Material expressions of love by the rich and famous tend to be differ just a little from those made by the rest of us. In honour of Valentine’s Day, here are some of the most romantic – and expensive – gifts of cars exchanged by celebrities in the name of love.
A Bugatti Veyron for Jay-Z From Beyoncé
Sure, their marriage has been tumultuous if Beyoncé’s album Lemonade is any indication. But if love equals cars and money, this combination hits Cupid’s bullseye: she once bought hubby Jay-Z a $2.4-million Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. This only added to his already-impressive collection: he reportedly also owns a Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ferrari F430 Spider, Maybach 62S, and Pagani Zonda Roadster. He’s got 99 problems, but a ballin’ whip ain’t one.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom for Mariah Carey from Nick Cannon
Of course, expensive cars don’t guarantee anything. Mariah Carey’s marriage to Nick Cannon has ended and her career is taking a nosedive after her epic lip-sync fail at last year’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rocking Eve, but at least she still has the $400,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom he gifted to her back in 2010, just a few months before their twins were born. He even added a cutesy “MOMMYMC” personalized plate to commemorate the occasion. (Evidently this was just a bit before push presents came into fashion – or maybe she got something else for that, too. Who knows.)
Matching Lamborghini Aventadors for Kanye and North West from Kim Kardashian
This one would be genuinely cute if not for its weird Kardashian undertone: Kim bought a black 2014 Lamborghini Aventador for her then-fiancé Kanye West – valued somewhere in the neighbourhood of $400,000 and $500,000 – and then gave a miniature matching set of wheels to their daughter North. Of course, the merit in giving even a sit-in toy version of a car to a six-month-old is a matter for a different discussion.
A Lexus RX350 For Kaley Cuoco’s Mom from Kaley Cuoco
Valentine’s Day is about celebrating all kinds of love, and sometimes the most genuine demonstrations of it are the familial kind. Back in 2013, when Kaley Cuoco was fully coming into the spoils of her fame from The Big Bang Theory, she showed gratitude for her mother’s support for her acting career by presenting her with a brand new 2013 Lexus RX350 – by walking her out to her driveway, with a giant bow on it and all. How guilty do you feel now about how long it’s been since you last called your mom?
A Bentley Brooklands for Russell Brand from Katy Perry
Katy Perry may have gone hot and then cold on one-time hubby Russell Brand, but during their early heady days in 2010 she bought him a bespoke Bentley Brooklands for Valentine’s Day rumoured to be worth $340,000. Her colour of choice was lilac, a fitting colour for the couple that sizzled and fizzled after divorcing in 2011.
A Bentley Continental GT for Paris Hilton from… Herself
What could be a more apt symbol of celebrity love than a gift to oneself? Who knows what’s going on with young female celebrities and bubble gum coloured Bentleys, but Paris Hilton decided she needed one too. Back in 2008, she bought a pink Bentley Continental GT with a diamond-encrusted dashboard and hood badge as a $285,000 gift to herself, which she said at the time was a nod to her fandom for all things Barbie. (Why she chose a Bentley after citing the Barbie Corvette as her inspiration is anyone’s guess.)
