Jerry Seinfeld, the legendary American comedian, auctioned off 17 cars from his collection early last month, netting himself a handy US$22.2 million. While slightly under the initial projections of US$28 to $32 million, what’s a few million when you are one of America’s best-loved comedians?
The stand out piece at the auction, though, was the funnyman’s Porsche 550 Spyder, which ultimately went for US$5.3 million, following an intense bidding war. While it is, after all, an iconic car, the demand for the Spyder was still perhaps a little surprising given that the model is somewhat infamous. It was, of course, a customized version of the same automobile that was driven by James Dean on his final journey. As the story goes, when the actor Alec Guinness viewed the customisations Dean had made to the model, he felt that the car had something of a “sinister appearance.” He went as far as telling Dean: “If you get in this car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week.” Guinness was, of course, wholly right.
Thankfully, Seinfeld’s version has had a rather happier history. Personally introducing the sale, he said: “I wanted to be here with all of you who came to see these cars and I hope you will enjoy the hobby the way I did. I wanted to see your faces and feel your enthusiasm.”
When it came to the Porsche Spyder, Seinfeld waxed lyrically in the catalogue, saying: “You can’t drive a sonnet by Shakespeare or a symphony by Beethoven, but this would be the automotive equivalent.” Fancy.