Exploring The Timeless Car Collection Of Legendary Actor Kirk Douglas

Cleft-cheeked, resolute, and virile worldwide film actor who ascended from being "the ragman's son" (the title of his greatest 1988 book) to become a genuine superstar, Kirk Douglas was born on December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York as Issur Danielovitch Demsky. Bryna and Herschel Danielovitch, his parents, were Jewish immigrants from Belarus. Through his hard work and perseverance, Kirk Douglas earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom and an Academy Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement as an actor and humanitarian. He published eight books and memoirs as an author. He concentrated on rejuvenating his spiritual and religious life after almost surviving a helicopter disaster in 1991 and then having a stroke in 1996. He died in 2020 with his second wife, producer Anne Buydens. Douglas, a centenarian, was one of the last remaining actors of Hollywood's Golden Age. Douglas was fond of cars, especially the faster ones. His collection included Austin Healey 100, the 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL, and the Maserati 250F Grand Prix. 

2. Austin Healey 100

Back in 1955, Austin Healey was every actor’s first choice. Kirk Douglas used it to showcase his taste in sports cars. Donald Healey designed it to be manufactured in-house by his modest Healey automobile firm in Warwick, based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals.

Healey manufactured a single Healey 100 for the 1952 London Motor Show, and the design attracted Leonard Lord, general director of Austin, who was seeking a substitute for the failed A90. The starting price of the Austin Healey 100 is $80,227.

The Austin Healey is powered by a 2.6L Inline 4 engine that puts out 90 HP and 143 lb-ft of torque. It helps the car go from 0-60 MPH in 10.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 115 MPH.

1. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL

The next car on this list is the 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL. One of Douglas’ favorites, the 190 SL offered a more appealing, less expensive alternative to the elite Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, sharing its fundamental style, engineering, details, and completely independent suspension.

The price of the Mercedes-Benz 190SL is expected to be around $135,890 today.

The 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL is powered by a 1.9L Inline 6 engine that puts out 104 HP and 100 lb-ft of torque. It helps the car go from 0-60 MPH in 16.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 87 MPH.

Honorable mention: Maserati 250F Grand Prix

Kirk Douglas appeared in the film "The Racers," in which he drove an actual Maserati 250F Grand Prix vehicle and, as per the sources, kept it for himself for a few days. Surprisingly, It is said that the film studio paid just $200 for it. The Maserati 250F Grand Prix is powered by a 2.5L Inline 6 engine with a 4-speed manual transmission, that puts out 240 HP. It helps the car to reach a top speed of 180 MPH.