Is Jerry Seinfeld Really The One Who Pitched The 911 R To Porsche?

Everyone knows Jerry Seinfeld the comedian, but few outside of the automotive world know that he loves his Porsches. According to the latest episode of Spike’s Car Radio , Seinfeld reached out to Porsche about the idea of a 911 R 10 years go!

The 911 R is the vehicle 911 enthusiasts have been waiting for since the 911 GT3 went PDK-only. It’s got a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat six, a manual gearbox and does away with the GT3’s rear wing, so it doesn’t draw that much attention. Think of it as a less conspicuous version of the 991.1 GT3 with a manual transmission – and, as those we’ve driven it swear, it’s arguably one of the best cars Porsche has ever made.

While we all thought that Weissach was finally answering the requests of its customers concerning the manual gearbox, Seinfeld claims that he pitched the idea of a similar vehicle a decade ago. On the podcast, Seinfeld and host Spike Feresten recall a conversation the former had with a few of the automaker’s designers.

“I wanted to do a custom-made, one-off 911,” said Seinfeld. “Ten years ago, Grant [Larson] and I had discussed this, and he approached the board. What I wanted to build was a new 911 R, which they refused us, but then, four to five years later, the 911 R appears.”

That rear wing that was deleted? Well, Seinfeld claims it was his idea: “I wanted a super-lightweight, no-wing, GT3”.

So, does this make him the “father” of the 911 R? Can’t tell until Porsche comments on his allegations. In any case, the R has worked out really well for Porsche. It also worked very well for those who flipped their “used” Rs right away, as the huge demand allowed them to ask, and get, huge premiums.

Finally, the 911 R is supposed to be the first of many enthusiast-oriented models that Porsche will roll out in the future. Thus, if the famous sitcom star really was the one who had the idea in the first place, petrolheads should at least tip their hats to him.