 1970 Barracuda certainly ranks very high.
Hart's old 'Cuda was a restomod through and through; fitted with a modern-day Challenger Hellcat V8 and almost entirely reworked internals. We mention his Barracuda in the past tense, however, since this car is no longer with us.
Not that long ago, Kevin Hart was in a serious auto accident involving his custom 'Cuda. The result was a completely totaled vehicle Luckily, Hart is still here. In terms of safety, Speedkore did an amazing job.
2 Robert Downey Jr.’s Ford Mustang Boss 302
Due mostly to the Marvel's Avengers franchise, whenever we think about Robert Downey Jr. and his car, we always picture some type of Acura or Audi. It makes sense, as these have been prominent sponsors of those films. However, outside of Hollywood, Downey prefers an American thoroughbred.
Besides his Acura NSX, Audi R8, or BMW 3.0 CSL, Downey also reps a magnificent Ford Mustang Boss 302 restomod. Thank God it's a Mustang that's not a Shelby or an Eleanor. Don't get us wrong, we love those models, but a bit of variety never hurt anyone.
1 Vin Diesel’s 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Restomod
When Vin Diesel isn't too busy filming the ninth Fast and Furious film, doing mocap for video games, or other cool activities, he's enjoying the best that the automotive world has to offer. In particular, something in the form of (another) Speedkore restomod.
Diesel's restomod is a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, which is similar to his on-screen car in the Fast and Furious franchise. This one, on the other hand, is much more sinister. Nicknamed 'Tantrum,' this Charger will surely bring anyone who's not prepared to tears.
Thanks to an excess of 1,000-hp, a lightweight carbon fiber body, and more, this Charger will easily dust a supercar, let alone its fellow muscle cars.