Take A Spin Through Chef James Martin’s Stunning Car Collection

James Martin is a British celebrity chef and television presenter known for his passion for cars and impressive car collection. His collection mostly features a variety of classic and modern-day luxury cars. James's garage mostly consists of rare classic cars. His first classic was the Gullwing, but his very first car was actually a Fiat 126. Additionally, James Martin is a rally car enthusiast, which is why his collection is filled with them. He owns Colin McRae's beloved Ford Focus and Subaru. However, the list doesn’t end here. Mr. Martin also has Paddy Hopkirk’s Mini Cooper S. 

In 2021, GQ reported that James Martin had 42 incredible cars in his possession. So which one is his favorite car, you may ask? Well, unsurprisingly, it is not the silver 1965 Ferrari 275 for which he decided to part ways with the Gullwing Mercedes 300SL. Apparently, it is the 1964 Ferrari 250 short wheelbase that James is drooling over. With a remarkable net worth that reflects his diverse endeavors, James Martin's cars have become a symbol of his diversified preferences and unshakable commitment to his pursuits.

9. Range Rover Classic Three-Door

The Land Rover Range Rover Three Door, also known as the Range Rover Wagon is probably the only SUV in James Martin’s collection. It’s a classic by name and also by fame and in the dark shade of green, it looks really attractive. Check out the specs of the Range Rover Classic Wagon below-

The Range Rover Classic has a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that produces 132 HP and about 205 lb-ft of torque.

8. 1980s Bentley Continental 

From classic models to modern marvels, James Martin's car collection shows his keen eye for design, performance, and rarity. Parked just beside James Martini’s Mercedes-Benz SL, the Bentley Continental is a kitchen queen of Mr. Martin. He keeps this car in his kitchen, and according to him, it was just 40,000 miles when he got it. The lines on this beautiful Bentley show the absolute traits of a British luxury car, and it came with a large 6.8-liter V8 motor under the hood.

The 1980s Bentley Continental has a 6.8-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that produces 256 HP and 332 lb-ft of torque. It can reach a top speed of 120 MPH.

7. Audi RS e-tron GT

The Audi RS e-tron GT is an all-electric performance car sitting among other James Martin cars. The RS e-tron GT was seen in one of the background shots of one of James' videos. Audi's electric coupe can put many supercars to shame when it comes to performance, handling, and safety.

The RS e-tron GT is equipped with an 85 KWh battery pack that can be charged with the help of an 11 KW onboard charger. When fully charged, the RS e-tron GT can offer a range of up to 232 miles. The 0–60 mph time of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 156 mph are enough for an adrenaline rush.

6. 1967 Shelby Mustang 350GT

James Martin got his hands on the 1967 Shelby Mustang 350 GT almost 20 years ago. He found it in Florida, where the 1967 Shelby 350 GT was wearing a purple color and was quite damaged. The restoration took around 18 months to complete. We are not sure how much James has paid for the entire thing. However, the average estimated value of the 1967 Shelby Mustang 350 GT is $160,393.

The original 1967 Shelby Mustang 350 GT had a 289 cubic-inch or 4.7-liter V8 engine with a 4-speed manual transmission. However, an automatic transmission was offered as well. The engine can produce 306 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, the 1967 Ford 350 GT can do 0-60 in 7.3 seconds. Furthermore, James Martin has changed the exterior color of his Shelby. Its interior is also filled with Alcantara.

5. 1972 Ferrari Daytona

James Martin and Ferrari—somehow this combination just makes sense. That is why we weren’t surprised to know that James has a 1972 Daytona in his garage. This beauty from the 1970s with a GTB/4 Coupe body has an average value of $567,365 or above. Meanwhile, the 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder asks for a whopping $1.7 million.

There were a total of 1,406 Ferrari Daytonas with different body styles and specs. That said, the 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, which had Berlinetta styling, had a 4.4-liter V12 engine. It was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The net output was 352 horsepower and 318 lb-ft of torque. It allowed the Daytona to cross the 60 mph mark in around 5.4 seconds.

4. 1948 Maserati A6GCS

James Martin owns the Maserati A6GCS Monofaro. According to some estimates, the 1948 Maserati A6GCS Monofaro can cost around $980,500 or more. Amidst rumors about James Martin's married status, he and Louise Davies were frequently photographed together with the car. Meanwhile, the 1948 Maserati A6/1500 Coupe was sold for $852,500 in 2016 and $797,500 in 2018 by Gooding and Company.

