Posh Celebrities, Cheap Drives

Kuala Lumpur: Celebrity cars is a subject matter which is always much talked about. Attaching a celebrity's name to a car can do wonders. We are always obsessed with knowing what sort of high-priced mean machines our favourite celebrities are cruising in. Being lavish spenders, these celebrities never fail to splurge on their heart's desire by owning a fleet of cars which we could only think of. From Ferraris and Lamborghinis to Bentleys and Rolls Royces, some of these automakers have always found a place in rich and famous garages.

But by contrast, some celebrities believe in spending their bucks judiciously. They believe in breaking those lavish lifestyle stereotypes by avoiding the pricey rides. Instead, they prefer to drive more practical and affordable cars. So we at Carbay decided to gather a few names who own common man cars despite the fact, they can afford a more expensive one.

1. Leonardo Di Caprio – Toyota Prius Hybrid

Leonardo Di Caprio has got many blockbusters to his name like 'Titanic', 'Catch Me If You Can', 'The Departed' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. With all the success and money he has made over years, you might expect him to own a fleet of luxury cars. However, he chooses to drive reasonably priced and environment-friendly Toyota Prius. Like 'Titanic', even the Prius made a debut in 1997. It was recognised as the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. Toyota Prius is one the cleanest vehicles sold in the USA based on smog-forming emissions, which made it the first choice for environment conscious Leonardo.

2. Justin Timberlake – Volkswagen Jetta

After releasing many hit songs and appearing in almost 17 films, money is definitely not a concern for Justin Timberlake. Still then, what grabbed his attention was not those Porsches, Ferraris or Maseratis but a fourth-generation Volkswagen Jetta. His idea of owning an economic car comes from a practical reason of riding around the town without getting noticed by crowds of adoring fans and paparazzi. The fourth-generation Jetta was rolled out for the first time in July 1999 and was praised for its adequate handling as well as a moderately comfortable ride.

3. Daniel Radcliffe – Fiat Punto

The 'Harry Porter' series helped Daniel Radcliffe in making millions before he had even turned 18. Once he turned 18, this British actor decided to treat himself with a brand new and shiny automobile. But instead of spending fortunes, he chose a rather reasonable Fiat Punto. Being an environment-friendly person, Daniel opted for this car due to its low CO2 emissions. This car comes with either a 1.9-litre diesel engine or 1.8-litre gas engine which can produce not more than 178 hp.

4. Jennifer Lawrence – Volkswagen Eos

From 'X-Men' to 'The Hunger Games' to 'Silver Linings Playbook', Jennifer Lawrence has managed to raise her net worth to a whopping $40 million. But her huge bank balance doesn't reflect on her choice of cars. Instead of spending on fancy and high-powered exotic cars, she chose to buy a reasonably priced Volkswagen Eos. This sport compact was was first rolled out by the German automaker in 2006. it has got a retractable hardtop coupe convertible body style and is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine which churns out a maximum power of 200 hp.

5. Ron Artest – Hyundai Genesis

This NBA champion has got an estimated net worth of around $20 million. But instead of owning a fleet of high-end cars, he has settled for Hyundai Genesis sedan. This car is not even purchased by him but was rather gifted by comedian George Lopez. As Artest has played for L.A. Lakers from 2009 to 2013, so this car was given their theme with yellow and purple tone. The modifications include custom purple and yellow trim, purple rims along with purple and yellow seats.

6. Steve Ballmer- Ford Fusion Hybrid

Being a former CEO of software giant Microsoft and current owner of the NBA's LA Clippers, Steve Ballmer could have owned those ultra-luxurious Bentleys or high-end Ferraris. But this $20 billion worth man proudly drives a Ford Fusion Hybrid. The gasoline-electric hybrid powered version of the mid-size Ford Fusion sedan was rolled out by Ford in March 2009. This car has won many awards like '2010 North American Car of the Year' and '2013 Green Car of the Year'.

7. Clint Eastwood – GMC Typhoon

The acting legend, director and producer, Clint Eastwood has been involved in over 50 films during his career. Despite his box-office success and huge bank balance, Eastwood's choice of car remains a reasonable one. He owns a 22-year-old GMC Typhoon, a special SUV which was produced in 1992 and 1993. It was also considered a high-performance version of the GMC Jimmy SUV. Under the hood, it is powered by a turbocharged 4.3-litre V6 engine which produces a maximum power of 280 hp.