10 Of The Largest Private Car Collections In The World

Collecting rare, vintage, and exotic cars has long been a quintessential indulgence of the super-rich. Yet, some take this passion to obsessive heights, filling their garages with any rare wheels they can get their hands on.

Each collector (including oil-rich royals, ex-rock stars, and business moguls) has a different philosophy behind the madness. Some chase "bigger is better". Others are devoted to a single theme: American muscle, European sleekness, or simply bold custom colors. For a few, the rule is simple: if it's for sale, it's mine.

Within these sprawling collections lie century-old relics and icons expensive enough to buy a high-end business jet. Among the rare prototypes and one-offs are familiar marque suspects: Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Aston Martin of different ages and sizes. Referring to these purely as statements of wealth is to miss the larger picture. They are metal and steel odes to the storied history of the automobile industry and a quiet effort to preserve its very soul for future generations. That said, here are 10 of the largest private car collections in the world.

When discussing private car collections, one name stands out above the rest: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. The 29th monarch of the tiny, oil-rich kingdom of Brunei has one of the most impressive fleets on the Planet. It's a gathering that boasts an estimated 7000 cars, including 380 Bentleys, 450 Ferraris, 134 Koenigseggs, 179 Jaguars, 209 BMWs, and 574 Mercedes-Benzs. That's certainly a lot for any automobile geek to feast their eyes on, but the star attraction is undoubtedly the Guinness World Record 500-plus Rolls-Royces, some of which were custom-built to his specifications. His relentless patronage through the 1980s and 1990s is often credited with rescuing Rolls-Royce and Bentley from financial decline.

The 450-strong Ferrari collection is no less staggering in opulence and rarity. Amongst them sit a fleet of four-door 456 GT Sedans (never produced for the public), one-of-thirty FXXs, and the even rarer Mythos concept cars, of which only two were built.  bespoke creations like the Bentley Buccaneer and a Pininfarina-designed Jaguar XJ220.

The Sultan owes his impressive garage to his elder brother, Prince Jefri, whose automobile obsession fueled a $5 billion automobile empire. Don't expect an open showing, though. His collection is so secretive that most of what is known is thanks to leaked photos or insider reports. Most of the cars still gleam in pristine aircraft hangars and warehouses under the watchful eyes of mechanics, but others have reportedly fallen into neglect.

Mark Pieloch can be rightly termed the most devoted muscle car enthusiast on the planet. That's because the Florida-born pharmaceutical entrepreneur commands the largest muscle car collection in the world: an astonishing 280 American muscle machines within a broader fleet of 440 vehicles housed at the American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne, Florida. Pieloch's relationship with rides is an obsession that has brewed since childhood, when he spent chore money on Matchbox cars. What began as a boyhood fascination turned into a lifelong pursuit in 2000, when he began collecting the real thing.

His museum is a temple of muscle car horsepower. Inside sit rows of Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros, Corvettes, Dodge Vipers, Shelbys, Chevelles, and basically every other muscle car to ever grace asphalt. 29 Yenko Chevys spanning every model and style, alongside more than 50 Shelbys, are worth noting, but so is the complete lineup of Indy 500 pace cars from 1955 to 2017. Then there's the automobile jewel — a Ford GT40 Le Mans.

Of the non-muscle cars in his fleet, Pieloch has developed a special taste for Porsches. He owns over 66 models, ranging from the newer 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar to the 1971 Porsche Carrera RS Lightweight and every model of the Porsche Tractor. It may shrink beside the Sultan of Brunei's in terms of sheer quantity or quality, but Pieloch's fleet reeks of selectivity and preservation. Roughly 30% of his cars have logged fewer than 10,000 miles, and about 14% have mileage under 100 miles!

Fashion icon Ralph Lauren may have "only" 70 cars in his collection, but their rarity makes the value tally over $600 million. Chief among them is the 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. One of just four built, its sleek aerodynamic build aids its 123-mile-per-hour top speed. In his garage also sits a 1955 Jaguar XKD, a 1938 Mercedes-Benz SSK (the type designed for Count Trossi), a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, a McLaren F1 LM (one of five), a 1954 Ferrari 375 Plus (also one of five), and a one-of-36 Ferrari 250 GTO.

