12 Most Disgusting Cars From The Jay Leno Collection (12 Really Lame)

In addition to being known for being on The Tonight Show, which he hosted between 1992 and 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014, Jay Leno is also a regular car collector. In fact, when he left the Tonight Show, NBC was worried that he might move on to competing channels, but they were relieved when he decided to create a leisurely car program in retirement called jay leno garage, where he showcased some of the best cars from his collection.

Jay Leno owns 286 cars, which is more than most people have in their lifetime. Of these vehicles, 169 are cars, the rest are motorcycles. He is very knowledgeable about cars, so much so that he has his own columns in Popular Mechanics and the Sunday Times. Fun fact: when game developers for LA Noire had to do some research on 1940s cars, they didn't go to Wikipedia, they went to Jay Leno's garage because he has a lot of them.

Many Leno cars cost more than seven figures. He has some of the coolest cars on the planet. It also has flaws because no one is perfect. There are cars in his collection that will make you drool, and there are those that will make you scratch your head.

In an effort to be impartial, we have compiled this list of the 12 best and 12 worst Leno cars.

24 Worst: 1937 Fiat Topolino.

The Fiat Topolino was an Italian car manufactured by Fiat between 1936 and 1955. It was a tiny car (the name translates to "little mouse" if I may say so), but it could also reach 40 mpg, which was unheard of at the time. time (and still pretty impressive).

The main problem with this car is its size. If you're over three feet tall, it's almost guaranteed to be small. Another problem is that the car only has 13 hp! (Yes, you read that right.) That meant it had a top speed of 53 miles per hour, so it drove more like a Hot Wheels car than a real car, and in today's world, it couldn't even drive on a freeway. If you want to slowly (VERY slowly) move around the city, then this car is for you.

23 Worst: 1957 Fiat 500

Another subcompact car from Italian automaker Fiat, the 500, was a four-seater (!) city car produced from 1957 to 1975, and then again in 2007 for the car's 50th anniversary. Jay Leno usually only buys cars that are unique and different from each other, and what made this car different was that it was only the second one ever built right off the assembly line.

What would Leno do with a car that he doesn't really want or need? Sure enough, he auctioned it off at the Pebble Beach Charity, along with a tour of his garage. He probably wasn't too upset when this one rolled out of his garage, otherwise he probably wouldn't have put it up for auction at all.

22 Worst: 1966 NSU Spider

The NSU Spider was a car manufactured by NSU Motorenwerke AG from 1964 to 1967. As you can see, it was not produced for long, and in fact only 2,375 units of the car were built. We have to admit that it looks pretty cool, although not quite up to par with some of the other 60s classics.

The NSU Spider's claim to fame is that it was the first Western mass-produced car to be powered by a rotary engine (water-cooled single-rotor engine with standard front disc brakes).

It's a quirky car with styling that Leno himself called "silly but sophisticated." We don't think it's too hard. It's too small, especially for Leno's size. In addition, it was expensive for its time, and its main competitor was the Porsche 356, to which, as history shows, he lost that battle.

21 Worst: Shotwell 1931

It's hard to find a car more unique than this 1931 Shotwell. If you've never heard of it, it's because it wasn't a real car company.

The history of this car is amazing. It was built by a 17 year old boy named Bob Shotwell in 1931.

The story goes that his father didn't want to buy him a car. He told his son, "If you want a car, build your own," that's what little Bob did. It is built from Ford Model A parts and an Indian motorcycle engine.

It's a three-wheeler that looks flimsy and a bit outlandish, but Bob and his brother managed to get 3 miles on it. They even took him to Alaska. It was almost destroyed when Leno got it, but Leno restored it - and it's still weird.

20 Worst: 1981 Zimmer Golden Spirit

The Golden Spirit was built by Zimmer, an automaker founded in 1978. This particular car was built specifically for Liberace and it shows. Possibly the most outrageous car ever made. It has a candelabra hood ornament, as well as other candelabra ornaments placed in odd places, and a 22 carat gold steering wheel.

Leno said it was essentially an '81 Mustang with a stretched chassis fitted with a bunch of unnecessary plastic parts inside and out. He spent a full three minutes on his show talking about the ridiculousness of the car, ending by stating "this is probably the worst car I've ever driven." He also said that Liberace was a funny guy with a sense of humor, and in the end, maybe that was the point of the machine.

19 Worst: Chevrolet Vega

The Chevrolet Vega was a car that was produced between 1970 and 1977. Jay Leno called it the worst car he's ever owned, which is a pretty fair statement for someone who owns so many cars.

Even in its heyday, the Vega rivaled the Ford Pinto as America's worst car manufacturer. This single-handedly led GM into rapid decline and helped drive them into bankruptcy years later.

Leno told Vanity Fair that he bought a terrible $150 car and then told his favorite story about the car. “One day my wife called me in a panic and I asked, ‘What happened? and she said, "I turned a corner and part of the car fell off." Just a big piece of bumper!”

