Meet San Diego car collector Jonathan Segal.
Jonathan Segal in his 1956 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Spyder; PHOTO BY AUSTEN SEGAL
THE COLLECTOR
As an architect, Jonathan Segal has an eye for the intersection of beauty and function, a talent he’s brought to downtown San Diego, where he’s crafted roughly 40 buildings. Through the success of his architecture career, Segal has lived out another one of his dreams— building a prize-worthy car collection. “There’s a parallel between my work and the car world,” says Segal, who focuses on Maseratis and Porsches. “When we create architecture, we create architecture for the love of doing it. Fortunately, it has enabled me to afford my collection. The same thing can happen with cars, but you have to love your cars because they rise and fall in value.”
THE PASSION
“I would say I’m known as the Maserati guy. My collection has 14 cars, including a 1956 Maserati 200SI. I also have a 1938 Lancia Astura, which is a one-off incredibly cool car that was made for a very important Count in France,” he shares, noting that four of his Maseratis are one-of-one, plus a race car that’s one of 15 in the world. His Porsches—a 911 GT3 RG, 911 S/T, 1957 356 Speedster and 1959 356A 1600 Super Sunroof Coupe—are equally special to him. His collection has also allowed him to travel the world. In England, his Maserati A6GCS/53 Frua Spider took home Best of Show at the 2023 Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace. “One day, I’d like to be a Best Winner at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance,” says Segal.
Jonathan Segal's 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Zagato was a runner-up for Best in Show at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2021; PHOTO BY DEAN SMITH
THE TAKEAWAY
“The most important part about car collecting is that it’s not only an investment but a lifestyle. It’s making the life we live more enjoyable,” says Segal, who hopes to acquire a rare Maserati out of Monaco soon that he’s been chasing down for the last decade. “I’ve met some pretty fantastic people and been to some pretty fantastic places in the world due to cars.”
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