Of course, they are all crazily expensive. In 2014, a Ferrari 375 Plus went for $18 million. A wealthy and lucky buyer at a 2010 auction copped the even rarer Type 57SC Atlantic for $40 million. The most valued is perhaps the Ferrari 250 GTO, which once sold for a staggering $70 million. Lauren owns more modern racecars too, including two Porsche 918 Spyders and McLaren P1s, a Lamborghini Reventón, a LaFerrari (the first Ferrari with hybrid technology), a Bugatti Veyron, and a Veyron Supersport.

Emirati royal Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan owns over 3000 cars worth at least $160 million, scattered across five museums in Abu Dhabi and Morocco. Seven of the eight commissioned Mercedes 500SELs cooling off in his garage each sport one color of the rainbow, and the eighth is finished in a blend of all seven hues. He's not dubbed the "Rainbow Sheikh" for nothing.

The sheikh also owns the world record-holding Hummer H1. Standing 21 feet tall (as high as two stories) and weighing 60,000 kg, it's the largest vehicle in the world, fully equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, lounge room, and luxury penthouse. And, yes, it moves! 

Among the collection's supersized machines also sits a 100,000-pound 1950s Dodge Power Wagon, the world's largest pickup truck. The tires are sourced from an oil rig and the windshield wipers are borrowed from an ocean liner.

At 86, former Royal Navy mechanic Rodger Dudding has the largest classic car collection in Europe. Studio 434 is valued at $51 million, and it is known for its collection of Aston Martin Lagonda saloons, once branded among the ugliest cars ever made. Clearly, Dudding didn't think so when he stashed 24 of them (including both the first and last ever produced), becoming the largest collector of the model. The Lagondas have a place in his heart, but not over the 1955 Morris Minor owned by his father and a 1968 Jensen Interceptor FF; these two cars sparked his lifelong obsession.       

Other eye-catchers include a 1911 Vulcan — the oldest in the collection — a 1938 Jaguar SS, a DeLorean, a 1925 Citroën 5CV, a 1998 Bentley Continental T, a red 1967 Karmann Ghia, and a host of British icons like the Ford Capri and Jaguar XJ. Dudding's tastes extend to modern luxury too, with vehicles such as a Mercedes SL and a 2017 Rolls-Royce Wraith gracing the lineup. There are also 65 motorbikes for two-wheeled fans, including a 1962 BSA Rocket Gold Star.

Dudding has been more than happy to show them to crowds of automobile tourists or rent them to film productions or weddings. His cars have appeared in "Peaky Blinders" and in Brad Pitt's "Allied."

Owned by Cuban-born mattress tycoon, Michael Fux, this dazzling collection of more than 150 exotic cars, including 15 Rolls-Royces, is valued at $50 million. Fux is intentional about firsts. So intentional that in 2023, he took delivery of two $442,000 Rolls Royce Spectres to secure his place as the first American customer of the electric vehicle.

As it turns out, not even the most avid customer can skip the Rolls-Royce waiting line. So, while his bespoke Spectre was still in production, Fux's tempered his impatience with a Tempest Grey unit straight off the line until his custom-made car arrived in 2024.

But if there's one thing Fux loves even more than being first, it's color. He's no "rainbow sheikh" but he holds the record for the most custom paint shades ever created for Rolls-Royce. There's the Fux Red Candy Phantom Drophead Coupé, the Fux Orange Cullinan, and the Fux White Ghost. And then there's the legend: when placing the order for his McLaren Senna in 2018 (the first delivered anywhere in the world), Fux reportedly took off his own green shoe during a factory visit and handed it to the technicians so they could perfectly match the hue for his car's finish. For someone so obsessed with making every ride a personal statement, it's only natural that Fux is never shy to share his artistry, with Instagram being his preferred platform.

Ken Lingenfelter has over 250 cars to his name, housed in a 40,000-square-foot garage in Brighton, Michigan. As the owner of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, a company that specialises in high-performance modifications of GM vehicles, it's only natural that his warehouse teems with Corvettes ... about 150 of them.

