Rowan Atkinson’s Car Collection

Need For Speed

Famed English comedian Rowan Atkinson may look slow and plodding in many of his roles—but the actor behind Mr Bean has a real need for speed. He’s amassed an amazing collection of cars over the years, and mishaps to go with them. So let’s check out his wheels!

Mini Catastrophe

Fans of Mr Bean’s TV shows and movies saw a succession of Minis. No backseat driver, the ever-inventive Mr Bean turned an armchair into a driver’s seat on the roof of an extensively modified Russet Brown 1978 Mini. Sadly, it ends up being crushed by a tank. 

Nathan Wong, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Major Classic

“Driving a Mini Cooper is not like driving in the real world,” Atkinson wrote in 1991. He added, “It’s more like driving in a comic strip” due to how quickly the car responds to every twitch. Meanwhile, you can see the armchair Mini at BMW’s Classic Museum in Munich, Germany. And Atkinson has long had a fascination with cars.

Tiger Aspect Productions, Mr. Bean (TV Series 1990–1995)

In The Driver’s Seat

In his 20s, he obtained a commercial lorry (truck) license to help his acting career. And in addition to his Mr Bean excursions, he wrote and starred in the mockumentary The Driven Man (1991), about society’s obsession with cars. What’s more? His character isn’t entirely fictional.

Tiger Aspect Productions, The Driven Man (1991)

Racing About

He’s so taken by cars in real life that his collection is worth something around $25 million, by one estimate. He even built a mansion to house his vehicles. And whether on the race track or on an ordinary road, Atkinson has known a few crashes too.

Tiger Aspect Productions, The Driven Man (1991)

McLaren F1 (1997)

Fresh off the success of his first Mr Bean movie, Atkinson paid £535,000 for a brand-new McLaren F1, the fastest production car around in 1997. With a top speed of 243 mph (391 km/h), the McLaren’s 6.1-liter V12 engine sports a gold shield so the car won’t catch fire.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

McLaren F1 (1997)

Atkinson crashed this 618-horsepower beast twice, though not while racing. The second time, he fractured his shoulder blade and nearly destroyed the car, costing his insurance company a record £910,000 for repairs. Then, a few years later, he sold the rebuilt car for £8 million.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Aston Martin V8 Zagato (1986)

But sometimes Atkinson loses money on the deal. He bought one of only 52 V8 Zagatos, with their very Italian styling, and turned it into a racing car. He spent a cool £220,000 upgrading the engine to 482 hp and lightening the car by 330 lbs (150 kg) with new panels and windows. 

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Aston Martin V8 Zagato (1986)

He then crashed the car at an event held by the Aston Martin Owners Club at the Croft Racing Circuit. He apparently wasn’t too spooked by the whole affair. Physically unhurt, Atkinson would keep on driving the Zagato for a few years until selling the detuned car for £122,500.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Ford Falcon Sprint (1964)

Atkinson emerged unhurt from another close call. In 2014, he took part in the Shelby Cup race at Goodwood. The Ford Falcon Sprint model he was driving was already an update on the base Falcon to add better suspension and a V8 engine, and also to make it sound a lot louder.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Ford Falcon Sprint (1964)

But Atkinson had the car further modified to meet Formula-level standards. As he raced about, two cars ahead of him collided first, then Atkinson rammed his 164-hp turquoise vintage racer into the result. It wasn’t a write-off, and he eventually sold the Sprint for $77,000 in 2021.  

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Lancia Delta HF Integrale (1989)

Lancia was once a major player on the rally circuit, so it’s no surprise that Atkinson owned an eight-valve Lancia Delta HF Integrale in the 1980s. As impressed as he was by his “everyday hack,” he upgraded from the eight-valve model to 16, and was even more impressed.

Global Motors Arena, 'Mr Bean’ is selling his Lancia Delta Integrale II for less than you think

Lancia Delta HF Integrale (1989)

“I can’t imagine any car getting you from P to Q faster than this one,” he gushed in Car magazine in 1989, four months after taking delivery. He did lament the turbo lag, which made driving the Delta for local errands a bit of a frustrating experience in the rally-ready car.

Global Motors Arena, 'Mr Bean’ is selling his Lancia Delta Integrale II for less than you think

Lancia Thema 8.32 (1989)

Perhaps like its one-time owner, the Lancia Thema looks pretty nondescript from the outside, has an intriguing interior, and offers surprisingly good performance. Inside, there’s wooden decor complete with brown velour seating—but it's the Ferrari engine that really impresses.

