Chris Rea owned a Porsche 911 with 1,242 miles on the clock and a 1972 Fiat 500 he had converted to run on Tesla batteries.
Both are going to auction next month, and together they say more about the man than most obituaries managed.
The singer, who died last December, acquired the 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS in June 2023. It has barely been driven since.
Finished in Slate Grey Neo with black detailing and a leather and Alcantara interior, the car is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six producing 473bhp.
The GTS is widely considered the sweet spot of the 992 range, balancing serious performance with everyday usability.
It has been carefully stored and is expected to sell for between £80,000 and £100,000.
A Fiat 500 with Tesla batteries
The Fiat is a different proposition entirely. The 1972 city car was converted to full electric power in 2023 by Retro Electric Ltd, fitted with a Netgain AC-20 motor, Tesla battery modules and an Orion battery management system.
It manages an estimated 75 miles on a charge. The estimate sits at around £14,000.
Where the Porsche was stored, the Fiat was driven. It was a car Rea actually used and enjoyed, classic Italian styling with the engine swapped out for something that would not trouble a congestion charge zone.
“The breadth of his taste”
Car expert Charles Smalley, commenting on the sale, said the two vehicles together tell a fuller story than either would alone.
“The Porsche is a modern performance car with very low mileage and clear collector appeal, while the Fiat 500 is something he used and enjoyed over many years,” Smalley said.
“Together they show the breadth of his taste and, equally, the range of cars we are proud to offer at auction.”
Both cars will be sold by Iconic Auctioneers at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire.
Why it matters
Celebrity provenance reliably inflates auction prices, and Rea’s name carries particular weight among car enthusiasts.
He was a genuine collector, not someone who bought expensive vehicles for Instagram content.
For automotive creators and commentators covering the auction space, this sale offers strong material: two contrasting cars, a well-known owner, and a story that goes beyond the spec sheet.
The electric Fiat conversion angle alone taps into a growing audience interested in classic cars meeting modern technology.
Rea was famously passionate about cars and motorsport throughout his life.
These two feel like a fitting final chapter of that collection, one kept pristine, one actually lived with.
Bidding opens next month. The Porsche will attract the collectors.
The Fiat might attract the people who actually understood him.
