Rowan Atkinson’s car collection includes rare and exotic models, such as the 1989 Lancia Thema 8.32.
He is not only a collector but also a racing enthusiast, having participated in the Renault 5 GT Turbo’s one-make racing series.
His favorite car is the McLaren F1, which he owned for 17 years before selling it for £8 million.
Rowan Atkinson, known for his comedic roles in Mr. Bean and Johnny English, is also a car enthusiast with an impressive collection of exotic cars. Among his collection is a rare find – the 1989 Lancia Thema 8.32. This car is particularly special because only nine of them were ever sold in the U.K.
Aside from being a collector, Atkinson is also passionate about racing. He has participated in two seasons of racing in the Renault 5 GT Turbo’s one-make racing series. When asked about his favorite car, he mentioned the McLaren F1. He owned this iconic car for 17 years and eventually sold it for an astonishing £8 million. The car gained significant attention wherever he went, which led to his decision to part ways with it.
In addition to these highlights, Atkinson’s collection also includes other notable cars such as a 1939 BMW 328, a 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo II, a 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint, a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 500E, a 2002 Honda NSX, a 1977 Aston Martin V-8 Vantage, a 1986 Aston Martin V8 Zagato, a 2014 Bentley Mulsanne Birkin Edition, a 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, and of course, the iconic 1997 McLaren F1.
Each car in his collection is unique and holds a special place in his heart. Whether it’s the historic BMW 328 or the luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, Atkinson’s car collection is a testament to his love for automotive masterpieces.
Amalgam Collection has introduced its latest marvel, a 1:8 scale replica of the Ferrari Purosangue. This model of Ferrari’s groundbreaking four-door, four-seater vehicle has been meticulously developed by the skilled artisans at Amalgam, reflecting over 3000 hours of work and capturing the essence of the Purosangue with incredible accuracy. Utilizing CAD data directly from Ferrari, the artisans have created prototypes with unparalleled precision, replicating the smallest details. Each model is over 24 inches long and undergoes 300 hours of meticulous assembly to ensure perfection.
This limited edition of the Ferrari Purosangue replica features the classic Ferrari Rosso Corsa exterior and a luxurious all-black interior with red accents. The initial batch of these meticulously crafted models has already sold out, demonstrating the high demand and anticipation surrounding this addition to Amalgam’s portfolio. Additional batches are expected to be completed later this year, and deposits are now being accepted. Customers who order a new Purosangue from a Ferrari Dealership will have the opportunity to receive a bespoke model tailored to their exact specifications through Amalgam’s exclusive service. The limited-edition Amalgam Collection 1:8 scale Ferrari Purosangue is priced at $16,450, while the bespoke configuration option starts at $21,385. To see all the Ferrari models currently available for sale on duPont REGISTRY, click the link below.
Rowan Atkinson is an avid car enthusiast who owns a diverse collection of cars, including a 1939 BMW 328 Roadster and a 1989 Lancia Thema 8.32.
Atkinson’s car collection has included iconic cars like a 1977 Aston Martin V-8 Vantage and a 1997 McLaren F1, which was the fastest production car in the world at the time.
Atkinson has also raced cars, such as a Jaguar MK7 and a modified 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint, and he even had a unique Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead with a special experimental V-16 engine.
Rowan Atkinson is an outspoken car enthusiast – he stated as much during his appearance onTop Gear and performed like a racing driver on his celebrity lap around the production’s circuit. Atkinson is famous for driving a disheveled Mini Cooper while appearing as Mr. Bean. At the other end of the spectrum, Atkinson has driven fantastic cars on screen, including an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, while playing Britain’s second most famous spy, Johnny English.
In real life, Atkinson is a racer at heart. He enjoys driving classic cars around circuits like Goodwood and often attends Formula 1 races. Atkinson’s success has allowed him to indulge in his passion for cars, some of which are surprising. Here are 10 unexpected cars in Rowan Atkinson’s car collection.
The BMW 328 Roadster that Rowan Atkinson proudly owns was one of the most dominant racers in the 1930s. In 1937, the car won several races, including the Bucharest Grand Prix and GP des Frontieres. 1938 brought more success for the BMW 328, as it notched two Nurburgring victories and class wins at the Mille Miglia.
Specs and Performance
Engine
2.0-liter inline-six
Engine Output
80 horsepower and 93 pound-feet
Transmission
Four-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Top Speed
93 MPH
The car’s engine output may seem paltry nearly a century later, but at the time, 80 horsepower was substantial. Further, the vehicle was super light thanks to its aluminum construction. Driven by Walter Baumer and Huschke von Hanstein, the BMW 328 dominated the 1939 Mille Miglia. World War II prematurely ended the 328’s supremacy on track. Nevertheless, it made such a huge impact that it is considered an automotive legend.
The Lancia Thema 8.32 is one of the best sleeper cars of all time: nothing about the vehicle’s exterior suggests that it hides a Ferrari V-8 engine under the hood. The 8.32 Lancia didn’t make much sense – it was costlier than most of its competitors, and its detuned Ferrari engine couldn’t compete with the likes of the BMW M5. However, Lancia’s domination on the rally stage brought attention to the car company and its unusual car.
Specs and Performance
Engine
2.9-liter V-8
Engine Output
215 horsepower and 210 pound-feet
Transmission
Five-speed manual
Drivetrain
FWD
Top Speed
146 MPH
To handle the V-8’s power, the 8.32 featured hardware absent in the standard Thema. For instance, it had retuned suspension, massive front brakes, and an improved five-speed transmission. The 8.32’s interior, complete with a walnut dash and velour seats, oozed elegance. The 8.32 may not have been as fast, agile, or affordable as its rivals, but as a package, the Lancia stood head and shoulders above the rest.
In 2002, Honda revised the NSX’s design to match its illustrious European rivals. The Japanese manufacturer modified the car’s suspension, ditched the pop-up headlights for fixed HID lamps, and extended the front bumper. The changes made the Honda NSX quicker and faster. However, the performance gains failed to improve the NSX’s mediocre sales.
The 1977 V-8 Vantage looked more like a muscle car than a supercar; Aston Martin described it as a grand tourer. Regardless, the V-8 Vantage was rapid. Powered by a modified 5.3-liter V-8 plucked from the Lagonda, the V-8 Vantage hit a top speed of 170 MPH. The engine featured modified inlet valves, manifolds, plugs, and camshafts, which increased its power output by 40 percent.
Specs and Performance
Engine
5.3-liter V-8
Engine Output
390 horsepower and 406 pound-feet
Transmission
5-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Top Speed
170 MPH
Rowan purchased his burgundy Vantage in 1984, becoming the car’s third owner. The actor bought a left-hand drive model and converted it to a right-hand drive. Purchased several years after Atkinson became a household name in Britain, the Vantage was Rowan Atkinson’s first out-of-the-ordinary car. It featured in Atkinson’s film Johnny English Strikes Again.
61997 McLaren F1
McLaren
Rowan Atkinson used part of his pay from the successful Bean film to purchase a McLaren F1. At the time, it was the fastest production car in the world and is still the fastest naturally-aspirated vehicle ever produced. Topping out at 243 MPH, the Gordon Murray-designed McLaren F1 certainly satisfied Atkinson’s craving for speed. Featuring a 6.1-liter V-12 engine that ran so hot the designers had to line the engine bay with heat-reflective gold, the McLaren F1 was a tarmac-ripping rocket ship.
Specs and Performance
Engine
6.1-liter V-12
Engine Output
618 horsepower and 479 pound-feet
Transmission
Six-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Top Speed
243 MPH
The F1 twice proved too hot to handle for Rowan. The repairs following his second crash reportedly cost the insurance company close to a million pounds. Rowan sold the McLaren F1 for eight million pounds, around seven million pounds more than he bought it.
