THE 10 CRAZIEST CARS IN JAY LENO’S GARAGE

You may recognize Jay Leno as a comedy legend and late-night king. But for car enthusiasts, he’s something more: A true-blue aficionado with an insatiable appetite for all things automotive. Need proof? Just look at his enviable and eclectic collection of cars. When we say enviable, we mean having a 122,000-square-foot garage in Burbank, California, that houses vehicles ranging from a 1955 Buick Roadmaster Restomod to the EcoJet Concept car. He’s got the classic rides and concept creations that tout engineering marvels we only wish were available for the masses.

Jay Leno owns a whopping 185 cars, apart from the 160 motorcycles he’s collected over the years as of writing. So if you ask us if there’s something that perfectly captures humanity’s never-ending love affair with automobiles, his garage is definitely high up on the list. You can even check out his channel– Jay Leno’s Garage – which he dedicates to showcasing his “passion and expertise on anything that rolls, explodes, and makes noise.”

With this list, we’re taking you through some of the stars of his collection that will surely make your head spin, jaw drop, and car-loving heart race. Buckle up, gearheads — here are the 10 of the craziest cars in Jay Leno’s garage.

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1928 Bugatti Type 37A

Jay Leno has quite a collection of Bugatti cars. In fact, he even has what is believed to be the French car manufacturer’s oldest running creation: the 1913 Bugatti Type 22. But this section is not about that — the spotlight is on the 37A, which was built less than two decades after the legendary 22.

Engine Specs

A sports car that has established a name in its heyday (having won various Grand Prix races), it’s one of those pre-World War classics that deftly combine power, finesse, and lightness. Unlike the 37, which was designed for amateur racers, the 37A is supercharged, packing 20 more horsepower (from 59 horsepower to 79), having an engine that redlines at 5,000 RPM, and sprinting to a top speed of 122 mph. This was no small feat at the time. Jay Leno got his example from Robert Dunlop, former president of The American Bugatti Club.

1931 Shotwell

In 1931, a 17-year-old named Bob Shotwell had his sights set on receiving a car as a high school graduation gift. However, the road to achieving his dream wasn’t paved with simplicity: His father told him that if he wanted one, he should just build one. He did just that. And the outcome? A three-wheeled coupe that would later make its way into Jay Leno’s garage.

Shotwell personally reached out to Jay Leno, driven to preserve his creation. He knew that Jay Leno was a big automotive enthusiast, and he gave him the car so long as he looked after it.

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Wondering why would he be afraid of its potential disassembly. The answer lies at the core of the coupe. It houses a precious 1931 Indian motorcycle engine that propelled Shotwell to hit a staggering 150,000-mile odometer reading at speeds up to 65 mph. Not bad for a handbuilt car.

1955 Buick Roadmaster Restomod

It’s not just wicked. It’s a true head-turner that combines vintage looks with modern thrills. The 1955 Buick Roadmaster Restomod is the first car that Jay Leno owned when he moved to California. He bought it in the early ‘70s for just $350. A prized possession that he calls “Rosebud,” he’s spent a considerable amount of resources to modify it so it can perform as impressively as today’s sports cars — all while maintaining its timeless aesthetics.

Engine Specs

Today, he occasionally takes it out for a drive, and he enjoys a 620 horsepower Chevrolet crate engine mated to a 4L85E electronic overdrive transmission (from a C5 Corvette). It’s leaps and bounds more powerful than the original 246 horsepower 5.3-liter V-8 paired with two-speed automatic transmission, which was the popular transmission in the ‘50s.

He also got the air conditioning done (it originally didn’t have one) and kept the car’s AM/FM radio. Cruising modern-day California has never been more stylish.

RELATED: Even Jay Leno Approves Of These Two Home-Built, GM And BMW Powered Cars

1963 Chrysler Turbine Ultimate Edition

The introduction of the Chrysler Turbine Car marked a fascinating chapter in automotive history. Jay Leno purchased an iconic vehicle in 2008​​ from the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. As the name dictates, the 1960s vehicle is powered by a gas turbine.

It’s an unorthodox choice that tried to veer away from the emissions and other not-so-eco-friendly aspects of conventional engines. In its original promotional video, the brand named it “the most advanced, most practical gas turbine engine ever specifically designed for an automobile.”

Engine Specs

Its engine, a Chrysler A-831 turbine, comes with an iron housing, aluminum compressor, steel impeller, and aluminum-alloy turbines. It produces 130 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque. This rear-wheel drive ride can accommodate four passengers and hit a top speed of 115 mph, ideal for city drives and modest highway stints.

1990 Ford Shogun

A stunner in its own right, this Ford Shogun is an eccentric piece of metal. Road & Track even called it “the crazy mid-engined hatch Ford never made,” while Jay Leno acknowledges that “there’s nothing quite like it.”

