Steven Tyler Has Always Been A Car Guy
Steven Tyler built his reputation as one of rock’s most flamboyant frontmen, but his taste for wild machinery extends well beyond the stage. Over the years, he has owned everything from stripped-down classics to a seven-figure hypercar. He has also spoken enthusiastically about the memories attached to his vehicles, suggesting the stories matter almost as much as the horsepower.
His Automotive Story Started Before Aerosmith
Long before Aerosmith became famous, Tyler was already spending plenty of time around cars. He recalled that his mother drove him and his Chain Reaction bandmates to recording sessions in a Nash or Rambler wagon during the 1960s. The wagon had enough room for both the musicians and their gear, making it an early rock-and-roll tour vehicle in everything but name.
CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz, Wikimedia Commons
His First Car Was Much More Modest
Tyler did not begin his driving life in a Porsche or a million-dollar supercar. He told New Hampshire Magazine that his first ride was a black Volkswagen Beetle. His cousin Augie even rebuilt the Beetle’s engine in his basement, and Tyler remembered the little VW fondly years later.
Then The Rock Star Money Arrived
Aerosmith formed in Boston in 1970 and began building a national following after releasing its debut album in 1973. As the band’s fortunes improved, Tyler finally had the means to upgrade his wheels. His first car that made him feel as though he had truly succeeded was a 1974 Porsche 911S.
Austin Ring, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Not The Only Porsche Fan In Aerosmith
Tyler had a little inspiration when he bought that 911S. He recalled that Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer, whom he described as another serious motorhead, had purchased the same model. In other words, Aerosmith’s backstage conversations apparently had room for sports cars alongside guitars and drums.
Porsche Remained A Favorite
That first 911 was not Tyler’s last brush with Porsche. Years later, when asked to name the rides that stood out most in his collection, he immediately mentioned a Porsche 911 Turbo convertible. The combination of serious performance and an open roof appears repeatedly in Tyler’s automotive choices.
His Mercedes Was Anything But Stock
Tyler also singled out a Mercedes-Benz AMG 55 as one of his favorites. This was not simply a standard luxury car, because he said it had been modified by RENNtech to produce 725 horsepower. That put the Mercedes firmly on the outrageous side of the luxury-car spectrum.
Matti Blume, Wikimedia Commons
Old Fords Have A Place Too
Not everything Tyler enjoys needs enormous horsepower. He told New Hampshire Magazine that his 1931 Ford Phaeton was one of the vehicles he loved simply because it made driving enjoyable. The vintage Ford shows that his taste stretches well beyond modern exotics.
Don O'Brien from Piketon, Ohio, United States, Wikimedia Commons
One Jeep Is A Family Heirloom
Perhaps the most personally significant vehicle Tyler has discussed is a 1954 Jeep CJ. The Jeep originally belonged to his Uncle Ernie and had remained in the family since it was new. Tyler described it as one of his favorite vehicles despite its humble origins.
Willysalberto, Wikimedia Commons
He Learned To Drive In That Jeep
The old Jeep also connects Tyler to his childhood. He recalled learning to drive it with his sister and Uncle Ernie around the Sunapee, New Hampshire area. For somebody who later owned one of the fastest cars ever built, his driving education began in an extremely simple utility vehicle.
Another Old Ford Followed Him To Hawaii
Tyler has also kept a 1941 Ford pickup around his Hawaii home. British GQ reported that the truck bears a Trow-Rico Cabins logo, tying it visually to his family history in New Hampshire. The pickup even appeared in the video for Tyler’s solo song “Love Is Your Name.”
Lars-Goran Lindgren Sweden, Wikimedia Commons
Maui Calls For Different Wheels
Life in Hawaii appears to have changed what Tyler reaches for when he needs transportation. GQ reported that he has favored comparatively straightforward vehicles there, including a convertible Jeep and a dune buggy. The dune buggy was hardly basic, however, since Tyler reportedly fitted it with about $4,000 worth of stereo equipment and speakers.
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, Wikimedia Commons
His Lotus Keeps Things Lightweight
Tyler’s garage has also included a Lotus Super Seven. The minimalist sports car represents almost the opposite philosophy of a big, powerful luxury machine. GQ reported that Tyler has enjoyed driving it with his son while blasting AC/DC’s Back In Black.
A Panoz Added American Muscle
Tyler has also owned a Panoz AIV Roadster, another lightweight open-top sports car. A 1998 example previously owned by Tyler was later offered for sale, with contemporary reports identifying him as its original celebrity owner. The car used a Ford-based 4.6-liter V8 producing 305 horsepower.
Then Tyler Asked For Something Truly Insane
The defining car of Tyler’s collection came from Hennessey Performance. Tyler wanted a Venom GT, but he also wanted to be able to take the roof off. Hennessey responded by creating the first Venom GT Spyder specifically for him.
The Venom Was A Serious Engineering Exercise
Converting the Venom GT into a Spyder required more than removing a roof panel. The car needed structural changes, while its twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter V8 produced a staggering 1,244 horsepower in Tyler’s configuration. Tyler himself described the Venom as a roughly 1,200-horsepower monster.
