Idris Elba's car collection

This W12-powered grand tourer is the most storied car in Elba's garage. On 8 May 2015, he drove it across Pendine Sands in south Wales and averaged 180.361 mph to claim the UK Flying Mile record, a mark that had stood since Sir Malcolm Campbell set it in 1927. CNN confirmed the car was a standard, unmodified production vehicle producing 626 horsepower from its 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine. The run was filmed for the Discovery Channel series Idris Elba: No Limits, after which Elba added the car to his personal collection.

Elba listed the RS4 by name when asked about his garage in an interview with The Gentleman's Journal, placing it alongside his Ram truck and Range Rover as part of a self-described mix. The RS4 Avant is a performance estate built around a high-output engine paired with Quattro all-wheel drive, making it well-suited to the British roads Elba navigates between London and set locations. It sits at the performance end of his everyday drivers, offering serious pace without the event-car status of the Bentley.

The Ram 1500 is the most utilitarian entry in Elba's collection, included by name in his own garage rundown given to The Gentleman's Journal. Full-size American pickup trucks are a rarity on London streets, which gives this one a certain distinctiveness in his driveway. The Ram 1500 platform is built around a body-on-frame construction with a payload capacity that no sports sedan can match, fitting for someone who has described himself as a man who genuinely uses his cars.

Elba described this car as "an old, old Range Rover" in his interview with The Gentleman's Journal and added, "man, I love that car," singling it out as a personal favourite among everything in his garage. Early Range Rovers are built around a separate chassis and a live rear axle, producing a ride character that no modern SUV replicates. Its presence alongside performance machinery like the RS4 reflects Elba's stated preference for substance and history in a car over outright prestige.

Elba served as a Jaguar brand ambassador and undertook an extensive road trip from London to Berlin in the XE to mark the car's launch, with multiple automotive outlets covering the partnership. The XE is a rear-wheel-drive-biased compact sports saloon built on an aluminium-intensive platform, offered in supercharged V6 form capable of 0 to 60 mph in around 5 seconds. It represents the most accessible car in Elba's collection and, as he demonstrated during the launch drive, one he is happy to put real miles on.