Latest news with #S209
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jerry Seinfeld Talks about His Love of Certain Subarus
Comedian is well known. Turns out he's also into Subarus. On podcast, he discussed owning a couple of special WRX STI variants, one of which he'd just re-bought. He notes the appeal as being a throwback to a time when cars from different countries felt like they embodied national heritage. If you're an automotive enthusiast, you know that Jerry Seinfeld is really into Porsches. If you're a Seinfeld fan, then you know that Jerry drives Saabs. And also, he really hates it when he reserves a mid-size and you give him the keys to a blue Ford Escort. But in real life, it turns out Jerry Seinfeld is a fan of pancake motors of a different sort. Speaking on 'The Smoking Tire' podcast this week, which is just about to hit its 1000th episode, Seinfeld surprised hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapman by revealing his surprising affinity for hot Subarus. In fact, it turns out he'd just bought one last week, a WRX STI S209. The S209 is a pretty special car, especially considering that the STI is on hiatus at present, with Subaru offering its fans nothing more hardcore than the WRX tS. When new, the S209, which cost a staggering $65,000, was Subaru's tuning arm pulling out all the stops. Thanks to more boost for the 2.5-liter flat-four, it had a slightly laggy 341 horsepower and was festooned with aerodynamic extras from a huge rear wing to dive planes up front. For a guy who's into vintage 356s and has the wherewithal to buy the '99 911 Classic Club Coupe—a million-dollar one-off Porsche that's the most expensive 996-chassis 911 ever made—a huffed-up boostmobile seems an odd choice. But as Seinfeld explained in the podcast, it's the way Subaru was expressing Japan's character in automotive form with the S209, that brought him back to his first interest in cars in the 1970s. From test-driving an MG Midget to taking delivery of his first car, a 1973 Fiat 128 Sport L, Seinfeld's car history is pretty varied. But then, so were the cars: British cars were faintly tweedy, Italians flamboyant and emotional, Volvos stolid and Swedish. Country by country, cars used to be much more heterogeneous. In the modern sea of crossovers, there's less room for character. But a rally hero with anime aerodynamics and a chunky six-speed transmission? That's straight out of Initial D. Seinfeld told the Smoking Tire that he first bought a STI RA, then the S209, then sold the latter. He missed the S209 so much, he ended up buying it back. It's enough to make you reimagine the episode where George Costanza gets the big fur hat as one where he buys a flat-bill 555 baseball cap instead. Or where Kramer takes up vaping. But if Seinfeld's affinity for special performance versions from Subaru is surprising, it's also hugely relatable. We miss the STI too, Subaru. Can we maybe put in a reservation to get it back? You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Porsche Fanatic Jerry Seinfeld is Also A Huge Fan Of This Familiar Brand
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. 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. 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." 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. 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."