Leno went on to say that there are no bad cars, only cars to love and take care of.

18 Worst: Volga GAZ-1962 '21

Volga is a Russian automaker that originated in the Soviet Union. GAZ Volga was produced from 1956 to 1970 to replace the old GAZ Pobeda, although the car company continued to produce versions of it until 2010.

By the mid-2000s, Volga realized that their car was inadequate to today's market for high-tech cars, and for good reason: GAZ was assembled terribly.

It was powered by a slow 4-cylinder engine, fitted as standard with a 3-wave radio, reclining front seats and a heater, and an anti-corrosion coating to protect against Russian winters. The car's only redeeming feature was that it looked cool, though not better than other classic cars from the 60s and 70s.

17 Worst: 1963 Chrysler Turbine.

This car is one of the most expensive on this list, with an estimated cost of $415,000, but it's a great example of how high cost doesn't match high quality. This car was an experimental model with gas turbine engines (a jet engine at 22,000 rpm!), which was supposed to eliminate the need for conventional gas or pistons. Basically, it can run on just about anything: peanut butter, salad dressing, tequila, Chanel #5 perfume… you get the idea.

Only 55 of these cars were built in total, and Leno owns one of the nine remaining cars. One belongs to another collector, and the rest to museums.

These cars were built between 1962 and 1964. Unfortunately, they were very unreliable, loud (imagine, right?) and inefficient. They are very rare but they are impractical so they are only suitable for a serious collector like Jay Leno.

16 Worst: 1936 Cord 812 Sedan

Here's another amazing looking car that doesn't claim to be the best when it comes to performance. The Cord 812 was a luxury car manufactured by Cord Automobile, a division of the Auburn automobile company, from 1936 to 1937. It was the first American design car with front-wheel drive and independent front suspension, which is quite claim to fame. He also pioneered enclosed headlights and an alligator boot with rear hinges.

The 812 also suffered from reliability issues very early on. (Hence its short lifespan.) Some of the problems included gear slippage and vapor lock. Despite having a reputation for being unreliable, it is still a beautiful car that no car collector or enthusiast will probably regret acquiring. In the meantime, we'll leave this matter in the able hands of Mr. Leno.

15 Worst: 1968 BSA 441Victor

The BSA B44 Shooting Star is a motorcycle manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms Company from 1968 to 1970. Nicknamed "The Victor", it was an off-road motocross bike that became very popular in its day after Jeff Smith used it to win the 1964 and 1965 500cc world championships. Then road models were released.

According to Jay Leno in a video interview on his Jay's Garage show, it was one of the biggest disappointments he ever bought because it "was like driving a bass drum" and "just wasn't any fun."

It's a shame given the popularity of this short-lived bike. However, when a car collector who has owned over 150 cars in a lifetime says it was one of his worst purchases, we have to take note and put it on the list.

14 Worst: 1978 Harley-Davidson Café Racer.

The Cafe Racer is a lightweight, low-power motorcycle optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort and reliability. They are made for fast, short distance rides, which certainly made it difficult for Mr. Leno to see this particular bike when he discussed it (perhaps he didn't know they weren't made for comfort). In the same clip where he called BSA Victor a big failure, he quickly cut himself off and called it another huge disappointment.

Leno told the story of walking into the store, finding a '78 Harley Café Racer and putting in cash to buy it. The dealer asked if he wanted to ride it, he said no, but he was convinced to give it a try. He did and subsequently hated it. He returned with a laugh, saying that the salesman must have been the only salesman in history to talk himself out of selling.

13 Worst: Special Blastoline

Depending on who you are and where you're looking, this car could be either the most unique and badass car in Jay Leno's garage, or the most outlandish, ridiculous, unwanted car ever built. We tend to adhere to the opinion of the latter. The Blastolene Special, or "tank car" as it was called, is a monstrous machine built by American craftsman Randy Grubb.

The vehicle is equipped with a 990 hp Patton tank engine from World War II. It has a 190-inch wheelbase and weighs 9,500 pounds. It gets 5 mpg and a redline at 2,900 rpm. Leno plans to install an Allison transmission to increase fuel consumption by 2-3 mpg. Surprisingly, it can reach a top speed of up to 140 miles per hour. For Leno, the man who said he "doesn't buy cars for the attention," this is a clear exception to the rule.

12 Best: 1986 Lamborghini Countach

Perhaps this is a typical supercar of the 80s, which is still considered an absolute classic. The Lamborghini Countach was a rear-engined V12 sports car produced from 1974 to 1990. Its futuristic design has made it one of the most popular cars for kids and car enthusiasts around the world. Although Jay Leno owns several Lamborghinis, this may be his best car and is still in excellent condition.

