The Cars of the Playboy Playmates

From: http://jalopnik.com/

Since 1964, Playboy's given a car to every Playmate of the Year. This year, the magazine gave Hope Dworaczyk a BMW S1000RR motorcycle. This exclusive retrospective shows how her bike stacks up against the rest of the Playmate garage.

The tradition of Playboy giving its Playmate of the Year (PMOY) a car to go with the title's customary monetary prize of $100,000 started in 1964. That year, PMOY Donna Michelle won herself a 1964.5 Ford Mustang convertible. It was painted in a shade known as Playmate Pink, and the gift coincided with the launch of the original 'Stang.

Over the years, the cars have ranged from tame vehicles like 2007 PMOY Sara Jean Underwood's Mini Cooper S Convertible to powerful roadsters like 1965 PMOY Jo Collins' Sunbeam Tiger, and serious muscle cars like 1969 PMOY Connie Kreski's Shelby GT500 Fastback — the latter equipped with a 428 Cobra Jet V-8.

1996 PMOY Stacy Sanches has the only 4x4 — a Jeep Wrangler — and at least one unfortunate playmate received a kit car as her prize. Porsche is the most patronized marque, with a whopping eight cars. There are four Jaguars on the list, three Corvettes, and three Shelbys.

Do the girls have any choice in the matter? We know from an interview with 2005 PMOY Tiffany Fallon that she was asked what car she wanted, or at least given options:

When I became Playmate of the Year, Playboy asked me what kind of car I wanted, and I jumped at the chance to get into a Corvette, which I still have. It's a really hot car, and I've only been stopped twice for speeding.

We bet she got out of those tickets.

Where do the cars come from? They're often donated as part of a marketing campaign — as with the original Ford Mustang — and, on other occasions, are purchased by Playboy. Though the playmate doesn't always get to pick the car she's won, she's usually allowed to choose its color. (Playmate Pink stopped being offered as an option after 1975 PMOY Marilyn Lange's Porsche 911S.)

Jalopnik's independent study of PMOY cars yielded a list more complete than the one Playboy itself keeps on file, mostly because the magazine doesn't have a complete record. Playboy was nevertheless invaluable in helping discover a few PMOY cars that we were unable to find or verify. Neither Jalopnik or Playboy was able to find cars for two playmates (1991 and 1994), and it's entirely possible they didn't receive cars at all. (One got a boat!)

That said, we've compiled this — the best gallery ever built of the cars of Playboy's Playmates of the Year.

To see the above gallery on a single page, click here.

If you'd like to read more about Hope Dworaczyk, Playboy's 2010 Playmate of the Year, the magazine's June issue hits newsstands and Playboy.com on Friday, May 14th and includes a first ever 3-D centerfold. More photos of Hope are here.

(Special thanks to Steve Mazeika and Playboy for providing assistance in verifying and completing the PMOY list. All photos copyright Playboy Enterprises unless otherwise noted.)

Send an email to Matt Hardigree, the author of this post, at matt@jalopnik.com.

Top 10 Surprising Cars that Celebrities Drive

by Zach Bowman, Contributing Editor
http://www.driverside.com

We tend to think of celebrities as cruising around in high-dollar sheet metal 24/7, but the truth is not everyone who makes headlines in entertainment likes to roll in pricey rides. We’ve worked up a list of the top 10 surprising cars that celebrities drive. Have a look to see if your favorite celeb commutes like you do.

Larry David – Toyota Prius

The award for least-exciting celebrity car goes to Larry David’s Toyota Prius. The hybrid gas-sippers are nearly as popular among the Hollywood elite as Bentleys and Escalades. The 62 year-old TV producer has been behind the success of shows like 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' so odds are he’s got the cash to drive around in something a little more prestigious. Then again, a green image counts for a lot these days.

Kate Moss: MG Midget Mk III

Kate Moss is a little braver when it comes to the car she drives. The supermodel cruises around in an MG Midget MK III, a car renowned for its unreliability and safety hazards. What the little car lacks in modern convenience, it makes up for in charisma and driving bliss – characteristics we’re sure Moss appreciates.

Eric Bana: 1974 Ford XB Falcon

OK, so this one isn’t actually Eric Bana’s daily ride. It’s his first car. The Australian-born actor has had this thing since he was 16 and recently converted it into a competition-spec racer to take part in the Targa Tasmania – a brutal rally race in the land down under. Bana even made a documentary about the car.

Conan O’Brien

Late-night funny man Jay Leno may be better known for his car obsession, but Conan O’Brien has a pretty interesting vehicle of his own. It’s a 1992 Ford Taurus SHO. Far from the high-tech 2010 Taurus SHO, this five-speed creation of the ‘90s rocks a Yamaha-produced 3.0-liter V-6 with around 220 horsepower. Not too shabby.

Jeremy Piven: 1977 Ford Bronco

Actor Jeremy Piven may spend his time driving some high-dollar metal while playing Ari Gold in HBO’s 'Entourage,' but in real life the guy rolls in a seriously cool 1977 Ford Bronco. The truck has been restored to its former glory with a few extra tweaks, including larger wheels and tires.

David Spade: 1987 Buick Grand National

Who would have thought stand-up comedian David Spade would drive one of the coolest Buicks ever produced? The Grand National boasts a turbocharged, 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 245 horsepower – big news for 1987. With a sinister look outside, the car doesn’t exactly fit Spade’s funny-guy persona, but we love it anyway.

Daniel Radcliffe: 2007 Fiat Grande Punto

When the star of the astronomically grossing Harry Potter franchise turned 18, he had access to his $37 million fortune for the first time. What did he buy? A 2007 Fiat Grande Punto. The tiny, econobox three-door is one of the most economical and eco-friendly rides in Britain, hence the purchase. Still, couldn’t he have gone for something a little more interesting?

Zac Efron: 1999 Oldsmobile Alero

While Zac Efron may play the coolest kid in High School Musical, he drives around in a lowly 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. While the Olds is probably great reliable transportation, something tells us most actual high school seniors would laugh at this set of wheels. Efron’s either the most humble actor in the history of mankind, or this is some serious method acting.

Clint Eastwood: 1992 GMC Typhoon

Clint Eastwood spends his time cruising around in a GMC Typhoon. If you think this thing looks just like a lowly Jimmy, you’d be wrong. GMC produced the Typhoon for only two model years, from 1992-1993, and the company plopped a potent turbocharged 4.3-liter V-6 under the hood. Couple that mean powerplant to an all-wheel drive system and you have one of the quickest SUVs around.

John Goodman: 1997 Ford F-150

Reinforcing his regular-Joe persona, actor John Goodman uses a 1997 Ford F-150 as his chariot of choice. With an Emmy and Globe-winning career, we would think the "Big Lebowski" star could afford something with a little more panache. Then again, the best-selling pick-up in America kind of fits the guy.