Inside MLB star Shohei Ohtani’s car collection including praise from Elon Musk after buying $100k Tesla as first motor

MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani is reaching the finishing line over his blockbuster free agency.

And the Japanese baseball icon is expected to add to his luxury car collection when he finally signs a bumper contract worth well above $500 million.

The baseball star’s first car was a Tesla Model X SUV

</aThe purchase was praised by Tesla founder Elon Musk

Ohtani also owns a Bentley Continental GT

Before Ohtani moved to the United States from Japan in 2017, he could not drive.  The Los Angeles Angels star never drove in Japan because it’s too long a process to secure a license and he never felt like he needed one.  After passing his test in California, he set about choosing his first car.

At the time, his $4 million-per-year wage could have given him whatever he wanted.  Ohtani went electric, choosing a Tesla Model X that costs around $100,000.  Tesla creator Elon Musk showed his appreciation on X, when a photo emerged of the baseball hero arriving at Angels Stadium in the luxury SUV.  Replying to a tweet that alerted Musk to Ohtani drive, he responded with a heart emoji along with a small Japanese national flag icon.  “I’ve enjoying driving,” Ohtani said in February 2020 through his interpreter.

When asked if he was a good driver, the baseball star replied: “Pretty good.”  Since then, Ohtani has developed a love of fast cars, which has included an endorsement deal with Porsche.  He teamed up with Porsche in Japan to test-drive a $122,000 911 Carrera T, confessing it was the first time he had been behind the wheel of a luxury supercar.

According to Sportskeeda, Ohtani also owns a Rolls-Royce Wraith which is worth $330,000.  The Wraith is equipped with a massive 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine and has a stop speed of 155mph.  He also has a Bentley Continental GT, which is valued at $200,000 and can reach 207mph.  Ohtani also owns an Aston Martin DB11 at $205,000, plus a Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG valued at $170,000.  The Dodgers, Blue Jays, Giants, Angels and Cubs are thought to be the clubs still involved in the bidding for Ohtani.

An Aston Martin DB11 is part of Ohtani’s car collection