Blending American muscle with Japanese precision, this Jay Leno possession is a far cry from the Ford Festiva that offered a mere 58 horsepower. Count on the ingenuity of Chuck Beck and Rick Titus, and you get a revamped Festiva that boasts a Yamaha-built V6 engine (from the Taurus SHO) assembled into its rear.

Engine Specs

If you’re on California highways, you might see him zipping around with this beast with one of the best power-to-weight ratios to come out in its time (It's around 220 horsepower is courtesy of the said engine and an additional nitrous tank). In the decades that he has owned it, Jay Leno barely did anything save for battery replacements, change oils, and nitrous refills.

1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor

Jay Leno used to work at a Mercedes-Benz dealer back in his college days. Fast forward, he’s now one of the owners of a 1972 Benz 600 Kompressor, considering it his favorite.

What’s not to love in a Benz-badged vehicle that epitomizes power and luxury — the kind you won’t find elsewhere in modern times? Just imagine driving one of the biggest cars produced in its time, in a sophisticatedly regal brown hue and equipped with a complex hydraulic system that orchestrates functions, from windows to seats.

Engine Specs

Jay Leno got it from Karl Middelhauve, a known Benz 600 enthusiast. This particular car is propelled by a V-8 engine upgraded with a non-factory supercharger, boosting its capacity to a robust 525 horsepower for a more spirited drive. For a classic car, it boasts innovative perks, including having a refrigerator in the center console. Of course, such features come on top of that unmistakable growl of a good, old Mercedes.

RELATED: 10 Mercedes Models That Are Built Like Tanks

LCC Rocket

LCC Rocket isn’t your usual out-of-the-box car. According to creator Gordon Murray, it’s the car that he’s always wanted to build. And in an attempt to turn that dream into reality, the visionary behind the legendary McLaren F1 offered the world a lightweight car (it weighs under 800 pounds) that features a rear-engined two-seater design sitting on an all-steel chassis, equipped with the best of motor technology of the time.

Look-wise, the ‘90s-launched automobile is reminiscent of a 1960s car. Tire-hugging fenders and gloss paint finish characterize its unusual beauty.

Engine Specs

There were only 55 Rockets crafted. While Jay Leno says it’s “no bigger than a coffin,” the ride it gives far transcends its size. It houses a Yamaha motorcycle engine generating 143 horsepower and capable of revving up to an impressive 12,500 rpm, paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox. And with that, you get nothing short of an exhilarating performance.

Blastolene Special

Blastolene Special is an intriguing, moving work of art, to say the least. In an interview, Randy Grubb, the aluminum maestro behind the metal masterpiece, shared that he doesn’t look at his creations as “cars “ but as “full-function sculptures you can drive.”

Engine Specs

Interestingly, Grubb has had an inkling that Jay Leno would buy the giant roadster as he was making it. True enough, the car enthusiast bought it for around $125,000 in 2003. It is called, has undergone several modifications — from adding struts to the side and a GMC truck axle in the front end for better torque to a six-speed automatic transmission to an upgraded V12 engine featuring fuel injection and twin turbochargers from an M47 Patton tank.

With a top speed of 140 mph, the car gives an outstanding 3,000 pound-feet of torque and 1,600 horsepower.

EcoJet Concept

Speaking of sustainability, a gas turbine-powered four-wheeler isn’t the only thing residing in Jay Leno’s garage that showcases such an idea. EcoJet is a one-off concept car that runs on biodiesel fuel. It draws its power from a Honeywell turbine and gives an output of 650 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

The EcoJet is the perfect car to round up the craziest cars in Jay Leno’s collection. After all, it’s a dream come true for one of the world’s most popular car buffs.

Engine Specs

We can trace EcoJet’s inception to a conversation he and Bernard Juchli (the chief mechanic overseeing his collection) shared. To bring his idea to life, he tapped Ed Welburn, the Vice President of Global Design at GM, for the design — and Juchli and his “Big Dog” team for the actual production. If anything, this resource-intensive project is a grand showcase of how far Jay Leno will go in the name of his love of automobiles.

RELATED: The Reason Why Jay Leno’s Garage Was Canceled

2010 Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita

Here’s a quick context as to how crazy this supercar is: It’s a limited edition masterpiece, with only two examples handbuilt. One of those got a feature on Jay Leno’s Garage show, with no other than Koenigsegg Automotive CEO and Founder Christian Von Koenigsegg himself.

It is a rare automotive gem that shines with its silver-white carbon-fiber body and a twin-supercharged V-8 engine under its hood. It can send 1,018 horsepower with a 797 pound-feet of torque. In just under three seconds — 2.7 to be more particular — you can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. Now that’s one outstanding figure. It becomes even more covetable among certified (and ultra-wealthy) gearheads with its soaring top speed of 254 mph.

Engine Specs

Fun fact: “Trevita” is Swedish for “three whites.” Interestingly, the original plan was to produce three of these hypercars. However, the intricate process of transforming dark-colored carbon into silvery white posed a challenge, resulting in only two CCXR Trevita vehicles that were made.

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