The CEO of Tesla owns, or has owned a series of cars that are not Teslas, despite building the fastest growing electric car company in the world.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), Neuralink, and the Boring Company owns, or has owned a series of cars that are not Teslas, despite building the fastest growing electric car company in the world.
Elon Musk's cars that are not Teslas
1. 1978 BMW 320i
This was Elon Musk's first car, which he purchased used in 1994. The E21 320i was the first of BMW's 3 series lineup, which is sold to this day. It was also one of the first BMWs to use fuel injection, with its 2.0 liter inline four engine producing 110 hp.
Musk used it as a corporate car back in the Zip2 days. However, one of the wheels fell off while an intern was driving it, leading to the car being sold afterwards.
2. 2012 Porsche 911 Turbo
Elon Musk's love for the Porsche 911 indirectly led to the creation of Tesla.
Elon Musk had initially approached engineer Alan Cocconi and asked him to install lithium-ion batteries in a Porsche 911. Cocconi refused, but told him about a small start-up called Tesla. The rest is history.
Musk's personal car is the 997 era 911 Turbo, alhtough it's unknown if he still owns it.
3. 1967 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
This was Elon Musk's childhood dream car, reports say. It is a special one as it was known as one of the most beautiful cars ever made, with Enzo Ferrari himself describing the E-Type as “the most beautiful car in the world.”
Elon Musk chose the E-Type with the 4.2-litre straight six engine that makes 265 horsepower, rather than the V12 version.
4. 1997 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1, to this day, still holds the record for being the fastest naturally-aspirated car in the world, meaning, the fastest car in the world with an engine that is not assisted by turbos or superchargers to generate more power.
It is also unique for having a three-seater layout. Musk however, ended up crashing the car, spent a fortune repairing it, and eventually sold it.
5. 1976 Lotus Esprit
Elon Musk purchased ‘Wet Nellie,’ the actual Bond car in the James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, in 2013 at an auction. The car in the movie could transform into a submarine.
6. 1920 Ford Model T
The Ford Model T, affectionately known as the “Tin Lizzie”, was the world's first mass-produced car, with Henry Ford pioneering the automotive production line for meeting the massive demand there was for it.
This was the car that made cars commercially viable as personal transport and effectively created the modern car industry. The concepts of disruption and innovation that it embodies, makes it a natural fit in Musk's collection.
Elon Musk has only briefly referred to this one in a tweet, with not much known about the exact Model T that he owns, other than the fact it was gifted to him by a friend.
7. 2010 Audi Q7
Elon Musk initially had an unfavourable view of the Audi Q7, commenting, “The Audi Q7 is particularly horrendous,” adding that the occupants must be dwarf climbers to access its rear seats.
Reports say this lack of access to the back row inspired the creation of the Tesla’s Falcon wing doors. Having said that, he no longer owns it.
8. 2006 BMW M5 by Hamann Motorsport
While the BMW M5 already came with a powerful 5.0 litre V10 engine, this one was commissioned by specialist BMW tuning company HAMANN to create a monster producing 600 horsepower and a top speed of just over 200 mph after the removal of the speed limiter.
The final result is said to be the inspiration behind Tesla's notorious “Ludicrous Mode.” However, he no longer owns his Hamann M5.
The Teslas
As the CEO of Tesla, one would not be mistaken in thinking he owns multiple Teslas himself.
These include the controversial Cyber Truck, the Model Y, which he uses as a family vehicle, and a Tesla Model S Performance.
One standout Tesla which he owned is the Tesla Roadster, the first Tesla on sale. It was built around a Lotus Elise. This particular model, the 2.5 Sport was the most potent version and came to the spotlight in 2018, when it was launched into space.
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