The first car Virat Kohli bought with his own money was a fairly unknown ride
- Virat Kohli is one of the world’s most accomplished cricketers
- He has a car collection worth millions
- And yet the first car he bought with his money was ‘humble’
Published on Jul 01, 2024 at 2:09 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 02, 2024 at 11:25 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Virat Kohli is like the Cristiano Ronaldo of cricket, in that his popularity transcends the sport that made him famous, and even people who don’t watch cricket have probably heard of him.
And just like Cristiano Ronaldo, his accomplishments in the sport gave him a bank account with a lot of zeros.
And yet, the first car he bought with his money was surprisingly humble.
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Kohli explained to GQ India that his first car was a Tata Safari.
Tata is one of the most famous automakers from India and one of the few ones that sell cars globally, and they clearly make good cars.
Tata’s owner, a man worth billions, still drives one every, and Jay Leno said, on more than one occasion, that he loves his Tata Nano.
The evolution of the Tata Safari
The Safari has been around for 26 years, and yet there have only been two generations.
The first one (above, left), the one that Kohli had, was unveiled in 1998 and it remained in production until 2021.
The (huge) difference between the first Safari and the current model is a great example of the startling progress Tata has made.
The first one was available with four engines, including one borrowed from Peugeot.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the current model (above, right) uses a JLR (Jaguar-Land Rover) engine, and it’s built on a JLR platform.
This is because Tata now owns Jaguar and Land Rover.
The impressive car collection of Virat Kohli
Kohli had a business partnership with Audi, so he’s owned a bunch of them, including of course the Audi R8.
He now has a car collection worth around $2 million, which also comprises various Lambos and Range Rovers.
These days, according to GQ, his daily driver is a Bentley Continental GT.
He’s come a long way from the days of the Tata Safari, hasn’t he?
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
