Robert Downey Jr. to Give Away Six Custom-Made Eco-Friendly Classic Cars

Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr. recently announced that he will be giving away six cars from his classic car collection. These include a 1985 Chevrolet El Camino, 1972 VW Bus, 1972 Chevrolet K10 Pickup, 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE, 1966 Buick Riviera and a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette. The important thing to note is the fact that all of these classics have been made eco-friendly.

According to the official RDJ Dream Cars Sweepstakes website, this particular giveaway is valid for legal residents of the USA, UK and Canada (excluding Quebec) over the age of 18. There’s also a disclaimer that says that no purchase of donation is necessary to enter or win. In fact, making a purchase, donation or payment of any kind will not increase the chance of winning one of the six giveaway cars.

The ‘Iron Man’ star had recently posted on his social media about the giveaway stating, “In case you haven’t heard yet, I’m giving away some of my cars.” He also posted a photograph of him with the six cars from the giveaway. Also, each of these cars will come with a ‘Road Trip Kit’ which comprises a number of items like sunglasses, sweatshirt, crossbody bag and more. The ‘Sweepstakes’ officially began on June 16, 2023, and will end on July 16, 2024.

As for the classic cars itself, the 1965 Chevrolet Corvette has been converted into an EV by Rich Benoit and his Electrified Garage team. It also comes with mushroom-based leather which means no animals were harmed in the process. It’s also got disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and lightweight wheels and tyres.

The 1966 Buick Riviera comes with a first-generation LS series hybrid engine and transmission along with disc brakes and LED lighting. It also has an air quality sensor from Aclima that will gather real time air quality data. It even has custom wheels and tyres. The 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE is equally unique with custom lightweight wheels and tyres. There's a custom synthetic suede like interior that comes from recycled plastic bottles.The 280 SE’s original powertrain has been replaced by a modern diesel engine converting the fuel system to biodiesel.

The 1972 Chevrolet K10 Pickup, on the other hand, comes loaded with a recycled Tesla drivetrain. The custom K10 Pickup is a complete EV with a custom electric motor and battery set-up. The 1972 VW Bus is similar to the K10 Pickup in that regard as it too comes packed with a EV West electric motor conversion and custom battery rack. Other cool features include a custom built electric BBQ that’s recharged by the sun's rays using solar panels.

Last but not least, the 1985 Chevrolet El Camino gets a 2.7-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine instead of the original 4.3-litre, V6. It’s also got modified suspension with a 3-inch lift in the front and a 2-inch in the rear. It’s got solar panels installed along with a custom bike rack to charge the electric bikes on the move.

The 58-year old actor has collaborated with Edward Charles Foundation to raise money for FootPrint Coalition, which is a climate tech venture capital company. Hence, the giveaway of the eco-friendly cars from the actor's garage. Downey also did a show called ‘Downey’s Dream Cars’ where he explains the reason for the cars being eco-friendly.