ROME – Try it yourself to stay on the crest of a wave for 40 years, win four Oscar nominations, win three Golden Globes and be considered one of the most acclaimed actors by audiences all over the world. Try to be Tom Cruise for a day and not give in to the temptation to cross the center of Beverly Hills at the wheel of some four-wheeled monster, dispensing autographs to passers-by. Temptation, moreover, more than justified in the case of the 61-year-old American actor, given his propensity for heart-pounding chases in constant counter-steering. His sports car collection includes 5 models including a Bugatti which, among other things, caused him some problems with the parent company. Let’s start with the first.
1. Chevrolet Corvette C1 del 1958
The C1 is the first model produced by Chevrolet and is also Cruise’s oldest passion. Its production runs from 1953 to 1962 and the cars of this period are called solid axles (rigid axle), since independent wheel suspensions were not available until 1963. In 1957, but only at the customer’s request, the injection system took over, with which the engine reached the power of 290 HP. Cruise’s model has a hardtop and is two-tone in perfect Corvette style.
2. Chevrolet Chevelle SS del 1970
This car dates back to a time when Tom Cruise was not yet a star. The price he took home with him was $32,000, a trifle compared to today’s auction price. This red 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS also appears in a 2012 film called “The Decisive Trial” where it showcases its powerful 6.5 liter V8. The SS trim was in fact reserved for the top-of-the-range Chevelle models, therefore equipped with their own line of accessories and very powerful engines including a 450 HP 7400 cc. Produced between 1964 and 1977, the Chevelle was one of General Motors’ most successful models.
3. Ford Mustang Saleen S281 del 2010
Orange bodywork and 485 HP under the hood. No introduction is needed for the Mustang, even if in the case of the Saleen S281 it is worth spending a few words. It is a variant introduced between the 4th and 5th generation of the car produced by the American company of the same name until 2005. Under the bonnet of Tom Cruise’s model vibrates a 4.6-litre V8 with 485 HP, enough to produce a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds.
4. Mercedes-Benz Classe S
Despite the $100,000 purchase price, this is the least flashy car in the Cruise collection. This full-featured flagship is mostly used by its own chauffeur.
5. 2005 Bugatti Veyron
Purchased by Cruise in the mid-1990s for the astronomical sum of $2 million, this 1,000-horsepower hypercar was the last Bugatti Tom Cruise could buy. This is not an economic question: the parent company has vetoed it. The reason dates back to some time ago, when the star showed up at the premiere of Mission Impossible 3 behind the wheel of his Bugatti with his wife Katie Holmes. Well: it seems that once arrived, for 40 endless seconds Cruise was unable to open the car door, while the media from around the world filmed the scene undisturbed. An unforgivable shame for Bugatti, a very serious stain on the quality and reliability of a car considered practically perfect. From that moment the house (now controlled by Volkswagen) decided never to do business with Mr. Top Gun again.