The devastating loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others who died in the helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26, 2020, affected sports fans throughout the world. Bryant touched so many lives both on and off the court. As he entered his post-NBA second act, he became an advocate and leader of women’s basketball, inspired by his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
He enjoyed spending time at home in Newport Beach with his wife, Vanessa, and their four daughters and was often seen in school carpool lines, at gas stations, or driving around Orange County in one of his many cars. Yes: the Lakers champion, who 81 points scored in a single game and was known to power through while enduring extreme pain was also a collector fine cars. You may even be surprised about the specific type of car he preferred to drive and collect.
Kobe Bryant grew up in Italy, where his father played pro basketball. He even spoke fluent Italian. His love of all things Italian extended to the cars he chose to drive and add to his collection. So, it makes sense that he had an affinity for Italian sports cars. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the cars in his collection and why he chose these particular ones.
Lamborghini Murcielago
One of the most famous Lambos ever built was the Murcielago. This is Vanessa Bryant’s Murcielago and is the only one fitted with an automatic transmission. It packs a 572 hp, 6.5-liter V12. The pearl yellow car has custom wheels and the yellow and black interior. The cost for the Lambo after installing the automatic was over $400,000.
Bentley Continental GT
Though not Italian, it is still the highly desirable Bentley Continental GT coupe in Colorshift Pearl. This custom paint shifts from a gold/bronze to purple. The list price is close to $200,000 and first became available in 2003. Besides the coupe, he also owned a Bentley Azure Mulliner convertible.
Ferrari F430
One of the true modern collectible Ferraris, the 2012 F430 was supposed to be one of Kobe’s favorites. Who knows, he may have been on his way to Staples Center for a game when he was snapped in heavy traffic on the 405 freeway in LA. It’s powered by a 562 hp V8 and is backed by a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic manual transmission.
Lamborghini Aventador
The replacement for the Murcielago was the Aventador. Though powered by the same V12, its power was cranked up to 691 hp. For an extra $105,000 Lamborghini would increase the power to 710 hp. The Aventador chassis are all carbon fiber, with safety features that include stability control, ceramic brakes, and active rear wing.
Ferrari 458 Italia
Kobe wrote a $230,000 check to purchase this in 2012. The Italias came with a 4.5-liter V8 putting out 570 hp. According to Starz Uncut, the Italia could be spotted in the parking lot of Angels baseball games in Anaheim. Kobe lived in the nearby exclusive gate-guarded community of Newport Coast, which is in Newport Beach.
1963 Chevy Impala Convertible
The quintessential low rider is the 1963 Impala, and the most desirable of those is the convertible. This one features hydraulics, 560 tires, a matching convertible top, and deep Zenith wire wheels.
1967 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible
This low rider is special for a couple of reasons. First, it was a retirement gift from Snoop Dogg to Kobe, and the second is that it is Lakers-themed. Besides the signature yellow and purple Lakers color scheme it also features a mural on the hood that includes other Lakers greats. Included in the mural is Snoop next to the NBA championship trophy holding a handful of cash.
