In the heart of Silicon Valley stands a pristine two-story white garage, home to a remarkable collection of Ferrari masterpieces. Their owner, Jan Koum, the co-founder of WhatsApp, describes his relationship with these Italian machines in passionate terms: “I feel like Ferrari is my Italian mistress. When I drive one, I feel like I’m cheating on my other cars.” Koum’s journey to becoming a Ferrari enthusiast is as extraordinary as his path to tech entrepreneurship.
Born in a small village outside Kyiv, Ukraine, his early life was marked by hardship. His family home lacked basic amenities like hot water. After moving to California at age sixteen with his mother, their struggles continued, forcing them to rely on welfare food stamps to survive.
The transformation began when Koum co-founded WhatsApp with Brian Acton in 2009. Following nearly a decade of experience as an infrastructure engineer at Yahoo, Koum’s venture into mobile messaging would change his life forever. In 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for an astounding $19 billion, and with this windfall came the freedom to pursue his automotive passions.
His love affair with Ferrari began with the 458 Speciale, a car that captured his heart with its naturally-aspirated V8 engine. “It’s amazing for a naturally-aspirated engine to have that kind of performance and horsepower per litre. You just don’t see it anywhere else. There’s no other V8 like it,” Koum explained in an interview with Ferrari Magazine several years ago. This initial purchase sparked a collection that would grow to include three more Speciales, a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and an F12tdf.
What draws Koum to Ferrari goes beyond mere performance statistics. “It’s the racing history, the Italian engineering, and all of the Italian passion that goes into the production of these cars that I find appealing,” he said. For him, each Ferrari represents a perfect blend of heritage, engineering excellence, and emotional appeal.
Despite making his fortune in cutting-edge technology, Koum remains steadfastly traditional in his automotive preferences. He stands firmly against the industry’s push toward autonomous driving and electrification. “There are plenty of people who don’t care about driving and just want to get from point A to B,” he acknowledged, “but there are plenty of other people like me who are passionate and enthusiastic about driving.”
For Koum, the sensory experience of driving is paramount. He insists on hearing the engine’s roar and the exhaust note, describing himself as “old school” in this regard. The physical act of turning a key and feeling the engine come to life is an irreplaceable part of the driving experience for him.
Despite his tremendous success and impressive car collection, Koum maintains perspective on his journey. He chose to sign the momentous Facebook deal while leaning against the wall of the same welfare office where he once stood in line for food stamps. “I still have the same friends, and work, and personal life as before,” he reflected. “I just have nicer toys now!”
His garage in Silicon Valley stands as a testament to both his success and his passion for automotive excellence. In fact, he is one of the most prominent collectors of Porsches in the US. At one point, his collection included some of the most desirable cars made by Porsche. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the most appreciative collectors are those who remember what it means to have nothing at all.