The 1948 Maserati A6GCS Monofaro hides a 2.0L inline-6 engine under the hood. It is mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. The 1948 model’s engine can produce up to 130 horsepower. However, in later model years, it became more powerful.

3. 1955 Gullwing Mercedes 300SL 

James Martin’s ex-car, the 1955 Gullwing Mercedes 300SL, is now present at the Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey. He decided to part ways with this incredible piece of engineering to finance the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione. The 1955 Gullwing Mercedes 300SL had an original base price of $6,820. Meanwhile, the current estimated average value is about 1.5 million dollars.

The Gullwing 300 SL had a 3.0-liter inline-6 engine attached to a 4-speed manual transmission. It provided 220 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. The 1955 300SL used to go from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.7 seconds and could achieve a top speed of 138 MPH.

2. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione

The 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione is the same car for which James Martin refused to rebuild his home despite having money from the Gullwing Mercedes 300SL sale. While James Martin's name is synonymous with cars, his partner Louise Davies has also embraced the world of automobiles. Both of them were seen together with the 275 GTB Competizione. That said, James’ 1965 Ferrari 275 with Competizione specifications has received some minor tweaks. The estimated auction value in 2023 is not less than $10 million.

The 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione, or 275 GTB/C, had a Tipo 213 aluminum 3.3-liter V12 engine, which was paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. This incredible setup helped a 275 GTB/C reach 60 mph from a standstill in 6.1 seconds.

1. Ford GT40

One of the cars that James Martin likes to show off a lot is the Ford GT40. The Ford GT40 enjoyed a production run from 1964 to 1969. In 1966, the Ford GT40 MK II made history. It defeated Ferrari at the Le Mans 24-hour race. Having said that, the 1966 Ford GT40 MK II has an estimated auction value of up to $12 million.

The beastly 7.0L V8 engine was used in the 1966 Ford GT40 MK II. The V8 is mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. It supplied 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque that helped the 1966 GT40 MK II accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

Special Mentions: 

• John Deere Gator 

The John Deere Gator is not any ordinary vehicle that you would find on the streets. One of the unusual vehicles in James Martin's car collection is the John Deere Gator, which is an AWD vehicle with rugged characteristics.

Being a farm boy, James Martin has a soft spot for such vehicles. It might look like a golf buggy, but it's actually much more than that. It has a winch on the front and can be moved around like a tipper truck. The Gator is powered by 0.6L V-twin Four Cycle which makes around 15.5 horsepower.

• Ford Escort MKI Rally Car

James Martin's car collection is pretty cool and exquisite. James Martin's Ford Escort MKI was the first rally Escort car from Ford. James Martin's car bears a chassis number 1, making it even more rare and special. He even took Jodie Kidd with him on a ride in one of the videos, and the car did sound great. Besides this car, James Martin owns several others, like Subaru Impreza rally cars and Mini Cooper S rally cars.

The Ford Escort MKI Rally Car comes with a 2.0L Inline 4 engine that can help the car to reach a top speed of about 120 MPH.

• Two Mini Cooper S Rally Cars

James has two rally spec Mini Coopers in his garage, one of which he bought from Goodwood and was earlier raced by famous rally driver Paddy Hopkirk. Also, it is one of the first Mini Coopers to have Hydroelastic suspension, making it take corners like a piece of cake. The other Mini is from 1963; however, unlike its garagemate, it was never raced.

The old Mini Cooper S features a 1.0L Inline 3 engine which was capable of producing 70 horsepower. The top speed of the car was around 90 MPH. 

• Subaru Impreza Rally Car

The Subaru Impreza Rally Car from the era when Colin McRae used to race for the Subaru WRC team at the prime of his career However, this car was not driven by him; it was driven by Peter Solsberg, Colin’s teammate. It came with a humongous headlamp setup that’d scare a kid, and it does look a bit ugly, to be very honest, but boy oh boy, it handles like a dream.

The Subaru Impreza Rally Car comes with 2.0L Inline 4 engine that can generate up to 300 horsepower. I come with a 5-speed Sequential transmission.