Cat on Cars: Jason Statham Car Star

Actor Jason Statham seems to be thriving playing the role of the good-looking rogue who always hits the fast lane in style. You can’t help but notice his good looks - but directors seem to have also noticed his love for cars and have cast him in a number of high-action roles that always seem to put him in the driver’s seat.

He first caught my attention playing the role of “Turkish” in Guy Ritchie’s movie Snatch in 2000 and again in 2002 with the first installment of the Transporter series. But he came into his own as Handsome Rob from the 2003 remake of the 1969 Michael Caine film The Italian Job.

Here Statham not only won all the girls, but was described in the movie by Mark Wahlberg’s character as “the premier wheel man [who] once drove all the way from Los Angeles just so he could set the record for longest freeway chase. You know he got 110 love letters sent to his jail cell from women who saw him on the news.”

And so it was. Fast cars have been the future for Statham ever since. Transporter, Transporter 2, and the 2008 release of Transporter 3, seem to have reinforced his role as nouveau action-figure (car sold separately). And luckily for Jason, those roles seem to come with some pretty nice automobiles.

Everyone remembers his big BMW 7 series for hire in the first Transporter movie (with a trunk big enough for a body bag), but where did the love go? In Transporter 2, the Audi A8 W12 shares top star billing giving BMW the cold shoulder. It only begged the question - which high revving machine was going to win out for movie number three? Seems Audi won the grudge match and is back with a vengeance and even more stunts and power than before. With a price tag well into the $110,000 range, Statham just might need it.

In director Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2008 movie Death Race, Statham got to play with a truck load of armor-plated 2006 Mustang GTs which, he revealed later, he didn’t have to drive while wearing his mask.

Still, Statham, who is pulling in a nice tidy little salary these days, can now afford his own collection of luxury vehicles to choose from. He lists old Aston Martins (especially the DB5s), early Jaguars (XK120s and E-Types) and various muscle cars among his favorites. Rumor has it that he covets his friend’s Shelby Cobra, which he apparently isn’t allowed to drive. Wonder if it’s because its owner has seen too many of Jason’s movies?

At present, Statham owns a 2008 GT2 Porsche and a black Audi sedan, but thanks to his star power you can find him cruising around town in any number of luxury cars including the Audi R8 and S5. These little loaners come courtesy of Audi and other car companies who have no problem lending them out for the weekend to their, shall we say, preferred clients. Ah, it’s tough to be famous I guess.