Many CEOs of automotive companies are keen car enthusiasts in their personal lives, too. Their personal garages reflect both the output of their companies and their individual tastes, which occasionally leads to unexpected cars ending up as part of their collection.
In this list, we have collected 10 notable automotive CEOs and the cars they drive, from SUVs produced by rivals to custom one-off creations. Each of these cars tells us something about the people behind the brands we know and love; let’s take a closer look at them.
Jim Farley (Ford)
Xiaomi SU7
We start off our list with Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford. While Farley’s personal garage includes classic gems such as a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk1 race car, there is one car in there that might raise some eyebrows: the Xiaomi SU7, which he started driving shortly after the model launched in 2024.
There is an interesting reason behind Farley’s choice: as he himself explained on social media, he wanted to get a better understanding of the competition in order to stay ahead of the curve. As Chinese automakers become a larger and larger part of the EV world and the automotive world in general, Farley getting behind the wheel of the SU7 is a smart move to help bring Ford into the future.
Antonio Filosa (Stellantis)
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
We wrap up the Big Three with Stellantis, whose CEO Antonio Filosa drives a very special version of the Jeep Wrangler: the Rubicon 392. Part of the fourth-generation Wrangler family, this model was introduced in 2021. It is a V8-powered version of the Rubicon trim, with a 6.4-liter (392 cu in) engine on board that also gives the model its name.
The Rubicon 392 produces 470 horsepower, making it the most powerful variant of the Wrangler. Although the Rubicon 392 itself is no longer available, a similar version called the Moab 392 is still part of the Wrangler lineup.
Ivan Espinosa (Nissan)
Nissan Z
Next, we move from American to Japanese automakers. The CEO of Nissan, Ivan Espinosa, is a keen car enthusiast; his daily driver is the brand’s very own Z. The seventh generation in the legendary Z-car family, the current Z was introduced in 2023. Known in Japan as the Fairlady Z, the model is a successor to the 370Z, which went out of production in 2020.
The Z is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, which produces 400 hp (or 420 hp in the Nismo version). While the model is available in the US, Asia, South America, and Australia/New Zealand, it is not sold in Europe or the UK due to emissions and noise regulations.
Akio Toyoda (Former Toyota CEO)
Toyota Century GRMN
Although Akio Toyoda is no longer the CEO of Toyota – instead occupying the role of chairperson of the board since 2023 – his lifelong interest in cars has earned him a spot on our list. Toyoda is a keen car collector and racer who has competed under the pseudonym Morizo Kinoshita; the Morizo name has also been used on some Toyota models as a tribute.
Among his collection we find a Toyota GR Corolla, a custom Lexus LBX Morizo RR concept, and non-Toyota vehicles such as a Suzuki Jimny. Perhaps the most interesting vehicle in the collection, however, is a Toyota Century GRMN. This custom one-off version of the Century has been worked on by the GRMN team, giving it a more performance-oriented edge.
Christian von Koenigsegg (Koenigsegg)
Toyota GR Yaris
The next car on our list is also a Toyota, but it belongs to the CEO of a different company: Koenigsegg, whose founder Christian von Koenigsegg counts a GR Yaris among his collection. This is actually the second GR Yaris he has owned; powered by a 268-hp three-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, it provides hot-hatch fun at a price that even we mere mortals can afford. If you’re in the US, however, you will have to opt for the GR Corolla instead, as the GR Yaris did not make it to the States.
Other cars von Koenigsegg has owned over the years include a Lotus Esprit V8, a Ferrari 575 Maranello, and a more sensible Volvo XC90 to drive his family around.
Gordon Murray (GMA)
Alpine A110
Gordon Murray is one of the most famous names in automotive design. The South African-British designer has had a long career in the world of Formula 1 before moving on to road cars and bringing iconic creations to life, such as the McLaren F1. After leaving McLaren in 2004, he went on to start his own company, GMA (Gordon Murray Automotive).
Among the cars in Murray’s personal collection we find an Alpine A110, a stylish French sports car sadly not offered in the US which, in an interview with Car Throttle, he says has “the best ride and handling compromise of anything I’ve driven”. The A110’s present combustion-powered form is now being discontinued; however, an electric replacement is currently in the works.
Mate Rimac (Bugatti Rimac)
Volkswagen Golf R32
The car collection of Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, does not just include the high-end sports cars you would expect (including a Pininfarina Battista and an Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider). It also includes a model that’s far more accessible to the ordinary gearhead.
The model in question is the Volkswagen Mk5 Golf R32, which had been a dream car of Rimac’s since his teenage years. This performance version of the Mk5 Golf is powered by a 3.2-liter VR6 engine, which produces 247 hp. While Rimac himself is based in Europe, an American car enthusiast who wishes to own the same model would need to do some digging to find one: in the States, the Mk5 Golf R32 had a limited production run of just 5,000 units.
Sources: The Drive, Motor1, Forbes, Car Throttle, Autocar
