What’s the deal with sports cars?
Apart from the legendary 90s sitcom that bears his last name or his appearance in the 2007 cult classic “Bee Movie,” you probably know comedian Jerry Seinfeld as a bona fide car enthusiast. While other funny men like Tim Allen or Jay Leno build their car collections with an eclectic variety of different types of cars from different eras and brands, Seinfeld stands out with his hyperfixation toward one particular German automaker: Porsche.
While not-so-subtle hints about his Porsche fixation may be found within the decorative artwork in Jerry’s apartment in his namesake sitcom, his real-life collection shows that his tastes are more varied than they might appear. While he has amassed a large collection of Porsche vehicles that includes multiple iterations and different versions of the Stuttgart powerhouse’s 911 sports car, his stable also includes some gems like the exact Porsche 917K that was previously owned and driven by Steve McQueen in the 1971 movie Le Mans.
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In January 2025, Seinfeld attempted to sell the King of Cool’s purpose-built race car at the Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida, where it failed to sell even after a $25 million bid was placed on the star-studded race car. However, on a March 5 episode of Spike Feresten’s “Spike’s Car Radio” podcast, Seinfeld noted that he sold the car to “party he will not name” after the auction for an undisclosed amount “in the neighborhood” of $25 million.
Despite his high profile and high-dollar Porsche obsession, the comedian, worth a Forbes-estimated $1.1 billion, recently revealed that he also has a penchant for a much, much less exclusive brand for reasons that seem linked to his Porsche obsession.
What’s the deal with the WRX?
In a recent appearance on The Smoking Tire podcast, Seinfeld revealed that he’s been the proud owner of a few Subarus throughout his career. Although Subaru commercials say that love is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru, it isn’t fair to conclude that the comedian’s daily driver is some sort of run-of-the-mill Forester, Crosstrek, or Outback. In fact, Seinfeld’s Subies are much hotter, rarer, high-performance versions of the Impreza, specifically the WRX STI Type RA and an S209, which he says he drives for pleasure.
“I have a Subaru S209. Do you know what that is?” the Bee Movie star asked TST podcast host Matt Farah, to his surprise. “What a great car. […] I love Subarus.”
Farah and his co-host, Zack Klapman, dug deeper into his Subaru ownership history, which began with the acquisition of a 2018 WRX STI Type RA, a special edition limited to just 500 units in the U.S. and 75 units in Canada to celebrate a successful Nürburgring lap record attempt. According to Subaru, these STIs received special upgrades, including a carbon fiber roof, rear wing signature gold wheels, special pistons, a retuned ECU, an upgraded exhaust, and pistons.
Seinfeld recalls that his other Subaru, the S209, “is better” than the Type RA, so much so that he bought it back after regrettably selling it the week before the podcast episode was recorded, adding that he is “now totally in love with it.”
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And there is a good reason why. Like the WRX STI Type RA, the STI S209 is a limited-edition, ‘hard-core’ version of the WRX STI that was sold exclusively in the United States for the 2019 model year. Like the Type RA, it featured cosmetic upgrades like a carbon fiber roof and wing, as well as a host of engine upgrades, including a bigger turbo, upgraded exhaust, and an ECU that contribute to 341 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque.
Final thoughts
As one might expect, Seinfeld’s love for his “special Subarus” stems from their flat-layout engines, a natural connection between the Japanese manufacturer and Porsche, as both are the only automakers that still use Boxer engines. He also lamented that his Subaru’s driving characteristics have something “missing” in modern cars.
“When I started with cars, the way companies express their national character through these machines was so entertaining,” Seinfeld said. “And [these] precious few left that do it, and I think Subaru is one; they express their national character, and the Japanese automotive character is fantastic. They have a great automotive passion, and I love what they do.”