25 Cars Jay Leno Drives in LA Traffic

Jay Leno became an international celebrity when he moved from stand-up comedy to host. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno from 1992 to 2009. Leno may have one of the most recognizable faces (and voices) in the world, but he also has one of the world's finest car collections.

Leno collection value estimates are typically around $50 million thanks to a combination of historic value, wild customization, and forward-thinking concept cars. This figure makes the collection a major part of Leno's estimated net worth, which is around $350 million thanks to an annual salary of around $20 million by the end. The Tonight Showrunning.

But Leno doesn't just keep his cars in museum showroom condition - he's well known for piloting even the most radical examples on the streets of Los Angeles, from traffic jams to the windy hills of Malibu. In the modern age of cell phone cameras, Leno's insane cars and instantly recognizable profile can cause congestion on their own, which Los Angeles puts up with thanks to the unique landmarks the comedian usually brings to the road.

After its launch, hosting The Tonight Show, Leno returned to the public eye with a web series Jay Leno's garage, giving the world a glimpse into the detailed mechanical and historically obsessed mind that seeks, restores, maintains and enjoys a wide range of vehicles. The show has now been running for four seasons, and some of the most famous and least known cars in the world have received equal shares of love. Keep scrolling through the list of 25 cars that Leno drives through the streets of Los Angeles.

25 1918 Model 66 Pierce Arrow

This huge roadster's wide range of features seems to make it a terrible choice for touring around Los Angeles, but Jay Leno still takes it on cruises regularly. Perhaps the strangest detail is that Pierce Arrow was an American manufacturer, but a right-hand drive car nonetheless.

Then we add an absolutely monstrous 14-liter inline-six under a long hood, which, by the way, blushes only at 1,800 rpm, and the fact that the car is 100 years old - and it still functions perfectly, has never been restored, and the decision seems even crazier. But Leno, being Leno, should enjoy even the wildest cars in his wild collection.

24 1917 Fiat Botofogo

The oldest cars in Leno's collection date back to an era when radical automotive innovation resulted in cars that hardly resemble today's cars.

An example is this 1917 Fiat Botofogo with its 21.7-liter Fiat A.12 engine used in World War I fighters.

To imagine that the tiny Fiat 500 that is so popular today was built by the same company that made Botofogo is staggering, especially since the Botofogo had a 50-gallon gas tank, which itself is probably almost as big as a modern Fiat.

23 Ford Model T

A car collection as large as Jay Leno's simply wouldn't be complete with one of the most famous cars ever made. The Ford Model T brought the automobile to American homes as early as 1908, although many Americans today would probably be mistaken in believing that the Model T was the first car ever made.

By today's standards, the Model T is small and underpowered, but Leno still takes it on trips around Malibu and causes traffic to slow down just by having his face in front of everyone, although a pristine Model T is probably a bit big. deal for car enthusiasts.

22 Randy Grubb Custom Decopod Tri-Pod

It sounds like it would be dangerous to drive those little chrome scooters on the streets of Los Angeles, but Leno obviously couldn't resist riding the tiny modified scooters.

The Art Deco Decopod Tri-Pods are custom-built by Randy Grubb based on a Piaggio MP3 scooter with an all-aluminum body that covers the driver, with old-fashioned details including rivets and tails that hark back to Grubb's modified Airstream trailer.

Of course, proper aluminum helmets are a must, and luckily Randy Grubb covered all the basics and made the helmets in the same shop as the tripods.

21 1931 Dusenberg Model J

Stopping in a 1931 roadster among the supercars that populate the streets of Los Angeles feels like bringing a knife into a gunfight, but in reality, the Dusenberg Leno is probably worth more than all the Lamborghini and Ferrari in this shot combined.

The Model J was former American manufacturer Dusenberg's attempt to compete with the world's most expensive cars when it debuted in 1928, but unfortunately the Great Depression hit soon after. However, the Dusenberg Model J is sure to impress with its timeless styling and the roar of its 7.0-liter V8 engine (with minimal emissions requirements to muffle the engine's music).

20 Campagna Motors T-Rex 16S

Campagna Motors T-Rex featured on Jay Leno's garage is a Canadian-made tricycle that is technically registered as a motorcycle, despite the fact that it can seat two passengers side by side.

