Elon Musk’s McLaren F1: Proof Cars Can Be True Investments

Elon Musk is known for building companies that change the world.

But one of the most impressive financial decisions he ever made was actually on four wheels.

In 1999, after selling his company Zip2, Elon bought a McLaren F1 for $1,000,000.

Today, that same car would be worth $30,000,000.

That’s not just a win — it’s proof that some cars genuinely don’t depreciate.

The McLaren F1: The Ultimate Investment Car

The McLaren F1 isn’t just rare — it’s legendary.

It was the fastest car in the world for years and remains one of the most iconic supercars ever built.

But what makes this particular car even more special is its history.

Elon drove it for 11,000 miles, daily, before crashing it.

Let’s break down the numbers:

That means the gross inflation-adjusted return is:

$28,055,000
1,342.42% return

This is the type of investment return most people only see in the stock market — not in cars.

A car holds value when it has:

The McLaren F1 has all of these qualities.

And the Elon Musk connection adds an extra layer of desirability.

The McLaren F1 is a clear example that not all cars depreciate.

The key is choosing the right cars — cars with:

I’ve helped 5,000+ car guys stop buying depreciating cars and start owning investment-grade cars that hold — and often grow — in value.

I’ve manually created a non-generic list of the 100 best investment cars to buy in 2026, focusing on: