One Celebrity Owner

Written by Juliet Potter, Cars for Women: 24-April-2010

advertisement ^

Cars previously owned by stars are hits. Take the recent interest in Lara Bingle and Michael Clarke's Aston Martin for example. The vehicle, considered collateral damage of the celebrity-split, has had more press than the couple themselves over recent months, currently for sale for a cool $200,000+ in a Sydney dealership.

It seems that vehicles previously owned by celeb-u-types really do enjoy a great deal of success when put up for sale. Rocking Rod Stewart's Bentley Arnage RL, which cost around $240,000, has a full service history and is up for sale on Auto Trader UK; as is Cheryl Cole's Audi R8, Roger Daltrey's Mercedes C-Class, Rowan Atkinson's Aston Martin Virage, a Maserati Quattroporte S previously owned by Elton John, a Ford Thunderbird previously owned by Hollywood legend John Travolta, and a fully-optioned Bentley previously owned by former Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore.

But apart from the obvious one degree of separation star-factor, can a former owner's star status really increase the resale value of a vehicle?

According to Mercedes-Benz's Corporate Communications Manager, Peter Fadeyev, yes.

"It really does depend on the celebrity and the specific car, however in general, a car's re-sale value can certainly be increased if the previous celebrity owner is disclosed.

"Obviously it is not uncommon for celebrities to drive Mercedes-Benz vehicles however, as a company, it is our policy not to disclose the identity of a vehicle's previous owner history when on-selling the vehicle."

In reference to the auto industry at large, Peter confirmed that cars previously driven by brand ambassadors definitely sell for more cash and certainly dealerships can, and do, advertise the fact.

And one of Australia's leading motoring journalists, John Cadogan, agrees: "It depends on the car and who the celebrity is but in theory, yes. It really just boils down to how shallow the buyer is, and how rich".