1600 cc six-cylinder BMW engine cc produces 160 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque from just 1,150 pounds.

The engine is mounted right behind the cab and connected to a six-speed sequential transmission that drives the rear wheel, allowing it to 0-60 km/h in about four seconds. The front wheels are even wider than those of the Corvette ZXNUMX, making the T-Rex manageable to match its impressive speed.

19 Jaguar XKSS

Many motorists will probably look at this Jaguar XKSS and immediately recognize that it was once owned by movie star and automotive legend Steve McQueen.

McQueen owned the car for years, had it converted to British Racing Green and piloted it around Los Angeles just as Jay Leno was lucky enough to work with the Petersen Automotive Museum.

But despite its legendary good looks, racing straight-six engine taken from D-Type racing cars, and that incredible exhaust note, driving the XJSS around Los Angeles can be a bit of a pain due to the anxiety that comes with the fact that its estimated value is somewhere around $30 million.

18 LCK Rocket

via californiacaradventures.com

If this tiny car seems more suited to F1 than the streets of Los Angeles, it's because it's essentially a race car turned into a road-legal (albeit tiny and lightweight) car.

Designed in the early 1990s by Gordon Murray, who would write the McLaren F1 soon after, the LCC Rocket weighed just 770 pounds and was powered by a Suzuki motorcycle engine that produced 143 horsepower at a stratospheric 10,500 rpm. Only 46 missiles took to the streets, and Leno is apparently brave enough to pilot one of them without even wearing a helmet.

17 McLaren F1

via californiacaradventures.com

The McLaren F1 was the world's foremost street legal car when it debuted in 1993. McLaren only built 106 of these cars, and the F1 was essentially a racing supercar, right down to its center driver's seat and passenger seat on either side.

In 1998, Formula One set the world speed car record at 1 mph, beating the Jaguar XJ240.1's 220 mph.

The F1 was purpose-built for city streets, but its performance was so incredible that a slightly modified example even won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.

16 Ford Festival Shogun

The Ford Festiva may look like an awesome rally car from the 1980s, but the Festiva was actually a slow hatchback with less than 60 horsepower. But luckily, some wild tuners named Chuck Beck and Rick Titus put a 220-horsepower engine into it, converted the drivetrain to rear-wheel drive, and even added a nitrous oxide system to boost the power by another 90 horsepower. Called the Shogun, the result isn't exactly an RS200, but more reminiscent of the hot rally hatchbacks of its time - and with only seven ever built, it's certainly a rarer model.

15 Ronin RS 211

British manufacturer Lotus has been producing nimble, lightweight sports cars for decades that offer moderate power but always excel in handling on winding roads. But a Californian tuner named Frank Profera wanted to take the Lotus and turn it into the best of both worlds, so he redesigned the Exige's body into an aerodynamic wedge more like a Batmobile, beefed up the turbo to deliver 36 psi, and added ethanol injection to boost power. 680-liter four-cylinder engine up to 1.8 horsepower. Driving through LA traffic seems like a waste of time—unless Leno was heading straight for Angeles Crest.

14 1952 Ferrari Barchetta

Jay Leno was given the opportunity to drive a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta around Los Angeles thanks to another loan from the Petersen Automotive Museum. But despite its amazing looks and insane price tag, this Ferrari is special because it was owned by Henry Ford II.

The car fell into Ford's hands in the early 1960s, when Ford and Ferrari were considering a merger (Of course, once Ford found out that Enzo Ferrari wanted to retain control of his racing team, the deal fell through and Ford retaliated in the form of the GT40).

This Barchetta, a one-of-a-kind car with a V12 racing engine under the hood, was a special gift that Enzo no doubt later wanted to return.

13 Hydrogen fuel cell BMW 7 Series

Jay Leno's carbon footprint, with all the ancient cars and their vintage gasoline-guzzling engines, must be huge. Combine a plethora of V12 and V8 engines, tank and aircraft engines with zero percent catalytic converters and modern alcohol and nitrogen turbochargers, and it's almost out of place to see Leno driving a BMW 7 swapped for a hydrogen fuel cell. Row.

