Who Porsches Harder: Jerry Seinfeld or Jay Leno?
We interrupt your day to bring you two famous comedians and a whole lot of eye candy.
It's not every day that we see two of the world's most famous Porsche nuts checking out each others' cars, but that's precisely what happened at a recent meet at California's Malibu Country Mart. So, it's about time we settled this once and for all based on what they decided to drive that day: who Porsches harder, Jerry Seinfeld or Jay Leno? (Yes, "Porsches" is a verb now.)
Rolling up in the 1952 Porsche 356 America Roadster is Jerry Seinfeld, coffee run enthusiast and eponymous star of one of the '90s most iconic sitcoms. Only 11 America Roadsters are known to still exist today, according to Petrolicious. The America Roadster was a special open-top, enthusiast-focused car made especially for the North American market, and while it was an expensive sales flop in its day, Porsche fans today see it as a beloved rarity.
This America Roadster is the car that inspired the recently unveiled, ultra-limited-edition 911 Carrera GTS Cabrio America Edition—although let's be honest, the air-cooled stan writing about this would much rather have Seinfeld's original version.
Yet it's hard to say if Jerry would even be there in a classic Porsche if it weren't for another mega-famous face rolling up to this show, Jay Leno. Seinfeld bought what he calls his first "collectible" Porsche way back in 1991—a '58 Speedster—after thumbing through a Hemmings magazine in Leno's kitchen.
At this show, Leno showed up in a pristine 1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2, which may or may not be the perfect car to roll up on a summer day. (It's too hot in much of America for that roofless America Roadster, folks.) Leno featured this 356 Carrera 2 on his "Jay Leno's Garage" show before, where he called it "one of the most beautiful driving cars of all time." It was the fastest 356 you could buy in 1963 with a rare four-cam, two-liter air-cooled engine originally designed for racing use, and the first 356 to have disc brakes. It's a true if-you-know-you-know car for Porsche geeks, and that's why I love it so much.
So, tell us—which comedian's rare classic Porsche is cooler? Seinfeld's recognizable '50s rarity or Leno's stealthier '60s factory hot rod?
These are far from the only cool cars at the show, with everything from an E30 BMW M3 to a classic pink Cadillac convertible making an appearance. Take a break, tune out the harshness of the day, and enjoy a quality show from the cool indoors.
Show the author more cool cars and send in tips if you've got 'em: stef@thedrive.com
Correction: Thursday, July 28, 2022, 10:28 a.m. ET: A previous version of this article described the '58 Speedster as Seinfeld's first Porsche, but he notes that was his first collectible Porsche after having owned 911s before in this interview at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The article has since been updated.
