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Even before starring in Friends and far before scoring his Top Gear gig, Matt has been an avid gearhead, and his car collection proves it.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when we mention Matt LeBlanc? For most people, it's his iconic catchphrase "how you doin'?"

While LeBlanc has done other roles, it’s his Joey Tribbiani avatar in the hit sitcom Friends that sticks out as the most memorable. But when LeBlanc isn’t goofing off, he’s actually quite the gearhead, which is why he scored the gig as one of the hosts of Top Gear where he stayed for a whole three years before finally signing off, stating it took up too much of his time in traveling.

What most don’t know about him is that he’s quite the car collector and a big Porsche fan. So yes, his collection features a lot of Porsches, a couple of Ferraris, and some little gems you would not expect a celebrity to have; but then again, LeBlanc shows that it's not about throwing money around, but all about taste.

It’s interesting if an eclectic collection of cars makes up Matt LeBlanc’s garage, and there are hints of Joey Tribbiani in them if you remember the Friends episode, "The One With Joey's Porsche."

Not only does "Tribbiani" own a Porsche 911 GT2 RS, but he also owns one of the only 500 ever made because it's a 2011 one. The 3.6-liter flat-six in this version jets 620 horses, another 516 ft-lb of torque and, admittedly, makes the hair on the back of LeBlanc’s neck stand up.

In one of the episodes of Friends , LeBlanc’s character, Joey Tribbiani, finds the keys to a Porsche in Central Park and then pretends that he actually owns one, to the extent that he wears Porsche branded merchandise. The irony is that LeBlanc has six Porsches in his garage.

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The Fiat X1/9 was a two-seater mid-engined sports car that came designed by Bertone. It was produced from 1972 to 1982 by Fiat and later by Bertone, from 1982 to 1989. With a transverse-mounted engine and a rear-wheel-drive, the Fiat X1/9 is a well-balanced sports car that was not the fastest but still managed plenty of track wins.

To see Matt LeBlanc own one of these is a bit of a surprise, but it also shows that man is a true gearhead who can look beyond American muscle as well as Porsche to delve into some unique pieces for his garage.

Much like his character in Friends , Matt LeBlanc does have some Italian roots, from his mother’s side, although from his dad’s side he is French Canadian. So obviously, the man has got to have a Ferrari in his garage, and this is where the 360 Modena enters.

With a 3.6-liter Tipo V8, this hardtop Ferrari makes a cool 400 horsepower and looks very classy and expensive. In the years LeBlanc has owned one, he has supposedly put only 9,000 miles on it, meaning it's rather rarely driven.

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So it's not as if LeBlanc only likes a modern Porsche, he’s enough of a fan to like them classic as well, which is why he owns a 1987 Porsche 911 numbered as the 930. The car has quite the story behind its eventual arrival and engineers had to jump it through several hoops to meet both emission standards, and of course, Porsche power.

It’s a cool-looking car as well, and as Matt LeBlanc believes, the only Porsche worth owning is a 911, new or old.

While LeBlanc does love his Porsches, enough to own six of them, too much of a good thing can be bad, right? This is why he has a Mercedes as well, not that it's any kind of a laggard for that matter. This is the car he mostly uses as a daily driver. Sigh. Fun to be rich and famous, no?

That said; even for a daily driver, the ML63 AMG is one fast car, which can zip 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds, because it boasts a 518-horsepower 5.5-liter Biturbo V8. Charmed, we're sure!

LeBlanc’s 911 Carrera is a 2012 model, and jets 408 horses and 310 ft-lb torque from its 3.8-liter flat-six mill that boasts an engine roar that could be heard from a mile away, like sweet, sweet music. The reason behind that exhaust note is the sports exhaust system that puts a smile on a driver’s face, a mile wide.

The ride is smooth, thanks to Porsche’s Traction Management System, and the looks are as handsome as LeBlanc himself. Little wonder that he’s a fan.

In 1973, Alejandro De Tomaso struck up a deal with Lee Iacocca, and what he made under the De Tomaso brand, Ford would sell. And so the De Tomaso Pantera came to the US, like a beautiful Frankenstein.

It bore a 310-horsepower Ford V8, had its body manufactured by Vignale, came designed by Tjaarda, and was finally assembled in Modena. LeBlanc himself called this car his labor of love, and admitted that he had spent a bomb on it but does so with a twinkle in his eyes which tells fans, it was totally worth it.

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In an interview a while back, LeBlanc actually mentioned how he had his heart set on a Ford Focus, saying, “You know what I'm going to buy next? One of those new Ford Focus RS, wheel drive, 350 horsepower, turbo-four models. Sounds fun.”

And it is fun, even if Ford markets it as a city car because it's small and comes with zippy power. Although in front of a Porsche, its 125 horses is a joke. But then again, perhaps this is the car LeBlanc likes to drive when he wants to be a tad incognito. But then again, everyone knows he owns a bright blue one.

After a taste of the 360 Modena, LeBlanc decided he needed a Ferrari upgrade. Never mind that he spent three years driving the coolest cars on Top Gear. His need for speed is a legit one, which is why he got the Ferrari 458 Italia, which boasts a 0-60 mph of under 3 seconds.

That said, reports suggest he has not been able to drive it all that much and while that may preserve the resale value of this fantastic sports car, it's not as if LeBlanc needs the money. He just needs the speedy thrills.

No, this is not what LeBlanc uses to crush recalcitrant cars into submission, even if he gets an evil look in his eyes when he gets behind the wheel. While this is not his daily driver, he uses it himself, on his California ranch, to eke out dirt trails.

Because the man not only has a cool collection of cars, he is quite the motorcyclist as well and has Ducatis and Aprilias in his bike garage. But that’s a story for another day.

Sources: Men'sJournal.com, NZHerald.com

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Arun Singh Pundir has been a longtime media crackerjack and worked most of his life in sales and marketing. In 2018, he officially flipped and switched sides to the editorial. He lives with his wife, two rascally sons and is a car and motorcycle nut in his free time. Not that he has too much free time. He currently writes news, features, and listicles for HotCars on anything that has any number or kind of wheels. He is also penning pop culture, lifestyle and all things rich for TheRichest. For now, he considers his Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, Suzuki Ciaz, and Royal Enfield Classic 500, the three current flames of his life. His dream is to drive around the world; even if it takes more than eighty days.