But despite the initial shock, it only makes sense that someone who has invested so much in automotive history would take the time to promote one of the possible future paths the industry could take to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

12 2015 Corvette Z 06

via carfanaticsblog.com

Jay Leno not only deals with old cars and modern tuners, but also tests the latest offerings that the global automotive industry produces. But the temptation to push these cars, like this Corvette Z06, to the limit can be overwhelming, and Leno was actually pulled over while filming the movie. Jay Leno's garage. Sure, his fame was probably a factor, considering he rode with the top down, but who in their right mind could resist pushing the 06-horsepower V650 Z8 to its limits and beyond in the windy hills of Malibu?

11 Custom 1929 Packard Boattail Speedster

The history of this custom 1929 Packard Boattail Speedster dates back decades when an enthusiast named Jerry Miskevich first saw the model in a car magazine and decided he would one day own it.

However, Detroit-based manufacturer Packard went out of business in 1958, so Miskevich was stuck trying to build his dream car from parts he could find on the aftermarket for nearly two decades.

The result was an incredible Speedster based in part on the Super 8 that cost significantly less than buying one of the few surviving examples, since the car he first saw many years ago was a test car for Packard's chief engineer.

10 TANK Mono

The BAC Mono claims to be the world's only single-seat supercar, and judging by the big grin on Jay Leno's face, it delivers a thrilling ride even in traffic. British manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company has released the Mono, which is powered by a 285-horsepower Ford Duratec engine modified by Cosworth.

That power is channeled to the ground via an F3 sequential drivetrain that sprints to 0 km/h in less than three seconds thanks to a ridiculously low curb weight of just 60 pounds.

Driving a BAC Mono in LA traffic can be dangerous considering the car is probably lower than most rear view mirrors, but at least a small sports car can meander between clunky SUVs.

9 Hispano-Suiza 8 "Horseless Wagon"

Leno loves to have his cars featured prominently in automotive history, and his custom aerospace-style roadster with a Hispano-Suiza 8 engine is no different. The Hispano-Suiza 8 was the world's first DOHC water-cooled V8 engine when it debuted in 1914, and produced about 300 horsepower at a ridiculously low 1,900 rpm.

Leno eventually found one that could be plugged into a completely custom build with a Delage bus drivetrain and garbage truck rear differential. The huge torque of the 18.5-liter engine allows the beast to reach a top speed of 125 mph, which is not bad for a car that Leno calls his "horseless wagon."

8 Jaguar C-X75 Concept

When Jaguar unveiled the C-X75 concept car at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, it was one of the most advanced cars in the world. The hybrid-electric transmission was equipped with an electric motor for each wheel, and the battery was powered by two diesel turbine engines.

The final production plans used an induction motor instead of a diesel engine, but the project was shelved in 2013 after only five were built.

Cars from the James Bond movie Spectre in 2015, thanks to their futuristic looks and price in excess of $1 million, it takes a lot of courage for Leno to test drive one of them in Los Angeles.

7 Runge FF006 RS

Minnesota freelance builder Christopher Runge got the chance of a lifetime when Jay Leno invited him to California to ride the Runge FF006 RS and FF007 Gullwing Coupe. Based on the mechanics of post-war Volkswagens and Porsches, Rung completely handcrafts sleek aluminum body panels and a completely custom chassis - in this case based on an engine sourced from a Porsche 912.

Sleek, light, and with a windshield so low that it looks like a pilot's goggles might be fine, the Runge FF006 roadster can hit 100 mph with ease and still looks like part of an early 1950s hot rod.

6 Porsche 918 Spyder

Among all the historically significant cars that Leno drives around Los Angeles, his collection is complemented by some of the most futuristic cars in the world. But driving the world's finest sports cars and concepts can seem almost as ridiculous as driving a tanker of fire from behind, as traffic and traffic lights completely stop the driver from enjoying the incredible performance of cars like the Porsche 918 Spyder. .

Produced from 2013 to 2015, the 918 Spyder is a Porsche hybrid supercar with nearly 900 horsepower that can hit 0-XNUMX mph in just XNUMX seconds. Blowing up stop sign after stop sign can be a lot of fun, but the car really needs to be on the track and not in stop-and-go traffic.