Many celebrities have massive car collections, including comedians Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. In fact, these two are known for having some of the largest collections in the world. And their cars aren't just cars; they comprise some rare gems that only the rich can afford. Jay Leno, for instance, has a car collection of close to 200 vehicles which he often shows off at his Jay Leno’s Garage show. Although he doesn't have as many cars as Leno, Jerry has also shown off his extensive collection on the Netflix show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Updated April 2022: Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld are among the richest comedians in the world. Apart from being famous comedians, the two have been friends for over three decades and have great automotive tastes. We have updated this list, first published in 2018, to present some of the best vehicles from Jay Leno's and Seinfeld's car collections.
The two comedians are often compared in terms of who, between Jay and Jerry, owns the better cars? While who owns many cars is an easier question to answer, who has the better rides is a question of personal preferences. That said, read on as we check out some of the coolest European sports cars found in these two comedians' collections.
18 Jerry’s 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
Out of the many incredible Porsches in Jerry Seinfeld's collection, this has got to be one of the coolest. The Porsche 911 has been around since 1963 in many different developments, but one constant factor has always been the rear-mounted V6 boxer engine and the all-around independent suspension. The car has been used for track racing, rallying, and the road. In 1999, the Porsche 911 came in fifth in an international poll determining the Car of the Century.
If the Porsche 911 is a special car, Jerry’s model is in another league. This was probably one of his most sound investments in terms of automobiles. The car has a 207-hp air-cooled engine and a five-speed manual gearbox and is considered across the globe to be a “race car for the street.” The Carrera RS was used during an episode of Jerry’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and it was also part of a 2014 fender-bender in the Hamptons. It survived. Today, this car is valued at a minimum of $500,000, with several of its kind selling for over $1 million.
17 Jay’s 1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2
The Porsche 356 was first introduced in 1948 and had a production run of up to 1965. The Carrera 2, one of which is owned by Jay Leno, was produced in the same year the 911 first came out, 1963. The 356 Carrera 2 is one of the best cars in Jay Leno's collection that every true gearhead should drive at least once.
In 1963, the 356 Carrera 2 was the fastest road-going Porsche. It had a top speed of 125mph and a starting price of about $7,000. Several of these cars were stripped down in weight and modified to give them better handling and performance in races. This particular model was restored by John Willhoit, the guy who owned it before letting it go. Jay Leno bought it from the man who acquired it from Willhoit. The estimated value of this beautiful 356 Carrera 2 is now about $1.5 million.
16 Jerry’s 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spider
The Porsche 718 was a race car produced between 1957 and 1962. It’s a RennSport build with a shorter wheelbase than typical predecessors, giving it the name the RSK. Making its racing debut at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans, the RSK Spider had a 142-horsepower, 1.6-liter, quad-cam, 4-cylinder flat-four engine. It also raced at the 1958 race at Le Mans and the European Hill Climb Championship in 1958 and 1959.
What makes this car even more remarkable is that it was just the 19th one ever built. It proved that a small car with a small engine could race against larger vehicles with larger engines. And beat them. Jerry parted with this '59 718 RSK Roadster in 2016 for a staggering $2.86m.
15 Jay’s 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
The Lamborghini Miura was the first supercar with a rear mid-engine and a two-seat layout. It’s considered the preeminent supercar in the world. The car has become the pioneering standard of supercars and high-performance automobiles worldwide. When it was first released in 1966, it was the fastest car on the road, and only 764 were built before production ceased in 1973.
Featured here is a classic example of the earliest model of the Miura, the P400, which was produced between 1966 and 1969. It cost $20,000, equivalent to $156,677.93 in 2022, pretty steep at the time. Jay Leno also owns another beautiful Miura, a 1969 Miura S.
14 Jerry’s 1990 Porsche 962C
The 962C is a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche to replace the 956. It had a long career on the track, lasting from its introduction in 1984 to the mid-1990s. The 962C ran on a 3.0-liter Porsche Type 935 twin-turbo flat-six engine that produced 572 horsepower. A road version of the 962C was also built toward the end of its competition life.
A road-ready version built by Vern Schuppan, called the Schuppan 962CR, was built for the Japanese market in 1991. It was sold for $1.128 million - over $2 million in today’s money. When it was time to let it go, Jay Leno exchanged the car for $1,650,000. And even at its age, it still looks as cool as ever, sort of like a spaceship, with a “stormtrooper” white and black styling that Jerry Seinfeld is so fond of.
13 Jay’s 1994 McLaren F1
In 2017, Jay Leno indirectly confirmed that his 1994 McLaren F1 was his favorite ride in his expansive collection. At its acquisition, the F1 was valued at $12 million, making it the most expensive car in his garage. The McLaren F1 is the original ‘90s supercar that blew all others out of the water. It set the Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest production car in 1998, reaching 240.1 mph, which was never broken until 2005.
