Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most famous stand-up comedians of all time, thanks to his prolific on-stage performances, as well as his continually popular classic (and eponymous) sitcom. But he's also established a reputation as one of the greatest private collectors of Porsche automobiles in the world, earning recognition from fellow Porsche fans and car buffs for his passion for automobiles. He even started a talk show, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, which is roughly 1/3rd devoted to his favorite machines. Here's a rundown of some of the most impressive cars in his prodigious collection.
Unlike a lot of celebrity car collectors, Seinfeld has opted for an added layer of specialization in his collecting habits. He's focused largely on Porsche automobiles, and his enthusiasm for the brand now goes back decades. At one time, he owned 46 Porsches, but he recently sold 16 of them at auction. As you might imagine, Seinfeld's decision to auction off so many cars was a big event in the car world, as you can see in some of the footage from the auction below taken by Esquire:
Seinfeld's tastes also tend to run towards the classic rather than the modern, as with his 1963 Porsche 911, the first one ever made. He's also owned a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder among many, many other Porsche automobiles. Then there's the 1964 Porsche 911 he reportedly grabbed for $400,000 back in 1996, going on to spend another $250,000 on much-needed restoration work on the vehicle.
While Seinfeld has chosen to focus the bulk of his collecting on Porsches, he, like fellow comedian and car collector Jay Leno, has also developed a taste for rare and historical curiosities in the automotive field. There's the 1964 Volkswagen Camper "EZ Camper" that he sold in 2016, a classic camper van that may have reminded him of his suburban upbringing. There's his 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe, better known as one of the first cars driven onscreen by Agent 007. And then there's his prized 1955 Porsche 550 RS, one of only 70 ever produced, and the same model car that movie star James Dean was killed in – a reflection, possibly, of Seinfeld's morbid streak.
Seinfeld clearly has an eclectic sensibility when it comes to collecting cars, with brands like Fiat, Porsche, Volkswagen, and more represented among his holdings. But there is at least one automaker that has not earned the comedian's respect: Lexus. He's referred to Lexus as having "perfected the idea of a coffin on wheels," and has expressed disdain for everything from the brand's production line to its very logo.
Wondering how much Jerry Seinfeld's car collection is worth? No one seems to know a precise figure, but we do know that in that 2016 auction he sold $22 million worth of automobiles, and that was "just" 18 cars (16 Porsches and two Volkswagens). For much of his collection he has a massive, $1.4 million facility located somewhere underneath Manhattan. This facility has four separate storage areas, plus a modest living space, club room, office, and kitchen. Coolest of all may be the cameras outfitted throughout the complex that Seinfeld is said to be able to access via his smartphone at any time – the rich comedy superstar equivalent of breaking out your Hot Wheels and make sure they're all in proper shape.