Rowan Atkinson used his MK7 primarily as a racer. It won him the first podium of his career in the Sopwith Cup at Goodwood in April 2022. Atkinson said in the post-race interview that he reckoned he could have improved to second had the race been longer. The actor praised the car for running reliably during the race. In 2009, however, the MK7 caught fire as Rowan and his wife headed home from a date in London.
Rowan Atkinson bought the Falcon Sprint for its racing qualities. He modified the car to pass FIA racing standards and raced it in multiple championships. Atkinson crashed the car during a 2014 race – he plowed head-on into two vehicles that had collided in front of him. Rowan was unhurt, and the car suffered minor damage.
Rowan Atkinson’s Phantom Drophead was extra special: a 9.0-liter V-16 engine lay under its massive hood. Atkinson petitioned Rolls-Royce to install an experimental engine in the Phantom for the film Johnny English Reborn. Rolls-Royce developed the engine for a project dubbed 100EX. It’s unclear which vehicle the manufacturer intended to pair with the V-16 engine. However, rumors suggest it was developed for the Phantom four-door sedan, not the Phantom Drophead.
Specs and Performance
Engine
9.0-liter V-16
Engine Output
563+ horsepower and 664+ pound-feet
Transmission
Six-speed automatic
Drivetrain
RWD
Regardless, the V-16 engine never went into production. Rolls-Royce refused to share its specifications – the only thing the manufacturer shared was the engine’s displacement and layout. Against his wishes, Rowan didn’t get to push the vehicle to the limit in the film or off-set. Consequently, the V-16 Drophead’s performance remains classified.
The Heritage was a special Defender built to pay tribute to the world-conquering car. It featured ‘HUE166’ badges to pay homage to the Defender’s first number plate. Rowan Atkinson was one of the 400 people who bought Heritage. It featured a 120-horsepower turbocharged diesel and wasn’t very fast, topping out at 90 MPH. However, like many other Defenders before it, it could go practically anywhere it wanted.
Specs and Performance
Engine
Turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four
Engine Output
120 horsepower and 266 pound-feet
Transmission
Six-speed manual
Drivetrain
AWD
Top Speed
90 MPH
Rowan did only 2,620 miles in the car before auctioning it. Despite the vehicle being virtually new, Atkinson serviced it before placing it on sale. It’s unclear why Rowan ditched this unique Land Rover Defender.
Rowan Atkinson paid top dollar to acquire one of the 52 Zagato coupes Aston Martin manufactured. He then paid Aston Martin Works to transform the Zagato into a racer. Aston Martin’s classic car wing tuned the engine, increasing power output to 482 horsepower and 412 pound-feet. They also installed lightweight panels and windows, shaving 330 pounds from the vehicle.
Specs and Performance
Engine
5.3-liter V-8
Engine Output
482 horsepower and 412 pound-feet
Transmission
Five-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Top Speed
186 MPH
Atkinson crashed the Zagato during a 2001 race. He used the car for a decade before placing it on sale. The buyer didn’t get the souped-up V-8 Zagato modified for Atkinson: the vehicle was detuned to restore it to production spec.
The Triple F Collection, known for its collection of powerful supercars and hypercars, has organized a head-to-head drag race to answer the questions that car enthusiasts often have. The race features the recently acquired Rimac Nevera, an all-electric supercar, going against the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, which is equipped with an 8.0L quad-turbocharged W16 engine producing 1,578 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque.
The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, despite being a multi-million dollar vehicle produced under the same Bugatti Rimac brand as the Rimac Nevera, is considered the underdog with its 1,578 horsepower compared to the Nevera’s 1,914 horsepower. In the race, Jordan and Jason, the owners of Triple F Collection, each drive one of the hypercars down a private quarter-mile drag strip. While the race results are not revealed, it is mentioned that Jordan pushes the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport to its limits, giving the Rimac Nevera some competition. Apart from the main race, the Triple F Collection also presents an EV showdown featuring the Tesla Model S Plaid. With the addition of the Rimac Nevera, fans can expect more high-speed content from the Triple F Collection. If you’re interested in purchasing a Bugatti Chiron, you can find examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below.