The comedian has said that he doesn’t have a favorite car, but if a tornado or natural disaster struck his garage, his McLaren F1 would be the first car he saved. That's probably because this car is a certifiable beast and an iconic classic. Jay thinks it’s “one of the best-looking cars of all time,” and he loves how it was built.
12 Jerry’s 1964 Morgan Plus 4
The Morgan Plus 4 was produced by the Morgan Motor Company between 1950 and 1969. It is a more powerful and longer version of the company’s previous 4/4 model introduced after World War II. A high-performance version of the Plus 4 was announced in 1953, with the same 1991cc inline-4 engine used by the Triumph TR2. The manufacturer also introduced racing versions in 1962 featuring tuned engines and lightweight bodies. And even though the racers looked nothing like modern race cars, they had excellent performance stats at the time.
This car is the definition of cool, explaining why it is in Jerry Seinfeld's collection. These British cars are pretty rare in the United States, making them even more special and attractive when they finally appear on the road. With Jerry’s baby blue paint job, a 105 hp engine, and a five-speed manual transmission, the Morgan Plus 4 is one of the most exotic classics every gearhead dreams to drive.
11 Jay’s 1954 Jaguar XK120M Coupe
Jay Leno likes his newish, sleek supercars, but he also loves his older cars from the ‘20s and ‘30s. The XK120M was Jaguar’s first sports car since the SS 100, which ceased production in 1940. It was produced between 1948 and 1954. First introduced as a testbed for the new Jaguar XK engine, the car became such a hit with audiences that it caused a massive wave of sensation across the automotive world. As a result, Jaguar founder William Lyons had no option but to put the XK120M into production.
The first 242 cars in 1948 had wood-framed, open two-seater bodies with aluminum panels. The XK120M was one of the most successful sports cars of its era. With its curvaceous styling cues, the car began the curvy trend for Jaguar cars.
10 Jerry’s 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
Despite having a tragic history that marred this car’s iconic status, it’s still a legendary vehicle and a nifty little Porsche. The Porsche 550 was a racing sports car produced between 1953 and 1956. Only 90 were built with a 1.5-liter, air-cooled, flat-four boxer known as the “Fuhrmann Engine.” The first engine produced just 110 hp, but it was still a super-fast car that did tremendously well. It won its first race in the May 1953 Nurburgring Eifel Race. Over the next couple of years, the Werks Porsche team became a household, recognizable name, and they had outstanding success on the racing circuits of the day. Thanks to their success, Porsche became the first car manufacturer to get race sponsorships through Fletcher Aviation.
The most famous of the first 90 550s was James Dean’s “Little Bastard,” which he fatally crashed on the California Route 46/41 Cholame Junction on September 30, 1955. Still, according to Gooding & Co., the rare 550 Spyder ranks among the most desirable sports cars ever built. And the price tag on this baby shows that it was the highlight of Jerry’s 2016 17-car auction. The car sold for $5,335,000.
9 Jay’s 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe
This could easily be Jay Leno’s coolest car—it’s used on the billboard to promote his TV show, Jay Leno’s Garage, for Pete’s sake. It was the first iteration of the SL-Class grand tourer and was also the fastest production car of its era. It was introduced in 1954 as a two-seater with distinctive gullwing doors, a touch that has never gone out of style. The 300SL Gullwing Coupe, tailored to affluent performance enthusiasts, was a toned-down Grand Prix car. It was also the first-ever production car with direct fuel injection by Daimler-Benz AG. So with its distinctive doors, its first-ever fuel injection, and the world’s fastest top speed, the 300SL became an icon.
Today, the 300SL Gullwing Coupe is worth $4.62 million, though Jay might never get rid of his. He found it in the desert with no engine and no transmission, and thought he wouldn’t like driving it because it looked “heavy,” but after some restoring and tuning, he changed his mind. The gullwing, 200 mph, 571 hp Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG of today’s market is considered the spiritual successor to the 300SL. But it will never touch the original in terms of style and coolness. Not many cars could.
8 Jerry’s 1958 Porsche 356A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster
The 1958 356A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster is a beautiful Porsche with a long history. Just a hint on how far this car has come, the original price for a 1948 356 coupe was $3,750. This car, a 1958 specialized version of the initial offering, sold for $1,540,000 at the infamous 17-car Gooding & Co. auction in 2016. The 356 was the first Carrera Porsche ever produced.
The ’58 356 was also the first convertible model, featuring a taller, more practical windshield, roll-up glass side windows, and more comfortable seats. Jerry’s car was a unique car with forest green paintwork, it looked pristine, and that’s partly why it sold for so much at auction.
