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What do billionaires drive?
Unlike mere millionaires, who may flaunt wealth with flashy rides, some of the world’s top billionaires own cars as utterly average as their middle-class childhoods. At least five of the wealthiest people in the world share traits that make them thrifty when it comes to cars. Read Article
What do billionaires drive?



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Loki123Loki123 - 3/9/2007 9:29:51 AM
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Think about it - these guys are billionaires because they eat, sleep and think about a better bottom-line every day.

As a shareholder, would you rather invest with Warren Buffet (a guy that drives an old Lincoln and pays himself $100k salary)or with that extravagant guy that drives the Gallardo pays himself $40 Million a year.

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Agent63Agent63 - 3/9/2007 10:08:34 AMView My AgentSpace
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It's quite simple. Even the people who are not millionaires flash and pose as the rich (millionaires) and drive the expensive cars. The millionaires try to out do each other each and everyday with fashion, jewellery, housing, and cars. The billionaires are the ones who are usually very humble and mellow.

With all that money, it would only be dumb to flaunt what you got and maybe have your life threatened because of it or ransom.

On another note, most billionaires are business men or women therefore their necessities are different than those of celebrities which like to show off.

A persons car does not reflect on their income or wealth. It also doesn't mean a person who drives a 1980 Volvo wouldn't own a 30 million dollar jet either. In today's society people like to judge basing on what they see but not what they know.

-Agent63

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M53RM53R - 3/9/2007 10:20:57 AMView My AgentSpace
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I agree but, who do you think has more $$$, a guy driving an old volvo or a guy driving a gallardo?
Remember when you see a gallardo owner $$$ comes directly into your mind. Also, why is anyone rich for? Some of those billionaires just live to make money as if they will live forever.Whats the point of having money if you dont spend any of it on yourself? Thats dumb. Enjoy your wealth before you die!


rg12345rg12345 - 3/9/2007 10:56:03 AM
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Agree with the M53R. What would you do with all those money after u die? If you really retain yourself from buying expensive cars because you don't need them than it is OK. But if you don't buy them cause you love your money too much to spend, that's an issue. Anyway, spending like crazy is not good, not spending anything is bad also. Just stay in the middle (compared to your lifestyle/wealthiness).

As for the fist post: everybody knows the guy is rich, if he is buying cheap cars to hide that he is stupid. He would be safer in the $600k armored A8 than in an old Volvo. Whatever, is their money, they can do whatever they want with them.


530N52530N52 - 3/9/2007 10:50:28 AM
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Driving a good sports car is not about having money. It takes money to buy a car, but it is about the drive.

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Loki123Loki123 - 3/9/2007 11:39:30 AM
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Don't put the Sultan in the same league as Buffet.

Sultan inherited his wealth. Buffet is self-made. No comparison. Sultan is just some turd that owns 500 Rolls Royces - who cares.

Buffet on the other hand made his money from scratch. Amassed a fortune over $40 billion and is giving it away to charities. His name will be in the history books forever. The Sultan will be forgotten in a week. Sultan who??!


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BMW_DRVRBMW_DRVR - 3/9/2007 11:31:12 AM
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Most of the Billionaires are over 50 so you cant expect them to drive a ferrari and they probably dont even know about the Maybach.

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cdokecdoke - 3/9/2007 1:21:32 PMView My AgentSpace
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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gives a lot of money to the public libraries of the United States. I know this first-hand: I was the assistant director[at the age of 17] of the public library in the small town I grew up in. The town may only have 2500 people within the city limits, but it isn't some po-dunk (as it were) town the accolades go on and on including the coveted All American City Award. Your comment is bourn of ignorance in the matter.

Warren Buffet has more than just a demur car: his home is also very unassuming. You would never guess it, unless you actually knew. I admire the man immensly.

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no1listensanywayno1listensanyway - 3/9/2007 1:22:40 PMView My AgentSpace
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Do you even realize what the Gate foundation does? They give millions of dollars to help fight AIDS in Africa. They work to stop the suffering of millions of men women and children. They also provide vaccinations for people with malaria polio and other anitquated diseases. And your bitching because they don't want to give you a free meal? To me thats money better spent then buying 500 cars that you will never drive.

