Developer Bruce Makowsky’s $250 million Bel Air estate is supposedly the most expensive “house” to ever go on sale in the United States. It comes with everything your house has, like a bowling alley and $200,000 worth of candy, but it also includes a $30,000,000 car collection and the helicopter from Airwolf.
Makowsky reportedly built the house on spec, meaning he laid out the cash to build and decorate it and is now hoping somebody will buy it fully furnished. The “most expensive home listing” has already netted him plenty of headlines, so he’ll probably be able to chalk the project up to a good investment even if it doesn’t end up selling for his full asking price.
Inside, the place has a lot of freaky art. Like Snow White’s Seven Dwarves as Harry Potter-style “moving pictures” and an enormous model of Leica camera. The whole compound kind of looks like a deathmatch level in a multiplayer first-person shooter, especially with the helicopter and catamaran as props.
Airwolf, or at least this Bell 222 made to look like Airwolf, is sadly “decommissioned,” apparently, and parked as art and not transportation. The actual helicopter used in the show had its futuristic-looking prop-parts removed and went back into what you might call “regular service” after the show ended, but was destroyed in a tragic crash in 1992.
But in case you don’t know why its presence is awesome, indulge yourself in the show’s killer intro song:
This show was already old when I was a kid, but I was obsessed with helicopters and made my dad get me a tape of this song which I’m pretty sure I literally wore out. Not the best TV intro song of all time, but a damn close second to The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest.
Anyway back in present-day Bel Air, California, CNBC says there are 12 cars and 10 motorcycles included with the sale. They list the $15 million “Von Krieger” 1936 Mercedes 540 K Special Roadster, a $2 million Pagani Huayra, a Ferrari 488 and a “yacht-themed” Rolls Royce Dawn in the lineup.
In Makowsky’s video tour, I spot a Morgan three-wheeler, Spyker C8, Ariel Atom, Lamborghini Gallardo, at least two Rolls Royce convertibles, a Bentley Continental GT convertible, a Bugatti Veyron and that weird retro-looking thing appears to be an Allard J2X.
There’s at least one Ducati among the motorcycles and a Sora electric superbike.
The Hollywood Reporter mentions “a baby Formula 1 car” which sounds amazing, but I don’t see it in any of this footage. There’s also mention of “mini Sea-Doos” in the mix somewhere too, which I sure hope are made for use in the pool because that is the ultimate eccentric rich guy move.
I also dig the chromed vintage outboard engines as art, and will be showing them to my girlfriend next time she suggests I take away the rusty cam gears I have on display over our fireplace.
But I guess when you have 38,000 square feet you can hoard all the junk you want and your significant other will never be the wiser. That’s the dream.
The place is at 924 Bel Air Road if you want to swing by and make Makowsky an offer. Meanwhile, did you spot any cars or bikes I didn’t?