Tyler Got The Very First Spyder
Exclusivity was part of the attraction. Hennessey confirms that Tyler received the first Venom GT Spyder produced. Only 12 road-going Venom GTs were ultimately built in total, divided between six hardtops and six roadsters.
The Venom Became A Record Setter
The wider Venom GT program produced some startling performance numbers. Hennessey says a Venom GT reached 270.4 mph at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 2014, while an open-top version later reached 265.6 mph in 2016. The company also celebrated a Guinness record for accelerating from zero to 300 km/h in 13.61 seconds.
It Came With A Seven-Figure Price
Extreme performance did not come cheaply. Aerosmith’s official site reported that Tyler originally paid $1.1 million for his Venom GT Spyder. British GQ likewise reported the $1.1 million purchase price when Tyler acquired the car in 2012.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Eventually He Let The Venom Go
Tyler ultimately decided that the prized supercar could serve a bigger purpose. In January 2017, he put the Venom GT Spyder across the block at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. The winning bid came to $800,000.
Every Dollar Went To Charity
The Venom sale was not simply a case of Tyler cleaning out his garage. One hundred percent of the hammer price was earmarked for Janie’s Fund. The $800,000 raised through the car therefore turned Tyler’s most extravagant automotive purchase into a significant charitable contribution.
Tyler Sweetened The Auction Deal
The winning bidder received considerably more than a black supercar. Tyler added a guitar autographed by Aerosmith and a vacation stay at his Hawaii home to the package. The unusual extras helped turn an already rare car auction into an unmistakably rock-star event.
Janie’s Fund Gave The Sale A Purpose
Tyler created Janie’s Fund in partnership with Youth Villages. The initiative supports programs serving girls who have experienced abuse and neglect. Its name connects the cause to Aerosmith’s Grammy-winning song “Janie’s Got a Gun,” giving Tyler’s music and philanthropy a direct link.
Tyler Loves Two Wheels Just As Much
Cars tell only part of Tyler’s motorhead story. He has said that motorcycles fascinated him from childhood, when he rode a bicycle fitted with a Briggs & Stratton engine. After Aerosmith took over his life, he went 18 years without owning a motorcycle before eventually returning to riding.
Yesterdays Antique Motorcycles, Wikimedia Commons
Harley-Davidson Gave Aerosmith A Surprise
Tyler’s return to motorcycles came with an impressive gift. After Aerosmith performed for Harley-Davidson executive Willie G. Davidson around 1990, Davidson gave Fat Boy motorcycles to the band members. Tyler later had his customized and continued riding.
Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons
His Indian Larry Trike Became A Favorite
Tyler also owned a custom three-wheeler associated with the legendary Indian Larry shop. He identified his Harley-Davidson Shovelhead-powered Indian Larry trike as the bike that accumulated the most miles among his collection. The machine fit Tyler’s taste for vehicles that are as visually distinctive as they are mechanical.
Cliff from I now live in Arlington, VA (Outside Washington DC), USA, Wikimedia Commons
He Eventually Started A Motorcycle Company
Tyler went beyond collecting motorcycles and entered the business himself. In 2007, he worked with Mark Dirico and AC Custom Motorcycles to launch what was initially called Red Wing Motorcycle Company, later associated with the Dirico name. Tyler contributed heavily to the styling of the hand-built machines.
His Own Dirico Became A Maui Regular
One of Tyler’s personal favorites was an orange Dirico fitted with beach handlebars and a Screamin’ Eagle 110 engine. He told Hot Bike that he rode it around Maui and praised its speed and handling. For Tyler, motorcycles offered something even the most exotic supercar could not quite duplicate: the sense of freedom that comes from riding in the open air.
Pier Marco Tacca, Getty Images
Top Gear Gave Him A Much Slower Challenge
In 2013, Tyler appeared on Top Gear and tackled its test track in the show’s Vauxhall Astra. The program’s own site described him wringing the reasonably priced car around Dunsfold during filming. GQ later recounted that he damaged one Astra during his attempt before completing a lap in a replacement car.
Screenshot from Top Gear, BBC (1977-)
There Was Always Another Dream Car
Even Tyler’s established collection did not stop him from thinking about what might come next. When New Hampshire Magazine asked about his dream vehicle, he mentioned either a Tesla or Porsche’s hybrid based on the 918 Spyder. That answer neatly sums up his taste because technology, speed, and something unusual have always seemed to catch his attention.
Alexander-93, Wikimedia Commons
His Garage Tells His Life Story
Tyler’s vehicles range from a Volkswagen Beetle and a family Jeep to Porsches, custom motorcycles, and one of the rarest supercars of its era. Some represented success, some delivered outrageous performance, and others carried memories stretching back decades. Like the man who fronted Aerosmith through more than half a century of rock history, Tyler’s automotive life has rarely followed the quiet route.
GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin, Getty Images
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