Highlights include the 1954 Chevrolet Duntov Mule, the world's first V8-powered Corvette, which he splashed $318,000 on at a 2009 auction; a 1963 Split-Window Coupe; a 1985 Bitter SC Coupe; a Karl Kustom Corvette; a Superformance Grand Sports Corvette; Lingenfelter "Trans Am" — basically customized Camaro Z/28s, and a front-wheel-drive Oldsmobile Toronado. His taste isn't limited to American metal; the collection also houses exotics such as a 2008 Lamborghini Reventón and a 2012 Ferrari FF.

Several times a year, Lingenfelter's sprawling facility opens its doors exclusively for charity events, turning visitors' appetite for automotive sightseeing into donations for research institutes.

It doesn't matter how old it is — if it has wheels and intrigues him, former TV host Jay Leno is finding a space for it in his 181-car collection. That explains why early 20th-century marvels like the Doble steamer, a 1907 Advance Steam Tractor engine, a 1928 Bugatti Type 37 A, and 1936 Cord 812 share the same roof with mid- and late-century icons like the 1969 Lamborghini Murai, 1970 Dodge Challenger, Ford Galaxie, and the more modern sleek lord such as the 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, 2014 McLaren P1, and 2026 McLaren W1 hypercar. It's a mishmash of wheels from every era.

Among his most unique creations is the EcoJet. This jet-turbine-powered supercar is a product of collaboration between the teams at Leno's garage and General Motors. Leno treats his cars not as an investment, but as a living, breathing passion project. Restoration efforts are painstaking, with one car taken out every day and even a 3D printer employed to recreate hard-to-find spare parts. It's no surprise that Leno rarely sells: his last sale in 30 years came in 2021 when he parted with his 2015 Tesla Model S P90D.

Putting a price tag on Leno's fleet is as hard as valuing antiques. Some estimate the value of Leno's garage at $52 million, but given that his 1994 McLaren F1 alone is worth $20 million, this is likely a conservative figure.

Famed as the drummer of British rock band Pink Floyd, whose record sales exceed 250 million worldwide, Nick Mason has one of the rarest private car collections around. Of course, "rare" cannot be added to a fleet if it doesn't contain one or more of only 36 Ferrari 250 GTOs, a 1962 masterpiece. Mason owns that, alongside a host of other rare Ferraris: an F40, a 512S that appeared in the 1971 film "Le Mans," a La Ferrari hybrid, and a 1953 250 MM.

Other prized possessions include a McLaren F1 GTR, famously acquired in a swap with former McLaren boss Ron Dennis for Mason's Indy car; a meticulously maintained 1927 Bugatti Type 35B, a 1935 Aston Martin Ulster, a 1937 Maserati 250F, and a 1955 Jaguar D-Type.

The oldest gem in Mason's fleet is a beautifully preserved 1901 Panhard Et Levassor, complete with its open carriage-style body. Incredibly, he has taken this French-made four-wheeler on long drives across major cities in England. Mason's lifelong passion for all things motoring (which includes participating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans) hasn't gone unnoticed. He's been inducted into the Motoring Hall of Fame, making him the only individual ever to hold that honor alongside a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Ion Țiriac has been referred to as the man with forgotten Ferraris. Anyone with a personal fleet of 350 cars is bound to have a few gems slip their mind, even if it includes two super-rare Ferrari F40s, as in the 86-year-old Romanian billionaire's case.

Housed in a 23,680-square-foot automotive temple in Otopeni, Romania, the Țiriac Collection showcases roughly half of the former tennis player's remarkable lineup. It reasonably includes hallmarks of a solid collection: a 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda, a 1957 1900C Super Sprint Coupe, a 1988 Challenge Race Car, a 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss, a Jenson Interceptor, a Porsche 918 Spyder, and yes, Rolls-Royces. And not just any Rolls-Royces, two exclusive 1953 Phantom IVs, a model that was only sold to royalties and heads of state.

Each vehicle in the collection is started monthly to ensure it remains in perfect running condition. Any sign of trouble, and a car is immediately dispatched back to its manufacturer for servicing. Enthusiasts unable to make the pilgrimage to Romania but still crave the experience of stepping into a world-class garage can try out the Țiriac Collection mobile app's immersive 360º virtual tour.