Steve Jobs scrambled to hide his Porsche 911 from billionaire as he feared it would cost him a $20,000,000 deal
Published on Feb 23, 2026 at 3:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Mar 05, 2026 at 8:48 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Steve Jobs once had to hastily hide his Porsche 911 because the controversial supercar could’ve been a potential deal-breaker.
Most people may be familiar with Jobs’ passion for Porsche and his habit of replacing his car every six months.
But this is an episode that happened well before that era.
In fact, it happened during Jobs’ brief – forced – hiatus from Apple.
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Why Steve Jobs decided to hide his Porsche ahead of an important meeting
In the 1980s, Jobs was ousted by Apple and essentially forced to resign.
He decided to launch NeXT, another aptly-named tech company, where he went on to work for about 10 years.
Jobs was not a poor man back then, and his obsession with Porsche was well-known, but NeXT was still essentially a startup, which means he was constantly scrambling to find funding.
Especially in the first few years.
Back then, Jobs apparently owned a Porsche 911 Turbo, and his colleague Randy Adams also owned the same car.
Not exactly the sort of car you expect from the people who are supposed to be running a two-bit startup, especially if these people are looking for funds to keep their business running.
And keep it away from bankruptcy.
One day, self-made billionaire Ross Perot was on his way to NeXT for a conversation about funding, and Jobs realized it wouldn’t have been a good look to ‘beg’ for money while having a couple of Porsches parked outside.
As a result, he made a last-second decision to hide the Porsche.
When Perot arrived, he was greeted by the sight of what must have looked like a couple of ‘Porsche-less’ capable but scruffy geeks.
With the Porsches in sight, maybe they’d have looked like two hipsters with money to burn.
Steve Jobs at Apple
- 1976 – Apple Inc. is founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, and Apple I is launched
- 1984 – Release of the Macintosh, a breakthrough GUI-based computer that defines Apple’s design philosophy
- 1985 – Steve Jobs leaves Apple following internal power struggles.
- 1997 – Jobs returns after Apple acquires NeXT and begins leading the company’s turnaround
- 1998–2001 – Launch of the iMac and iPod, revitalizing Apple’s brand and revenue
- 2007 – Introduction of the iPhone, redefining the smartphone industry
- 2010 – Launch of the iPad, creating the modern tablet market
- 2011 – Steve Jobs steps down as CEO, Tim Cook becomes CEO, and Jobs passes away later that year
We don’t know how things would’ve gone had Jobs not decided to hide the Porsches, but we do know that his strategy worked: Perot ended up investing $20 million in NeXT.
Fast-forward to 1997, and Apple bought NeXT for $400 million, bringing Jobs back into the ‘family’, and spearheading the Apple we know and love today.
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The ‘other’ Porsche story involving Jobs
While most people may not know about NeXT, Jobs’ ‘six-month rule‘ when it came to his personal car is public knowledge at this point.
For years, Steve Jobs famously replaced his Porsche 911 every six months to avoid having to put a license plate on it.
He did the same with the Mercedes-AMG he bought to replace the Porsche.
He was able to get away with it thanks to a little-known loophole that allowed car owners to drive a car without a license plate for up to six months.
By replacing the old – leased – car with a new one, he created an infinite loop whereby he never really had to put a license plate on the car.
A neat trick, especially for celebrities who didn’t want to get papped or doxxed.
And it worked a treat for a while, but then California changed the law.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
