When Leno’s 1970 Mazda Cosmo made an appearance on My Classic Cars, on the North American Speed Channel in 2006, everyone believed that it was the only one of its kind remaining in the U.S. Though since he replaced the original engine with an RX-7 12a, it couldn’t be counted as entirely authentic.
It wouldn’t matter, anyway, because Mazda ended up finding one more Cosmo in the hands of another collector in Phoenix. The cars were initially sold for around $4,400 but are worth nearly $170,000 today.
Chevy Nomad
The Chevy Nomad appeared on the scene in 1955, after the prototype generated a buzz. The car’s been called the “prettiest station wagon ever made,” which is perhaps one reason Leno felt the need to add it to his collection. However, he made a lot of changes to his model, including widening the grille.
Some authorities have said that the Nomad was “hastily” put out, and some of the features were less-than-desirable. For instance, the two passenger doors (which is one of the changes the entertainer made) and the slanting tailgate.
Bentley Twin Turbo
Leno could have an entire garage dedicated solely to his Bentleys, which include this 1924 Twin Turbo. Perhaps one of the best in the collection, it sports an 8.0 liter (with a 3-liter chassis,) 400+ horsepower engine.
Driving one of these has been compared to piloting a WWII fighter aircraft, which seems to be a running theme throughout the cars in his garage. The car was so speedy that it could win first place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924!
Citroën SM 5 Speed
The entertainer has several favorites in his collection, but he’s always loved his teal blue 1973 Citroën SM 5 Speed. This little car has appeared in several productions, including a Janet Jackson music video and a chase scene from the 1974 classic film, "The Longest Yard."
There were 2,500 made, so it isn’t so much that the car’s rare so much as that it’s just a great car. It won several awards, including Car of the Year by Moto Trend in ’72. The Citroën provides a smooth ride with motorcycle-like steering and a Maserati engine.
Doble E-20 Steam Car
Leno’s 1925 Doble E-20 Steam Car is as rare as it is vintage – a double whammy for the car enthusiast. The cars were built by Abner Doble himself, a genius engineer, and MIT graduate who founded his car company with his brothers.
Unfortunately for him and possibly the rest of the world, his engineering skills were much better than his business skills, and the company only built 36 cars between 1922 and 1931. The entertainer considers himself very lucky to own two of the vehicles, including this one.