Its current value is around $215,000 and Leno spent over $200,000 to acquire this red beauty. In '2004, Sports Car International ranked it third on their list of the best sports cars of the 1970s and then number 10 on their list of the best sports cars of the 1980s. This is the car that every sports car lover craves, and while it was valuable in the 70s and 80s, it is almost priceless now.

11 Best: 2017 Ford GT

The Ford GT is a two-seat, mid-engined sports car developed by Ford in 2005 to celebrate the company's centenary in 2003. It was redesigned again in 2017. Here is the one we have.

GT is a special badge for the historically significant GT40, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in a row between 1966 and 1969. Fifty years later, two GTs finished 1st and 3rd.

Besides looking more like a high-end Ferrari or Lamborghini than anything Ford has ever made, it's also incredibly expensive. The 2017 car costs about $453,750. Needless to say, the Ford GT is one of the best American supercars. It has a top speed of 216 miles per hour and is one of the most valuable cars Leno owns.

10 Best: 1962 Maserati GTi 3500

The Maserati 3500 GT is a two-door coupe produced by the Italian manufacturers Maserati from 1957 to 1964. This was the company's first successful entry into the Gran Turismo market.

Jay Leno has a sleek, stunning blue 3500 that he likes to show off to his garage visitors. He also loves to ride it. A total of 2,226 3500 GT coupes and convertibles were built.

The car is powered by a 3.5-liter 12-valve inline-six engine with a 4-speed gearbox producing 232 hp, enough for a top speed of 130 mph. This car has been the pride of Maserati for many years, and their diligence has paid off with numerous victories in the Grand Prix and other racing competitions. They were very expensive cars, but that never stopped someone like Jay Leno from owning them.

9 Best: 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400

The Lamborghini Miura is another classic sports car produced from 1967 to 1973. It was the first two-seat, rear-engined supercar that became the standard for high-performance sports cars around the world. In 110, only 1967 of these V12-powered 350 hp cars were produced, making it one of the rarest and most expensive Leno cars. According to Hagerty.com, its current estimated value is $880,000.

The Leno version is the first version of the car, known as the P400. This car was Lamborghini's flagship car until 1973, when the Countach's extreme makeover was made. The car was originally designed by Lamborghini's engineering team against the wishes of Ferruccio Lamborghini, who at the time favored Grand Touring cars over race car derivatives such as cars made by Ferrari.

8 Best: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a Grand Tourer developed jointly by Mercedes and McLaren, so you know it's going to be awesome. It was sold between 2003 and 2010. At the time of its development, Mercedes-Benz owned 40% of the McLaren Group. SLR stands for Sport Leicht Rennsport or Sport Light Racing.

This ultra-expensive supercar could reach a top speed of 200 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. A new one costs $497,750, making it one of Leno's most expensive cars.

Want to know who else owns one of these cars? President Donald Trump. In fact, the SLR McLarens of both these two celebrities are nearly identical. While this car will eventually be replaced by the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, this one is just as cool.

7 Best: 1963 Corvette Stingray split window

The Corvette Stingray was a privately owned sports car that became the basis for the second generation Corvette models. It was designed by Pete Brock, GM's youngest designer at the time, and Bill Mitchell, VP of styling.

This car is known for its split window, making it instantly recognizable as the pinnacle of vintage corvettes.

A split window refers to a rear windshield that is split in the middle. It was designed to carry the stingray design, creating a spike-like stripe down the middle of the car that is very recognizable from a bird's eye view. Jay Leno owns one of these bad guys that is worth around $100,000.

6 Best: 2014 McLaren P1

The McLaren P1 is the pinnacle of supercar innovation. This limited edition plug-in hybrid car debuted at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It is considered the successor to F1, using both hybrid power and Formula 3.8 technology. It is equipped with an 8-liter twin-turbocharged V903 engine, has an output of 217 hp. and can reach a top speed of 0 mph, as well as accelerate from 60 to 2.8 mph in XNUMX seconds, making it one of the fastest accelerating cars on the planet.

Jay Leno owns a 2014 P1 supercar. It's worth $1.15 million, but that value may have come down since he bought it because, unlike most car collectors, Leno doesn't keep it in a garage, but instead drives it regularly. it makes sense, because who wouldn't want to regularly drive one of the fastest cars in the world?

5 Best: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

This classic car, the 300SL Gullwing, was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1954 and 1963 after it was built as a racing car between 1952 and 1953. This beautiful classic car was built by Daimler-Benz AG and produced with direct fuel injection. model. It was adapted for wealthy performance enthusiasts in post-war America as a lightweight Grand Prix car.

Doors that open upwards make this car so recognizable. It is considered by many to be one of the best cars ever made and we are sure many people are jealous that Jay Leno owns such a car because it is valued at $1.8 million. Leno restored his red race car with a 6.3-liter V8 after finding it in the desert with no engine or transmission.