And as for literacy, there is no reason why a legal resident of the US cannot read or write. Health Care is a problem, if you want free health care add on another 25% on your annual taxes. Wake up, stop acting like people are always trying to screw you.

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1995e341995e34 - 3/9/2007 5:15:01 PM
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buffet and gates give more money daily then everyone on this site's lifetime income combined. having 5000 cars is kinda over doing it unless theyre in a museum for the public

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Loki123Loki123 - 3/9/2007 2:01:37 PM
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Rice,

You are right the Sultan does give the citizens of his country free healthcare - so does the Prime Minister of Canada to all Canadians and so does Fidel Castro to all Cubans. What's your point? Am I supposed to be in awe of the Sultan's generosity? This pr!ck has mismanaged the country's resources for years.

Anyways, this is a car site...

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r_driver04r_driver04 - 3/9/2007 5:45:39 PM
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It's an interesting article to say the least. It proves a point that rich people don't always drive the best cars....unless they love cars. You pay for what you love. You love money not for the sake of money but for what money can do for you.

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trd1trd1 - 3/9/2007 6:08:44 PM
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i understand if a billionair drives a toyota prius, because maybe he wants to show that he cares about the enviorment. But its stupid that a billionair drives a old volvo, because it doesn't even matter that you dont care about cars, its about safty, the volvo might brake down on any moment.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 3/10/2007 12:32:23 AMView My AgentSpace
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B-I-L-L-I-O-N-A-I-R-E

S-A-F-E-T-Y

Does the "e" on your keyboard not work? Because you were putting it in some of your other words, so I doubt it.


huu76huu76 - 3/9/2007 7:10:34 PM
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Whatever the hell they want.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 3/9/2007 8:50:12 PMView My AgentSpace
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Here here!


XYZZXYZZ - 3/10/2007 6:59:32 AM
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"Unlike mere millionaires, who may flaunt wealth with flashy rides..."

this is wrong. even among many "mere millionaires" there aren't that many fancy cars. the most popular car in these groups: the ford f150! this, according to the authors of the book, "The Millionaire Next Door."

most of the drivers of the fancy german luxmobiles are actually middle-class poseurs who STRETCH their budgets to get rides that will IMPRESS friends and neighbors. THESE are the ones who tend to flaunt their wealth. (or NON wealth, often BARELY making the lease payments.)

TRULY rich, self-confident folk, have NO NEED to impress. this includes "mere millionaires" as well as frugal billionaires.

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XYZZXYZZ - 3/10/2007 7:03:51 AM
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i know this definitely applies to MY millionaire brothr. his ride is even more humble than mine. and i drive a corolla!

one of my sisters who is probably as wealthy, if not more so, drives a toyota too. but at least hers is more UP level than my '93 corolla. but it is also OLDER! ;)

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Agent63Agent63 - 3/10/2007 9:11:26 AMView My AgentSpace
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Like i said before just because the guy drives a Volvo don't mean he doesn't live in luxury. A car does not reflect the roof you live under. He probably has a nice mansion somewhere with some nice chauffeur driven saloons or limos but prefer to drive his beloved Volvo when he's by himself. You can't be so quick to judge someone by what car they drive. It's just an image. A lot of people with nice cars own those nice cars because of the image and attention. Some also take it for granted.

I personally rather live large with many estates and secretly own limosuines, helicoptors, and private jets than spend it all on flashy sports cars. Not saying I wouldn't buy one, but I would prefer a Continental GT than a Ferrari F430. I'm a business type so I rather cruise in a quiet ride. Although I would consider a super car but it also depends on my location as well.

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huu76huu76 - 3/10/2007 11:14:21 AM
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Agree with you both. My friend who traded in his weekend Boxster for a Cayenne still drives a Honda CR-V.

Billionaires can drive regular cars and not care what you think.