7 Jay’s 1956 Porsche 356A Speedster Outlaw
Like Jerry’s 356A car, Jay’s is nothing to sneeze at. It’s worth an estimated $1.5 million and was featured in an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. The car was comprehensively restored by Chuck Olenyk, who spent over 500 hours just fixing the rust.
Back in the ‘90s, Chuck tried to sell it for about $1,000 on the yellow pages, but nobody wanted it. This one’s been lowered, given a B-transmission, fixed floors, and rockers, and was called a Speedster. The windshield and soft top of the car were from replicas, redesigned because the original 356 Speedster tops were built from unobtainium. Leno's car was found in the heartland of car builders and enthusiasts (Michigan), constructed entirely of metal; eventually, Jay found the vehicle, and it caught his eye, so much so that he had to have it.
6 Jerry’s 2000 Porsche Carrera GT Prototype
The Porsche Carrera GT is an incredible sports car built between 2004 and 2007. Jay Leno's model is a special version because it was a prototype built in 2000, and one of the first 20 units ever made. How Jerry managed to get the prototype while the car was still in development is still a mystery, probably because he's a famous Porsche lover.
The car was supposed to be a part of his 2016 17-car auction, but it was never sold. As it is a prototype, there’s an agreement that whoever purchases it must never drive the car. It’s worth an estimated $1.5-$2.3 million. There were only 1,270 of these cars produced between 2004 and 2007.
5 Jay’s 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder
Whereas the other Porsches on this list could be considered iconic, beautiful, or sleek, this 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder is just straight-up badass.
The mid-engined plug-in hybrid supercar is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine, producing 608 hp, and two electric motors delivering an additional 279 hp, for a total of 887 hp. The car costs nearly a million dollars, at $845,000. Though this car has had three different recalls throughout the years, it’s still a great car, and Jay Leno must be happy with his purchase.
4 Jerry’s 1967 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III
Another super cool British sports car, the Austin-Healey 3000 was built from 1959 to 1967. The car began as an open sports car and ended as a sports convertible. Over 90% of all Austin-Healey 3000s were exported, mainly to North America. It was a massive success back in the day, having won in several European rallies and classic car competitions. The Mark III, one of which is the example owned by Jerry Seinfeld, came with a 148-horsepower engine, an upgraded version of the previous models, which had 134 horsepower. It was also the first version of the car to show the speedometer and tachometer directly in front of the driver.
Over 17,700 of these Mark IIIs were produced, and Jerry owns one of the final-year models. This car was basically a more affordable version of the Jaguars of the time—it was for people who wanted a British sports car but didn’t want to pay the big bucks. Even today, a cool Mark III can be had for about $65,000 to $100,000. But, pristine models have sold for up to $200,000.
3 Jay’s 1962 Maserati 3500 GTi
The Maserati 3500 GT is an iconic car produced between 1957 and 1964, and Jay Leno has a ridiculously gorgeous powder blue one in his garage. This car was a massive step for Maserati as it was the company’s first successful attempt at the Gran Turismo market and series production. Under its hood is a 3.5-liter long-stroke six-cylinder engine specially designed by Chief Engineer Giulio Alfieri for endurance testing. At the time, Maserati was a small company, but things would all soon change thanks to this car.
This particular ride was found in a barn and fully restored by Leno to include fuel injection. It was a two-year restoration project after being locked up in storage since 1981. He paid $20,000 for it and dropped a lot of money to restore it.
2 Jerry’s 1965 Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer named after Sir David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin from 1947 to 1972. But that’s not where its fame comes from. The DB5 is famous for being the most recognized James Bond car in history, first appearing in the Goldfinger film in 1964. Thanks to Oscar-winning special effects expert John Stears, who created the deadly silver-birch DB5 in the film, this car became one of the most famous cars in the world. The vehicle used in the movie was the original DB5 prototype, while a standard version was used for stunts.
On his show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry cruised around town in his 1965 DB5 with his guest, former co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The stunning aluminum body and the sweet-sounding 280-hp straight-six were enough to turn heads all day.
1 Jay’s 1963 Jaguar XKE
The Jaguar XKE was a sports car produced in Britain between 1961 and 1975. Thanks to its seamless combination of beauty, high performance, and fair pricing, the XKE became an absolute icon in the motoring world. The car featured monocoque construction, disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, and independent front and rear suspension. In addition, the XKE had incredible performance stats. It accelerated from 0-60 mph in under 7 seconds and had a top speed of 150 mph. With these goodies, the XKE spurred industry-wide changes throughout the world.
On its initial release in 1961, Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car ever made,” which was quite genuine and convincing coming from a competitor and legend like Enzo. A 2017 Business Insider article stated that the XKE “is the most beautiful car ever crafted by human hands. Jay Leno agrees with all these praising statements.