Patrick Dempsey’s Collection Is Full of McDreamy Cars
It’s no secret that “Gray’s Anatomy” star Patrick Dempsey likes to drive fast. After all, he has one of the best racing career records in Hollywood. Unsurprisingly, Patrick Dempsey keeps a stable of spectacular cars, from classic Porsche 911s to a rare Panoz Esperante GT.
Patrick Dempsey has a thing for Porsches and Panoz supercars
McDreamy loves to spend time behind the wheel. After his wife gifted him with a racing course, he took to the track like a second home. Years later, Dempsey fosters the latest apex-clipping talent after racing many of the world’s finest circuits. What’s more, his time in the driver’s seat brought him into a friendship with the late Don Panoz, founder of the now-defunct Panoz.
As a result, you’ll find a seldom-seen Panoz in Dempsey’s garage. Specifically, the “Ferrari” actor has a Panoz Esperante GT, a V8-powered performance coupe. Of course, the actor didn’t stop at one set of wheels. He has many cars and an evident taste for Porsches.
- Panoz Esperante GT
- 1963 Porsche 356
- 1982 Porsche 911 SC
- Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
- 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
- 1972 Jaguar E-Type
- Jaguar XK120
- 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback
Patrick Dempsey told Architecture Digest about how cars influence his aesthetic and psychological approach to life. “The visual aspect of my life is important to me. It changes your psychology to see things that please you.”
From a look at his collection, important might be an understatement. From his classic Porsche 356 to his 997-generation 911 GT3 RS, Dempsey clearly identifies with the iconic shape and driving dynamics of the Zuffenhausen marque.
Beyond high-revving Porsches, Dempsey has a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Convertible. “Now that’s a fun car—our family car, cool, classic, elegant, it just floats. There’s a little body roll, not a tremendous amount of power, but it’s great just to cruise up the coast.”
However, Dempsey didn’t keep all of his cars. The “Bridget Jones’s Baby” star sold his Jaguar XK120 and many of his four-wheeled treasures. Still, he couldn’t part with his turquoise 1972 Jaguar E-Type. We can hardly blame him for the decision to retain that V12-powered drop-top Jag.
Despite his love for world-class European cars, McDreamy doesn’t dismiss classic American vehicles
In addition to his European classics, Patrick Dempsey owned a custom 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback. This was no typical Mustang build, though. The Blue Oval restomod was the product of Panoz Auto Development. Sensing a pattern here?
Panoz took two-and-a-half years and around $300,000 to complete the build, cannibalizing SN95 and S197 Mustangs in the process. Of course, you wouldn’t find a small block 302 V8 under that hood; the custom Mustang’s heart was a supercharged 4.6L V8 from an SVT Cobra Terminator. The classic restomod sold for $166,000 in 2020.
Source: Architectural Digest, Bring a Trailer
