Beckham is off to LA, but the garage he leaves behind is enough to make any motoring enthusiast green with envy. Spoils on the pitch have enabled him to be spoilt for choice – so much so, he’s owned almost every must-own' car you can think of! And now armed with a $1m-a-week salary, one can only wonder what he'll be buying next…
We look at ten of his most interesting cars; click the links provided to see which of these cars are available second-hand so you too can join the Beckham club, and click the photos to enlarge them.
Aston Martin DB7
David Beckham, number 7. There wasn’t a more fitting car for the English midfielder in his Manchester days. It also helped that it looked a million dollars (a month’s income?) and, with the later 6.0-litre V12 engine, sounded awesome. To be honest, the DB7 was never a boundary-defining drive, compromised by its Jaguar XJS-derived underpinnings and always trading handling vibrancy for cruising comfort. The interior was also below par. But it was just so intoxicatingly attractive, nobody minded all that much. The car that saved Aston; lucky seven strikes again. Nor has Becks given up the Aston habit; MSN Cars boss Tom Evans spotted him once at the wheel of a cherry-red Vanquish S on the M25... Price new: £96,250 (Vantage Coupe)
Bentley Continental GT
These are like uniform for Premiership footballers; stumble across the footballer’s training ground car park and they marginalise even pie stalls and replica shirts. Becks was duty-bound to own one, enjoy the mammoth pull of the 6.0-litre W12 engine, savour the total isolation it offers from the outside world. It’s a seriously distinctive car that’s all you could wish from a Bentley and more; 198mph means it’s a genuine supercar with space for four, that’s posh enough even for the wife. Price new: £112,750
BMW X5
The original bling machine, designed by BMW to barnstorm the Nurburgring, and ruined by footballers who then fit 23-inch alloys and chrome running boards. We’re sure Beckham wouldn’t be so crass, so you shouldn’t either – just fit a non-dating plate and darken the windows, for instant Saturday respect right up until you park in the supporters’ car park. They’re a common sight but still one of the best large SUVs to drive, and available second-hand from £16,000. That will buy either 4.4-litre petrol V8 or a six-cylinder diesel; we’d go for the latter, as you’d need Becks’ cash to freely enjoy the former. Price new: £59,000 (4.8iS)
Chrysler Grand Voyager
Poor old Becks, he probably brought this to stop Posh nagging about how difficult it was to get a pushchair into the Aston. It has ‘Grand’ in the title, too. He chooses black paint with windows to match, feels like a gangster when he first takes delivery… then his heart plunges when he drives it. It’s clumsier than a Deportivo tackle, and the V6 is thirstier than a pre-G4 Gazza, allegedly. Better instead to sit back in the superb leather captain’s chairs and let a minder do the driving. With Spice world on the DVD, now it makes sense. Price new: £33,095 (3.3 Limited XS)
Ferrari 550 Maranello
What could be more thrilling than a large Ferrari with an enormous bonnet, below which sat a 5.5-litre V12 engine? Even better is to have David Beckham cash, enabling you to bypass the waiting list for the car personally recommended by F1 presenter Martin Brundle. Beckham shows his astuteness by not replacing it with the inferior 575M facelift, enjoying the original with its entire iron fist, velvet glove power in tact. A Daytona for the new Millennium. Price new: £150,000
