Most of us would jump at the opportunity to own a luxury car if we came into a big sum of money. But with an empire worth $360 million, for Taylor Swift this dream is a reality.
Yes, Taylor Swift can drive. She got her driving license in tenth grade when she was 16 years old. However, she failed the test multiple times before being granted her permit. Since then, Swift has built up an impressive collection of motors.
With lyrics such as “just a boy in a Chevy truck” and “nothing safe is worth the drive”, it’s fair to say that Taylor Swift is somewhat of a car enthusiast. So let’s have a look at Swift’s vast array of cars, and analyze how she uses vehicles as metaphors in her music.
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After soaring to fame at the tender age of 16, Taylor used her first paycheck the same way that any teenager would… on a convertible car!
Inspired by the infamous teen movie Mean Girls, the first car Swift bought herself was a Lexus SC430 convertible identical to the one owned by the Plastics ringleader, Regina George. In an interview with The Guardian, Taylor said: “All the girls who were mean to me in middle school, like, idolized the Plastics, I think I chose that car as a kind of rebellion against that type of girl”. That’s certainly one way to get payback!
Two years later for her 18thbirthday, Swift was gifted a pink Chevy Silverado by her record label, Big Machine Records. Her girly-girl tendencies and country background made the pickup truck seem like the perfect present. But Taylor obviously had other opinions. In January 2008, merely one month after her birthday, Swift donated the pink Chevy to children’s charity Victoria Junction Gang.
The third car in Taylor’s collection is a Porsche 911 Turbo. Swift was first spotted driving this car in 2010, around the time she was dating Taylor Lautner. The 2-seater sports car cost around $190,000 and has a 500-horsepower engine. In 2007 it was awarded the Fastest Car in the World by Autocar magazine.
Between Swift and Lautner it seems that Taylor was always the designated driver, as she was also spotted driving his Audi R8. But Taylors attraction towards men and their luxury vehicles seems to have declined over the years. In the song ‘King of my Heart’ from the album Reputation, Swift sings: “’cause all the boys and their expensive cars with their Range Rovers and their Jaguars never took me quite where you do”.
In 2013 Taylor expanded her collection again with a Toyota Sequoia. Valued at $50,000, the motor has gone on to become Swifts’ most used car in recent years. It is a full-sized 5.8L v8 engine SUV, featuring GPS navigation, backup camera, Blu-ray entertainment, Dynamic Laser Cruise Control, and rear air suspension.
Despite its expansive price tag, Swift has had her fair share of turmoil with the vehicle. During an interview with Rolling Stone magazine,Taylor was involved in 2 collisions whilst driving!
The first incident involved a dodgy manoeuvre as Swift realised she’d taken a wrong turn. Whilst turning around, she reversed into the car behind her. Luckily the damage was minor, and the car belonged to one of Taylor’s band members, who she promised to compensate.
The second incident was more of a ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ scenario. Swift and the interviewer were cruising down a four-lane street when a car zoomed out of an intersection and collided with the driver’s side of Swift’s SUV, before speeding off. The interviewer recalls being ‘terrified’ by the event.
The final car in Taylor’s collection, as far as we’re aware, is a Mercedes Benz Viano. Estimated to be worth $280,000, the Viano can seat 8 people and also doubles as a cargo van. As someone who travels all over the world touring and lives much of her life on the road, the Viago is a practical solution for Taylor.
Which is your favourite car from Taylors collection? Let us know in the comments section below!