Charles, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Lancia Thema 8.32 (1989)

The Thema’s 2.9-liter V8 engine gives the car 215 hp and a top speed of 146 mph (244 km/h). There’s also credible suspension, front brakes, and five-speed transmission, but it strikes some as an odd mix. Maybe that’s why, after seven years, Atkinson sold it in 2018 for nearly £30,000.

Charles, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II (1993)

Not to be confused with Atkinson’s 1989 purchase, the Evo II was Lancia’s final variation on the Delta Integrale theme that crowned Lancia six times at World Rally Championships. This model could rev up from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under six seconds, pretty good for the era.

Iconic Auctioneers, 1993 Lancia HF Integrale Evo II - offered directly from Rowan Atkinson CBE

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II (1993)

Atkinson bought the Evo II in 2021 after it had been exported to Japan, then eventually ended up in the UK for resale. The actor appears not to have driven it much, and sold it two years later for £87,750, significantly higher than the estimate, perhaps driven up by the owner’s fame.

Iconic Auctioneers, 1993 Lancia HF Integrale Evo II - offered directly from Rowan Atkinson CBE

Bentley Mulsanne Birkin Edition (2014)

Atkinson drove a Bentley in the film Full Throttle (1995), which paid tribute to one of the so-called Bentley Boys, Sir Henry “Tim” Blower. As a co-driver at Le Mans he’d taken supercharged Bentleys to victory in 1929 and 1931. The Birkin Edition was another tribute.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Bentley Mulsanne Birkin Edition (2014)

Rolled out in 2014, only 22 of these limited-edition cars were offered for sale, and Atkinson snagged one of them. It’s worth about $450,000, with 505 horsepower on offer from a twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8 engine. The actor who once played Birkin was now driving the Birkin Edition.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead (2011)

As if the Drophead wasn’t special enough, Atkinson paid a half-million bucks to get his Rolls-Royce paired with a special 9.0-liter V16 engine. The actor apparently bugged the carmaker until it sold him this super-rare combo, as the engine was never put into production. 

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead (2011)

Atkinson drove it in Johnny English Reborn (2011), but he didn’t have an opportunity to push the ocean-blue wonder to its max. It’s rumored that Rolls-Royce had intended the V16 motor to go into a future four-door sedan, not the Drophead, ordinarily fitted with a 6.75-liter V12 engine.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

BMW 328 (1939)

Famed for its racing wins in the 1930s, the BMW 328 featured a lightweight aluminum body and a 79-horsepower engine. It might not seem like a lot nowadays, but it was a big deal at the time, with various model years winning the prestigious Mille Miglia and other European races.

Jiří Sedláček, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

BMW 328 (1939)

The 1.9-liter inline-six engine could push the car up to 93 mph (150 km/h), impressive for the era. Atkinson paid $621,000 for the BMW after racing the exceptionally lightweight sportscar at the retro-revival Mille Miglia in 2011. He was 57th of the 291 drivers to cross the finish line.

carshowclassic, Rowan Atkinson - Mr. Bean at the Mille Miglia 2011 - part 1.

Mercedes 500E (1993)

In another parallel with Atkinson, the actor’s silver Mercedes 500E looks rather dull on the outside until you check out the performance. The 5-liter V8 engine with a max speed of 161 mph (259 km/h) proves itself to be quite respectable by the standards of the early 1990s. 

Charles, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Mercedes 500E (1993)

Powered by a 320-horsepower engine, this luxury car could go from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under six seconds. Atkinson apparently fell in and out of love with the car almost as quickly, as he bought it new in 1993—he sold it a year later, bought it back in 2017, and then sold it again in 2018.

Lebubu93, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Honda NSX (2002)

Formula One champ Ayrton Senna helped design the two-door NSX, but it never quite took the racing world by storm. The 2002 version was Honda’s renewed attempt to seriously threaten European dominance in the supercar sphere, offering cosmetic tweaks and performance gains.

