Though the comedian owns more cars than most people could ever even dream about (literally,) his heartbeats particularly hard for a few – the Jaguar XK120 included. He first saw one of the cars when he was just nine-years-old and fell in love with it from that moment on.
The cars were built from 1948-1954, and Leno worked to buy his in the 1980s when he first started making the money he needed to do so. It was the first collector car he added to his 136-car collection. It’s no wonder it’s so special to him!
1906 Advance Steam Traction Engine
This impressive machine weighs a whopping 13 tons and was built in the early 1900s. They were created to turn the soil, along with doing planting, harvesting, hauling, and more. The vehicle was restored by Leno’s friend, Orman Rawlings, who appeared in Jay’s garage to show it off.
It may only travel at speeds up to four miles an hour, but considering it can pull more than 50,000 pounds, it doesn’t need to be incredibly fast. The engine is over nine-feet tall and 24 feet long, and it takes between 250-350 gallons of water to power up.
1909 Baker Electric
This impressive 1909 vehicle was one of the first electric cars in existence. It’s been referenced as traveling “back to the future,” as it dates back to more than 100 years ago. It was initially marketed to women since it didn’t need cranking, and it didn’t smell like gasoline, plus, it required little maintenance.
Leno has said that he believes the future of automobiles lies in something that hasn’t yet been discovered. Though electricity is a nice alternative, as he puts it, “the problem is, where do you get it?” Of course, there’s always solar power…
1917 Fiat Botafogo
Jay Leno’s crazy-loud 1917 Fiat Botafogo has a good reason for being so as it cruises down the streets. It likely has a lot to do because it’s equipped with a 21.7 A. 12 engine – just like those used in aircrafts in World War I. The car can hit speeds of nearly 147 mph, which is pretty decent for an older car.
However, when it comes to braking, drivers can run into issues. As anyone who’s driven the car before has come to realize, you need to give yourself a ton of extra room for slowing down to a stop; about a quarter mile’s worth.
1963 Chrysler Turbine
The Chrysler Turbine is a unique kind of vehicle, and another one that Leno happened to get his hands on that exists only in a few more places on earth. The gas piston engine wooshes with a jet-like sound, and when it first hit the scene, people went nuts for it at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, where a line was wrapped around the block of those who were interested in testing it out.
There were only about 130 of the cars made during the early 1960s, although today, there are only nine left – and Leno’s the proud owner of one of them.