The Netflix series starring the famous comedian has published a book for its tenth anniversary.
Comedians in cars getting coffee is one of Netflix‘s greatest hits. A show starring the well-known international artist Jerry Seinfeld that offers —forgive the quick summary— “a mixture of caffeine, laughter, classic cars and adventures in the company of the brightest minds in humor.” To commemorate its tenth anniversary, he has published a book with some of his best anecdotes.
For those of you who haven’t seen the show, Seinfeld chats lightheartedly with comedy stars. In each chapter, which lasts just a few minutes, he drinks coffee with a celebrity while they both joke and discuss moments from showbiz or from their lives. But perhaps the leitmotiv of each installment —if we may say— involves the special vehicle used in each episode, a gallery of sublime cars that delights not only car lovers. Not surprisingly, the collection that Seinfeld personally treasures includes about 150 luxury models, of which the Porsche brand tops his list of favorites; and, of course, his wisdom and passion for the technology, design, and legend of so many dream cars is conveyed from the minute the show begins.
Comedians — including former President Barack Obama — share this journey with Seinfeld aboard authentic monuments on wheels throughout the eleven seasons (to date, more than 80 installments) of this very genuine space, packed with guests like Ricky Gervais, Larry David, Amy Schumer, Jim Carrey, Kristen Wiig, Dave Chapelle, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, and Eddie Murphy. Part of the world’s Who’s Who in comedy.
Although the comedian has said that the Porsche 911 1970 S/T 2.3 is his favorite, the series offers a catalog of classics as varied as it is (almost) second to none. And here at On the road trends we randomly choose 5, leaving the horizon clear for everyone to look for their getaway with Seinfeld with time and good humor.
Jerry Seinfeld picks up former President Barack Obama —he was still the President of the United States at the time— at the White House itself. And this is how he describes his means of transport for the occasion:
“This is a 1963 Corvette Stingray in silver blue with blue interior and dark purplish-like upholstery. Brutal. It has a 5359cc V8 engine, four-barrel carburetor and center lug wheels. Are there faster Corvettes? Yes. With a bigger engine that melts the tires? Sure. Are there cooler ones? I don’t think so! 1963 is the only year of split rear windows. (…). The idea behind this car is confidence, an American culture that said things and did them without having a clue how. We’ll put a man on the moon. How?”
A whole love song to the automotive industry, without a doubt. Even Obama admits to loving this model since he was a child —who didn’t?— and surrenders to the 1963 Corvette Stingray.
Let’s watch another episode: Jerry Seinfeld meets Chris Rock and this is his description of the chosen vehicle before sharing an evening and having a coffee while chatting about life and comedy, as if they were not the same thing:
“This retina-melting car is an absurdly beautiful 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S. Just 1.1 meters tall, it’s painted Arancio Borealis, Italian for ‘orange’. It’s powered by a 360-horsepower mid-mounted V12 engine. crosswise and has eyelashes on the headlights. It’s incredibly masculine and feminine at the same time.” And the presenter concludes: “It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful car ever designed.”
Ideal to enjoy a drive in good company. Yes, Chris Rock is also fascinated, although we have a feeling that he should not travel with Will Smith.
Next snippet. Jerry Seinfeld surprises Kristen Wiig with a 1964 Volvo Amazon in a throwback to Los Angeles’ legendary House of Pies. “Okay, let’s get serious,” the comedian starts:
“This is a pearl-colored 1964 Volvo 122 sedan with red leatherette interior and red wheels with hubcaps bearing red badges. In Europe they were called Amazon. It has a four-cylinder, four-speed engine. It has a 90-horsepower engine. That should be enough. It was also the first car with a seatbelt and padded dashboard.”
And he reflects: “Cars are the ultimate expression of the culture of an era. This car is the essence of Swedish values from the 1960s. Honest, hard-working, unproblematic, it doesn’t seek to impress and is built to last.” And he puts the finishing touch: “It also turns out that incredibly talented people like it.” Like Kristen Wiig, who agrees emphatically.
Before meeting the British genius who masterminded series like The Office, Jerry Seinfeld shows off the “gunmetal-colored 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn.”
“The name of the color is ‘audacious’. Who knows what it means? It is a two-door Rolls-Royce convertible for four passengers that weighs 2,540 kilos. It has a 6.6-liter BMW V12 twin-turbo 563-horsepower engine. Rolls-Royce says it’s the sexiest car they’ve ever made.”
The driver – of the program and of the vehicle – confesses that he had never tried it before and addresses Gervais with satisfaction: “I admit it. I let the car close the door, I drove off and I loved it”.
“This is a Tahitian blue 1976 Lamborghini Countach LP400 with a light brown interior,” Jerry Seinfeld is heard narrating before the usual dazzling shots at the beginning of each episode.
“It’s got a 740-horsepower, 4-cam V12 four-liter engine. It’s fueled by six Weber carburetors and that’s fine. And it can reach 180 mph, which in 1976 was good. I love its short sharp nose. It’s like a blade cutting through the air.”
And he concludes: “The idea of this car is that when you park you own the scene.” Just like Jim Carrey, the guest in this episode, and like each guest of Comedians in cars getting coffee. True international powerhouses that lend themselves to this game, exchanging confidences and sharing their love for the automotive industry.
There are many more episodes we could have mentioned. Many more collector’s cars belonging to the great Jerry Seinfeld can be seen on Netflix, so you can enjoy a dose of caffeine while you have a good time meeting different iconic figures.