MrWalkr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Honda NSX (2002)

And NSX redux was a serious contender, with a 290-horsepower 3.2-liter V6 engine that could hit 168 mph (270 km/h). But even if it was one of Honda’s more impressive models, retailing for $205,000, sales never took off, and the company gave up on the NSX three years later.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

As fame and fortune started to cruise upwards, Atkinson bought his first notable car in 1984 to kick-start his car collection. Powered by a V8 Vantage motor and able to reach 170 mph (274 km/h), this Burgundy-painted muscle car helped cement Atkinson’s reputation as an Aston Martin fan.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

With its 5.3-liter V8 engine courtesy a Lagonda, the Vantage showed up in Atkinson’s Johnny English Strikes Again (2018), though apparently not at its top speed of 170 mph. Atkinson liked the car so much he went through the bother of switching left-hand drive to right.

Millionaire Garage, Inside Rowan Atkinson’s Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Jaguar Mark VII (1951)

The Jaguar MK7 wedded luxury aura to racing performance, with a price tag for those who might have felt a bit averse to a Bentley or Rolls-Royce. No such concern for Atkinson, whose Mark VII likely ended up being the second-oldest car in his collection, after his 1939 BMW 328.

PSParrot, Flickr

Jaguar Mark VII (1951)

The MK7, with its 160-hp engine, was Atkinson’s favorite on the racing circuit, helping him win the Sopwith Cup at Goodwood in 2022. Years before, his Jaguar caught fire, but not due to any racing mishap. Atkinson and his wife were on their way home from London after a date.

Goodwood Clips, Rowan Atkinson's first ever podium | 2022 Sopwith Cup highlights | 79MM

Land Rover Defender Heritage (2015)

Designed to go anywhere, aside from a racetrack, the nostalgic Land Rover Defender Heritage was produced in a limited run of 400, once again making it clear Atkinson’s top place in the car-collecting world. Like the Mini, the Land Rover is seen by many as a British icon.

Iconic Auctioneers, 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 Heritage - Offered Directly From Rowan Atkinson CBE

Land Rover Defender Heritage (2015)

But Atkinson’s need for speed may have felt left out, as the Heritage could put out just 120 horsepower and reach a top speed of just 90 mph (145 km/h). So one British icon sold off another British icon, after running up just 2,620 miles (4,216 km) on the odometer.

Iconic Auctioneers, 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 Heritage - Offered Directly From Rowan Atkinson CBE

Peugeot 205 GTI (1989)

Another car that maybe didn’t quite work out was a used Peugeot 205 GTI, despite such attractive features as an alpine white exterior and pepper-pot alloy wheels. And once inside, you might enjoy the red-striped seats and velour carpeting glowing under the optional sunroof.

Andrew Bone, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Peugeot 205 GTI (1989)

Yes, the 1.6-liter four-pot puts out just 115 horsepower with a top speed of 121 mph. But for a car that weighs 1,874 lbs (850 kg), this performance is no slouch. Yet Atkinson clocked only 300 miles (482 km) before selling the little “road rocket” for a bid of nearly £21,000 in 2024.

Andrew Bone, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (2014)

Meanwhile, this eyecatching red coupe with gullwing doors might be a challenge for the tall actor, especially if nosy photographers with telephoto lenses happen to capture some impromptu contortions. Physical comedy can happen even off screen.

MrWalkr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (2014)

For the privilege of exercising such contortions, Atkinson reportedly bought the supercar for around $202,000. But once safely inside, with gullwings safely secured, he can confidently fly down the road thanks to the 583 horsepower provided by the SLS AMG’s 6.3-liter V8 engine.

Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Not His Kind Of People

Some observers are surprised that a high-end car collector like Atkinson wouldn’t keep a Porsche or two in his mega-garage. But a 911 doesn’t seem to be in his future. “I know I could never live with one,” he says. “Somehow, the typical Porsche people are not my kind of people”.

Reinhold Möller, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Atkinson also created a sensation when he wrote in The Guardian that he’d been an early adopter of electric vehicles, enjoyed them, but thinks they’re not as environmentally friendly as advocates claim. Some blame his 2023 article for pushing down EV sales in Britain.

JM Rosenfeld, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

No Laughing Matter

And that’s a brief look at a famous comedian’s very serious collection of cars. Despite crashes and other unfortunate incidents, Rowan Atkinson keeps on driving, buying, and selling the automobiles he feels passionate about, adding him to lists of top celebrity car collectors, not just top comics.

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Tiger Aspect Productions, Mr. Bean (TV Series 1990–1995)

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