The British-based scale model specialist, Amalgam Collection, has released a miniature version of the Ferrari Purosangue. Through their long-standing relationship with Ferrari, they have created an exquisite scale model that comes at a high price.
Amalgam used original CAD designs, paint codes, and material specifications provided by Ferrari to create the 1:8 scale Purosangue. The model includes thousands of precisely engineered parts such as castings, photo-etchings, and CNC-machined metal components.
The result is truly impressive and the scale model looks incredibly realistic, even in photos.
The Amalgam Collection has unveiled a 1:8 scale model of the renowned Aston Martin DB5 Vantage. This limited-edition model is meticulously detailed, thanks to Amalgam’s close partnership with Aston Martin, which provides them with essential information about the car.
The DB5 Vantage by Amalgam is available in two versions: Bespoke and Limited Edition. Both options come with a high cost, with the limited-edition model priced at $21,995. The bespoke version, tailored to the owner’s specific requirements, is even more expensive at $28,595.
Hublot’s Big Bang Collection continues to evolve with new designs and materials, making it the luxury Swiss watchmaker’s most popular model. To celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Big Bang, Hublot has released the new Big Bang UNICO Full Magic Gold. This 44mm watch features Hublot’s scratch-resistant Magic Gold construction with a “sandwich” design. The skeletonized dial design highlights the craftsmanship of Hublot’s watchmakers, displaying Arabic numerals and skeleton Big Bang hands.
The Big Bang Unico Full Magic Gold is powered by the thinner and more precise in-house HUB1280 self-winding chronograph movement. A sapphire crystal backcase allows a secondary view of the movement in action, with each piece engraved with its specific production number. The Big Bang UNICO comes with a comfortable black structure-line rubber strap. This limited edition watch is only available in 200 pieces and is priced at $38,800.
Not far from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway sits a collection of Ferraris hidden away for decades. The collection contains some of the most storied cars, including a 1956 250 GT, once owned by King Mohamed V of Morocco, and a “long-nose” 275 GTB that participated in the 1966 Targa Florio. While the location in Indiana may seem odd for this collection, how they arrived is even more unusual.
Hurricane Charley laid waste to many parts of south-central Florida in 2004, causing flooding and widespread damage. In its path sat a barn containing approximately 20 rare and vintage Ferraris. The collection includes cars dating from 1954 to 1991, including the aforementioned 250 GT and 275 GTB as well as a rare Mondial 500 Spider that raced in the 1954 Mille Miglia and a NART 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione developed by Luigi Chinetti Sr. for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 2004 hurricane season was unusually destructive, with four major storms, including Charley, that caused over $60 billion in damage and more than 3,000 deaths throughout the Caribbean and Gulf Coast of the US. For that reason, this collection of Ferraris was relocated to the warehouse in Indiana, where they remained untouched for almost 20 more years.
Several of these cars still bear scars from Hurricane Charley, when the barn they were located in partially collapsed. The damage includes everything from dents and scratches to smashed windshields and caved-in roofs. Other cars look unscathed but need a good detailing to revive their appearances. All of them are in original, unrestored condition, wearing their original paint and patina.
While many people knew of the cars from their racing histories, few knew they still existed, and only a select group knew of the collection. It’s the holy grail of barn finds for Ferrari collectors and aficionados. And now the entire collection is for sale as part of this year’s RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterrey, California.
If you’re shopping for a Ferrari, or are interested browsing a diverse collection of Ferraris, check out the ones for sale on the duPont Registry. The list includes modern cars like the Ferrari F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale and vintage Ferraris like the Dino 246 GTS and 512 BBi.
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