As a presenter on the BBC’s premier motoring show Top Gear for over a decade, it comes as no great surprise to hear that Richard Hammond possesses several highly sought-after vehicles.
Amongst the most desirable machines in his garage are two Jaguar E-Types: a silver-blue 1969 variant valued at more than £72,000, and an exceptionally rare 1962 specimen that could command over £220,000 in today’s marketplace.
Indeed, Richard’s entire automotive collection – which spans everything from a Ferrari 550 Maranello to a 1931 Lagonda M45 – carries an estimated worth of $2million (£1.5m), according to VIP Fortunes.
However, Richard’s remarkable fleet of motors has prompted some rather unkind remarks from his Top Gear and Grand Tour colleague Jeremy Clarkson.
Jeremy, who has witnessed a considerable portion of his own television earnings vanish into his troubled Diddly Squat Farm project, has admitted that he found himself “smiling” upon discovering that the resale value of Richard’s E-Type had tumbled dramatically.
In his Sunday Times column, Jeremy confesses: “When Richard Hammond bought a Series 1 E-type Jaguar back in the days when we were doing Top Gear, I must confess I felt quite jealous.”
Jeremy’s envious sentiments only grew stronger, he revealed, as the classic motor’s value soared dramatically, doubling and even trebling in projected sale price.
Richard enhanced his Jaguar’s worth by restoring it to near-factory specification with assistance from Neil Greenhouse, who collaborates with him at his workshop, The Smallest Cog. “My money was in the bank earning sod all,” Jeremy grumbled.
“He was driving about in his money and it was going up in value at about 100% a year. And there’s no capital gains tax on a classic car, which filled me with even more despair.”
However, recent shifts in the classic car market have seen the potential selling price of Richard’s Jag plummet nearly to the amount he initially paid for it back in November 2023.
Richard missed the opportunity to sell the car when the market was at its peak, Jeremy smugly points out. “Happily he hung on to the car, assuming that the money tree would continue to grow, and then, blam, the market for E-types stalled, so it’s now worth roughly what he paid for it,” he added.
“I’m not punching the air as I write this, I promise but I am smiling.”
Jeremy shouldn’t be too envious of his mate. He has more than enough dosh to purchase an E-Type, or even several E-Types, if he so desired.
Despite the well-documented challenges Jeremy has faced with his pub and farm venture, his appearances on his Amazon Prime reality show, Clarkson’s Farm, and a hefty payout from The Grand Tour have significantly boosted his financial standing.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the 65 year old telly star reportedly has an estimated fortune of around £59million.
