Patrick Dempsey's No Stranger To Beautiful Cars. Here's His Personal Collection
Patrick Dempsey may have spent much of his life as the center of Meredith Grey's world and a general Hollywood heartthrob, but acting (and Dr Grey) isn't his only love. He also has a passion for cars. Here is his incredible personal collection of gorgeous cars from companies worldwide.
Panoz Esperante GT
You likely haven't heard of Panoz before—that's because they're a relatively obscure American car manufacturer from the 1980s. But the Esperante GT is a rare supercar from Panoz that was first shown in 2000. They crafted the car in five modules out of molded aluminum: no welding necessary.
Panoz Esperante GT (Cont'd)
The hand-built supercar was sourced with a 4.6L Ford V8 engine that produced 305 hp. It could rocket to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and had a top speed of 155 mph. It's a good job that Panoz builds cars to race, because Dempsey is something of an amateur race car driver. The Panoz Esperante's racing history includes the American Le Mans.
Brian Snelson from Hockley, Essex, England, Wikimedia Commons
1963 Porsche 356A
Up next is one of his most famous cars: the 1963 Porsche 356A. One of the most iconic German cars ever, the 356 was the first ever Porsche production model back in 1948, with the "A" coming about in 1955. Typically powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder boxer engine, the 356A produces 59 hp and has a top speed of around 100 mph.
Alf van Beem, Wikimedia Commons
1963 Porsche 356A (Cont'd)
Not exactly the fastest Porsche ever, but you don't buy a gorgeous Porsche like this for the speed. Just 1,200 were sold in the United States, renowned for its lightweight design and agile handling. This was one of the first cars that Dr McDreamy bought early on in his career, and it's been his baby ever since.
Alf van Beem, Wikimedia Commons
1982 Porsche 911 SC
Another gorgeous Porsche in the garage of McDreamy is the 1982 Porsche 911 SC. The "SC" stood for "Super Carrera", referring to the Porsche Carrera engine that sat in the bay of this beauty: a 3.0L fuel-injected aluminum engine that produced 181 hp and has a top speed of 140 mph.
Onofrio Scaduto, Wikimedia Commons
1982 Porsche 911 SC (Cont'd)
Interestingly, the 911 was almost jilted from the Porsche product line entirely in the early 1980s, which could have meant that Dempsey missed out! Porsche CEO at the time, Peter Schultz, recounted being in the Porsche offices and seeing that the chief engineer and development head had cut the Porsche 911's longevity as a product at the end of 1981. Reports are that he walked over to the board, took a black marker pen, and extended the 911's lifespan clean off the page into the future. It was the car that saved Porsche.
1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
Back when Mercedes was producing cars for West Germany and North American markets, they built this gorgeous luxury sedan: the Mercedes-Benz 280SE. It was powered by a 3.5L inline-six engine that produced 185 hp, with a top speed of 130 mph. Dempsey's 280SE is a convertible version, as he can often be seen driving with the top down.
Lothar Spurzem, Wikimedia Commons
1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE (Cont'd)
Mercedes decided to completely redesign the engine in the 280 SE, releasing it as a 3.5L (from their 2.5L predecessor), adding a V8 instead of the six-cylinder. This gave the SE sports car-like performance from a position of extreme luxury. We're sure that Dr McDreamy appreciates the extra power on his rides around LA.
1972 Jaguar E-Type
It's not just German cars that Dempsey has an affinity for. Clearly, he's opting for the best of British with this 1972 E-Type Jag. One of the most beautiful cars ever crafted, the E-Type featured a sleek and slender appearance, technological innovations, and a high performance that made it an immediate icon. Powered by a 4.2L engine, the E-Type had a claimed top speed of 150 mph, could hit 60 mph in under seven seconds, and was one of the greatest cars of the era.
1972 Jaguar E-Type (Cont'd)
Alongside its engine, the E-Type Jag introduced a number of new technologies that would set a new standard for British sports cars. This included rack-and-pinion steering, front and rear independent suspension, as well as a unitary body construction that was both cheaper and different. McDreamy's Jag is one of two in his collection, but it's our favorite.
Jaguar XK120
Another gorgeous Jaguar in Dempsey's collection is the Jaguar XK120. He's in good company alongside Ralph Lauren as one of the owners of an XK120, Jaguar's first sports car since 1929 (it was released in 1948). The open-top two-seater caused such a stir when shown and tested at the London Motor Show that it almost immediately went into production.
Jaguar XK120 (Cont'd)
Powered by a 3.4L inline-six engine, the XK120 had a staggering top speed of 120 mph, making it the fastest production car in the world at the time. In 1949, esteemed American actor Clark Gable received the very first XK120 off the line, chassis number 670003.
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback
But it's not all about Europe and England in McDreamy's garage. Of course, there's room for American muscle, too. And, it doesn't get more "American muscle" than a 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback. This first generation created the iconic Pony cars of America, and is one of the most successful American cars in history.
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback (Cont'd)
The car was powered by a 4.7L V8 engine that produced 200 hp, thanks to double-barrel carburetors. Ventilation louvers and a huge rear windshield were brand-new at the time from Ford, but are now considered iconic parts of a traditional Mustang. Dempsey's all-black custom 1965 Fastback is now used for his racing career.
Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing
When he isn't tearing up tracks and breaking hearts, Dr McDreamy rides around in style in this Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing. The first car to be built and designed by AMG (Mercedes' ultra high-performance wing of the company), it was introduced in 2009 as having the "world's most powerful naturally-aspirated engine". That engine produced 563 hp and could propel the Gullwing to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and to a top speed of 196 mph.
M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, Wikimedia Commons
Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing (Cont'd)
Of course, all that power and torque pales in comparison to the real reason why people look at the Gullwing twice: those unmistakable doors from Back To The Future. One of many unique selling points, the gullwing doors can actually be detached quickly in the event of a rollover, allowing the occupant to escape the car quickly. We hope that never happens to McDreamy, though.
M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, Wikimedia Commons
Lotus Exige S
You knew there'd be another British car among Dempsey's collection, didn't you? And it's no slouch. Far from the opulence of the E-Type or even the XK120, the Lotus Exige S is simply built for speed. Unveiled in 2006 and using a Toyota supercharged 3.5L 4-cylinder engine that produced 380 hp, the Exige S had a top speed of 148 mph.
Michael Price, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lotus Exige S (Cont'd)
Part of the allure of the Exige S is the driving experience. It's quick, nimble and focuses on performance and power rather than gadgetry. The interior is minimalist and Dempsey's Exige S (which must have cost a fortune to import from the UK) is an all-silver beast.
Christian Giersing, Wikimedia Commons
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
You also knew there'd be another German car in here, right? The final car of the collection is this track-focused Porsche (of course) 911 GT3 RS. Powered by 4.0L flat-six engine that produces 518 hp, with a top speed of 183.8 mph, Dempsey's 911 GT3 is also impressive because it features computerized aerodynamics, like the rear wing, which can open and close based on computer data.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (Cont'd)
The naturally-aspirated engine rocketed one professional racing driver to 6:44.84 (m/s/ms) at the Nürbergring, making it the fastest lap ever by a naturally-aspirated car and the third fastest lap time in the history of the track. Your move, McDreamy.
Matti Blume, Wikimedia Commons
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