Best footballers' cars 2018
With top football players’ salaries now venturing past half a million a week, we look at what cars best suit their high-flying lifestyle
7. BMW i8
Footballers aren’t usually known for their environmental conscience but when you can show the world you’re doing your bit for the planet from behind the wheel of a low, futuristic supercar, the idea takes on a new appeal for the ball-kicking fraternity. And so BMW’s electric car has become something of a hit with footballers. More and more are being pictured with the hybrid supercar and not only because the Leicester City owner bought the club’s entire 2016 Premier League-winning squad one each.
The i8 is a unique proposition in today’s marketplace the 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain might not sound like much but it’ll hit 60mph in 4.4s and achieve 134mpg on the combined cycle (just, obviously, not at the same time).
Electric power means the i8 is beautifully hushed around town. Its interior is a great place to sit out a long journey and the latest BMW control interface means the technology is easy to use. But on the right road the i8 can really entertain too.
6. Audi R8 V10
The Audi R8 V10 is a mid-engined supercar of the kind that footballers like but we’ve suggested they probably shouldn’t. At least Audi’s effort is a little less extrovert than some and the 4x4 powertrain will help keep our footballing friends out of the undergrowth in wet or icy conditions.
The Audi R8 V10 is actually a dying breed, a supercar without a turbocharged engine. The mighty V10 is an absolute treat to listen to and savagely fast with a 3.2s 0-62mph time and a 205mph top speed.
Inside, it’s Audi’s dark, ultra high tech, ultra high quality cabin design but pushed to the max with figure hugging seats and a steering wheel mounted starter button. It’s not practical in the way that the majority of the cars listed here are but it’ll certainly get a footballer to the match with a smile on his face.
5. Aston Martin Vanquish
Aston Martin has always been a little bit more subdued, a little bit more British, than other manufacturers of high-end supercars. You could never call the Aston Martin Vanquish unexciting but we reckon it’s the perfect supercar for the thinking footballer - beautiful but never brash under any circumstances.
The Aston Vanquish costs from £193k and comes powered by Aston Martin’s sonorous V12 with 568bhp on tap. It’ll top 200mph, given enough speed limit-free space and the 0-60mph sprint will be done in 3.6s.
The carbon fibre body helps keep weight in check but inside there’s been no skimping on the luxury fixtures and fittings. Aston cabins have been beautifully crafted for some time but now the latest technology has found its way inside too. The ride is obviously a lot harsher than a luxury SUV’s but it’s by no means uncomfortable and even the most delicate footballer should approve.
Click on to the next page for the rest of our top 10 best footballers' cars...
4. Ferrari GTC4 Lusso
A footballer in a Ferrari is like meat and drink to the tabloid press but we think the Premier League’s finest are choosing the wrong Ferraris entirely. The 488 GTB and it’s predecessor the 458 Italia are a little too highly-strung for a weary winger on his way home from the match while their mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive set-up can result in handling that becomes challenging in the cold or wet. With money no object, the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso should be the footballer Fezza of choice.
At £240,000, the likes of Wayne Rooney could afford a Ferrari GTC4 Lusso every week and its GT car design would give him the best of all worlds. Four-wheel drive brings all weather capability and the 681bhp 6.3-litre V12 serves up the kind of blistering pace that has long since deserted our Wayne. 0-62mph takes 3.4 seconds and the top speed is 208mph.
The GTC4 is a fantastically comfortable cruiser too so if our footballer suddenly needs to get to Barcelona in a hurry on transfer deadline day, there’s scarcely a better car for the job. There’s a big boot in the rear, measuring 430-litres, to take the golf clubs and the cabin has four adult-sized seats to bing a level of practicality not normally associated with Maranello’s finest.
3. Rolls-Royce Ghost
Nothing shouts “I’ve got a tonne of cash” like a Rolls-Royce and there are many footballers who feel the need to shout precisely that whenever they get behind the wheel. The Rolls-Royce Ghost is the car for the job, infinitely classier than a chrome Maserati, the Ghost is showing-off done with a touch of class.
The Ghost may be the ‘baby’ Rolls-Royce but it’s still a considerable size. You get 2.4 tonnes of metal, wood and leather for your £180,000 outlay including a spookily smooth 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12.
The inside is where the Ghost comes into its own with beautifully handcrafted fixtures and fittings wherever you look. It’s a beautifully elegant way to travel and perfect for the footballer who sees himself as a cut about the rest.
2. Bentley Continental
The Bentley Continental GT can, from certain perspectives, be all things to all footballers. Offering a cocktail of performance, comfort and status, the big grand tourer can do everything from taking the kids to school (being a 2+2), to blasting down the autobahn when you are playing away to Bayern.
The latest model which was revealed recently comes with a W12 and produces 626bhp along with an earth shattering 900Nm. Figures like that allow it to go from 0-60mph in only 3.6 seconds, and straight on till morning at a top speed of 207mph - more than enough to outrun the paps.
Once more, the new model has bolstered its personalisation abilities on the interior. There will be a wider range of veneers available to customers and a brand new Côtes de Genève turned metal finish. Footballers could even pair selected colours to give a contrasting look on the dash, or if they are a really ardent fan of their club, mimic the colour scheme of their kit.
