Share

This is how much Barack Obama's Jeep increased in value when it was sold

accreditation
Images/AFP SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES
Images/AFP SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES
Scott Olson

Being rich and famous has many benefits, one of which is that everything you touch immediately becomes much more valuable. Costumes, memorabilia and even vehicles once owned by celebs often fetch huge sums when resold.

So, how much value do celebrities really add to a car? Vanarama uncovered the most eye-opening examples in recent years of motors that have gone up in price by simply having been driven (or even just sat in) by a famous person.

To calculate this, Vanarama looked at the average resale value of the same model of vehicle that the celebrity was selling, in the same year of their sale, for a direct comparison of prices – finding the percentage difference between a standard model and a celeb's car.

Presidential Head To Head: Obama adds more value than Trump

The most valuable vehicle in terms of added cost belonged to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, with his 2002 Grand Jeep Cherokee hitting the auction block in 2019 for £38 440. That's a staggering 1207% more than the average resale value the same year - £2940.

That's not to say Donald Trump didn't bring in the big bucks for his 2007 Ferrari F430 Coupe, with a 151% price bump courtesy of his name being attached.

Public figures impact of car value graphic

Other cars from notable public figures included Bill Gates, whose Porsche 911 brought in a laudable £30 490 over market value (a 98% bump) and star chef Gordan Ramsay's Ferrari F340 which netted an increase of 59% (£45 430) over the same models sold in 2019 without a gourmet connection.

The research also found that, in these crazy times, reality TV royalty added more value than the actual Queen of England.

The fact that a Ford Thunderbird Convertible had previously been owned by Kris Jenner of Kardashians fame made it 57% more valuable while the Queen's Rolls Royce Phantom IV only managed to add 14% over market rate.

* How the data was calculated 

Vanarama have looked at the average resale value of the exact model the celebrity was selling in the same year of their sale (using Hagerty, Cars.com and Car Guides). This provided a direct comparison of prices, which found the percentage difference between the standard motor and the celeb’s car. 


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE