George Clooney was the first to own the unusual ‘world’s safest car’
- George Clooney was the first celebrity to get an EV, but it wasn’t what you’d expect
- He bought the very first Tango T600, a highly unusual electric car
- The Tango was remarkably safe and efficient but failed to take off commercially
Published on Jun 11, 2024 at 7:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Andie Reeves
Last updated on Jun 13, 2024 at 6:26 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
It turns out George Clooney was one of the first celebrities to own an EV.
But it wasn’t a Prius or a Tesla, or anything you’ve likely heard of.
He was the first owner of the Tango T600, an electric car praised for being ultra-safe.
It was also ultra-weird looking, so small that two of them could fit in one lane.
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It’s not unusual for celebrities to splash out on exotic and rare cars as a flex.
But George Clooney buying the Tango T600 was pretty unusual.
Purchasing one back in 2005 made him the first celebrity to own an EV.
But even his star status wasn’t enough to get this unique car to take off.
The creation of the Tango T600
The idea came to Rick Woodbury while sitting in traffic, dreaming of a car so thin that two could fit in one lane.
He and his son founded Commuter Cars and it took them 20 years to turn his idea into a reality.
The Tango T600 was only 39-inches wide and 101-inches long and could fit into a parking spot sideways.
It could go from 0-60 mph in four seconds and could reach speeds of 150 mph.
The vehicle was powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, able to be charged using standard electrical outlets.
Its two tandem seats made it feel like a motorbike, but it had the stability of a car.
This was due to the battery placement, which gave it a low center of gravity.
The company bragged that it had ‘crashworthiness better than any production car’ thanks to its strong safety cage.
The car produced zero emissions, which is why it caught the eye of Clooney, a known environmental activist.
How George Clooney came to be the owner of the unusual Tango T600
While many celebrities favor supercars or classic cars, some like to add playful pieces to their collections.
Jay Leno owns a bright yellow Lamborghini Miura with distinctive ‘eyelashes’ on its headlights.
And Elvis drove around one of the strangest cars in existence: the Messerschmitt KR200
Clooney bought the very first Tango T600 ever produced in 2005.
The car is incredibly thin, but its height is comparable to other cars, so it was easy for the 5’11” star to get in and out.
Despite the actor being seen zipping around in his Tango, the car never took off.
The second car was only delivered in 2008, and it ended up at Google HQ as part of an April Fool’s joke.
It’s estimated that just 12 of these cars ever made it out into the world.
Not surprising, considering they cost $420,000 to make and sold for $120,000 each.
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Andie is a content writer from South Africa with a background in broadcasting and journalism. Starting her career in the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Andie has a broad portfolio, covering everything from sustainability solutions to celebrity car collections. When not at her laptop Andie can be found sewing, recording her podcast, taking board games too seriously or road-tripping in her bright green Kia.