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cdokecdoke - 3/10/2007 11:19:45 AMView My AgentSpace
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I almost stated this in my last post, but now it is more appropriate. The small town I grew up in, despite being small is very intersting in that per capita it has a rather large percentage of millionaires. Now, these people don't do what you would imagine: most are farmers. The primary thing that makes their net worth that high is the value of the irrigated land that the own. My 14 year old sisters friends' family just sold a rather small place: with a Oh 3000-3500 sq ft house. some pens and a single irrigated circle I believe. As I recall, they sold it for between 2.5 and 3 million. If that is even close to protoypical: that makes most farmers in the area multi-millionaires [net worth]. So I happen to KNOW in this case the average millionaire drives an F-150. Don't be fooled either there are people who are worth a heck of a lot more than a mere $2 million. For example, there are former CEOs living there, and the family that owned the second fastest race horse ever recorded [they aren't the wealthiest people in town either], the largest producers of kidney beans in the United States [they own like a 1/5 of Texas too].

A million dollars is not really very much money anymore. I don't remember the statistic exactly but like 1 in every 8 people is a millionaire in the United States. Of course that would have to be net worth and not liquid assets; an important distinction.

As far as billionaires: I used to see Phil. A. in his Lexus LS at the DAC all the time. Some of the others here drive Chevy Tahoe type devices.

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htra0497htra0497 - 3/10/2007 11:13:17 PM
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Forget cars, what about the private jets and yachts? A Gulfstream G550 cost atleast $45 million.

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cdokecdoke - 3/11/2007 1:28:04 AMView My AgentSpace
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Vast fortunes can be spent on yachts. A nice yacht can run upwards of $100 million.


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 3/11/2007 9:51:08 PMView My AgentSpace
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If I was a billionaire and had $5,000,000 to blow off on cars, I would buy...

1. Audi S8- everyday car

2. Bugatti Veyron, of course, for bragging rights

3. Mercedes-Benz S600- chauffer/client car

4. Range Rover Supercharged- grocery-getter

5. Aston Martin DB9 Volante- for posing and for the country club

6. BMW M6 coupe- for extended drives

7. Audi RS4- for blasting on the highway, low-key style

8. Lexus IS350- easy car, also very low-key

9. Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI- family hauler

10. Audi S4 Cabriolet- for weekend getaways

11. Porsche Carrera S coupe, base- pure sports car

12. Bentley GTC- everyone has one, but I love it

13. Audi R8- to have

14. Lexus LS600hL- to complement my S600 and S8

15. BMW 335i coupe- everyday coupe

In no particular order.

Rounding to the nearest $10,000, I would still have about $2,150,000 left over. Enough to buy a vacation home with, as if I wouldn't have one already!

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1995e341995e34 - 3/12/2007 8:45:57 PM
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1. 2008 bmw 535i
2. dmc delorean
3. mb 190e16v
4. am v8 vantage
5. land rover defender
6. lotus esprit


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 3/12/2007 10:25:55 PMView My AgentSpace
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Interesting list you have there.

The new 535i? I never would've guessed!

Otherwise, those are cars I actually wouldn't expect.

DeLorean? Defender? Hmm...


cdokecdoke - 3/12/2007 11:20:47 PMView My AgentSpace
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..hmmm...

I would keep my XJ for my daily driver and wait until the redesign to figure out what to do about it.

1. Bentley Brooklands [Yes, I like it that much]

2. Aston Martin DB9

3. Rolls-Royce Phantom [Yes, I know...but It really woldn't be driven]

4. 1961 Jaguar E-type

5. 1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Castagna

6. 1932 Rolls Royce Phantom I [In cream or white]

7. 1932 Duesenberg SSJ

8. 1956 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud [Grey on Grey two tone paint job]

9. 1929 Duesenberg Model J

That is actually probably over 5 million, due to the last 5 or so.

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JayTraxJayTrax - 3/15/2007 9:59:16 PM
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some people just dont care about material things. if i was a billionaire i'd have a much better car than a 20 year old volvo though. it also depends on how you were raised. most of these guys were probably financially stable their whole life.

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