Trump's elite auto collection: From rolls to roadsters

The history of Donald Trump shows that he loved opulent, luxurious limousines, but he also didn't shy away from owning sophisticated, iconic supercars. Regardless of his accomplishments (and future purchases), the new President of the USA will no longer drive a car on public roads.

Trump had to say goodbye to sitting behind the wheel of cars during his first presidency. In the USA, the head of state cannot drive on public roads while in office, and this remains the case for life after finishing their presidency. This applies to First Ladies as well, but interestingly, this peculiar prohibition isn't regulated by any national laws.

This is a security policy dictated by the Secret Service. It's not just about the attention a president behind the wheel might attract from other drivers, but also the potential assassination risk. The last U.S. president who was able to drive independently was Lyndon B. Johnson.

Let's take a look at what Donald Trump had in his garage, because there's plenty to be envious of.

A collection belonging to such a wealthy person could not lack Rolls-Royces. First, Trump welcomed a 1965 Silver Cloud into his collection, and rumour has it was one of his very first cars. He used it only on special occasions.

In 2010, the future U.S. president bought a Phantom equipped with a 6.75-litre V12, which he loved. In 2021, the vehicle was sold at Mecum Auctions with a mileage of 56,000 kilometres, but the transaction price remains a mystery. It was predicted that the auction could reach $300,000-$400,000.

At the same auction, a Ferrari F430 that Donald Trump purchased in 2007 was sold. However, he didn't use the car as often as the Phantom, as indicated by the symbolic mileage the car had during the auction in 2021 — only 6,910 kilometres. Equipped with a 4.3-litre V8 with 490 horsepower and paired with a 6-speed sequential transmission, the car surely provided a lot of fun. The car was sold at the Mecum Auctions for $270,000.

The Ferrari is not the only Italian supercar that Donald Trump had in his garage. Due to special preferences, he ordered a Diablo VT Roadster in 1998 in a stunning and very rare Blu Le Mans colour. Trump was often seen taking the 5.7-litre beast out for a spin, enjoying the weather. The naturally aspirated V12 generated 492 horsepower and could reach 335 km/h.

The car was in his possession until 2002. Almost exactly a year ago, this Diablo was sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale for an impressive $1.1 million. Archival photos suggest that Trump also had a second Diablo — a VT coupe version.

Another elegant and very powerful car that Donald Trump owned is a Mercedes-McLaren SLR. Released in 2003, the model was meant to reference the legendary Mercedes sports cars from the 1950s. When the car debuted, it made a striking impression with its naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 producing 626 horsepower and a fantastic design featuring massive exhaust tips exiting just behind the front wheels. The SLR must have enchanted Trump because he almost immediately ordered one, which was delivered to him in 2004. The price? At the time, $455,000.

The friendship between the new President of the USA and Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, is no secret. As you can see, Trump, despite his love for gas-guzzling cars, also had an interest in electric vehicles when they (along with Musk) were just beginning in the automotive market. The Tesla Roadster, built in collaboration with Lotus, featured a 250-horsepower electric motor and a battery pack with a capacity of 53 kWh, allowing a range of nearly 400 kilometres on a single charge. The further fate of the car is unknown.

Cadillac is one of the brands that Donald Trump particularly likes. While he fell in love with the first version of the SUV, rumour has it that he bought several units of each subsequent generation. Trump also owned Cadillac limousines, and his bond with the brand was strong enough that the manufacturer created a special extended limousine model— the Cadillac Trump Golden Series, of which only a few units were made in the late '80s. In 1993, due to exceptional loyalty, the manufacturer gifted Trump a golden Cadillac Allante with a V8.