Timeless Metal Magic
Leno has spent decades building a garage unlike any other. It’s a place where rare machines sit beside experimental ideas, each with its own journey. Together, they show how cars can shape culture and memory.
1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe
During the Great Depression, when most Americans couldn't afford a $400 car, pharmaceutical mogul Josiah Lilly casually dropped $25,000 on what would become the most expensive Duesenberg ever built. What makes this beast truly special is its 420-cubic-inch straight-eight engine.
The Most Expensive Duesenberg Ever Made - Jay Leno's Garage by Jay Leno's Garage
1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe (Cont.)
It produces approximately 265 horsepower through a downdraft carburetor system, all wrapped in an aluminum body that weighs over 6,000 pounds. The car features suicide doors, lockable wheel wells, and headlights that protrude from the fenders like alien eyes.
Jay Cross from Berkeley, California, US, Wikimedia Commons
1994 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 has the distinction of being the first example ever imported to the United States, making Leno's car historically significant beyond its astronomical $14–17 million value. This particular F1, finished in sleek black, came from a Dutch racing driver.
1994 McLaren F1 (Cont.)
With only 106 F1s ever produced, McLaren's insurance company actually forbids more than three examples from being stored in the same building. Under the carbon fiber body sits BMW's naturally aspirated S70/2 V12 engine, capable of propelling this 2,500-pound rocket to 240 mph.
naeem mayet, Wikimedia Commons
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Leno's 300SL tells a story of automotive archaeology. This particular Gullwing was discovered rotting in the Southern California desert without an engine or transmission. The car's weathered red paint, cracked from years of sun exposure, tells the tale of decades spent abandoned in harsh conditions.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Cont.)
Rather than restore it to showroom condition, Leno chose to preserve its patina, creating a rolling piece of automotive history worth between $7 and $9 million. The 300SL's direct-injection 3.0-liter inline-six was revolutionary for 1955. Those iconic gullwing doors were necessitated by the car's space-frame construction.
1953 Cunningham C-3 Coupe
When wealthy sportsman Briggs Cunningham set out to build America's answer to European racing dominance, he made something extraordinary and expensive. The C-3 Coupe originally cost $10,000 in 1953. Today, only 25 examples remain worldwide. Leno's immaculately restored C-3 commands around $1.2 million.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
1953 Cunningham C-3 Coupe (Cont.)
This man acquired his car and immediately took on a meticulous three-year restoration process, which was completed in 2017, bringing this forgotten American supercar back to its original glory. Early models had a 3-speed manual; later, some had Chrysler’s Presto-Matic semi-automatic two-speed.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
1913 Mercer Type 35J Raceabout
Long before there were supercars, there was the Mercer Raceabout. A stripped-down speed demon that could hit 90 mph. This pre-World War I marvel featured a T-head four-cylinder engine producing 55 horsepower. The Raceabout's minimalist design philosophy made it the motorcycle of the automobile world.
Craig Howell from San Carlos, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons
1913 Mercer Type 35J Raceabout (Cont.)
Leno's Type 35J represents automotive authenticity at its finest, as finding an original T-head Raceabout in unrestored condition is virtually impossible today. Recent auction results, including a 2023 sale, talk about a 1914 model that fetched $4.7 million.
brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Replica
Leno owns what might be the most authentic "replica" ever built. A Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic was constructed on a genuine Bugatti chassis with an original Bugatti engine, making it worth millions despite not being one of the four factory examples.
Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Replica (Cont.)
The real Type 57SC Atlantics are so rare and valuable that one sold for over $30 million in 2010, and another mysteriously disappeared during WWII, never to be seen again. Only fashion designer Ralph Lauren and a handful of collectors possess the originals.
Thesupermat, Wikimedia Commons
1931 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix
The Type 51 represents Bugatti's final evolution of their legendary Grand Prix racers, displaying an 8-cylinder supercharged engine that paradoxically produced less power than their 4-cylinder cars, but for good reason. Ettore Bugatti deliberately tuned the 138-cubic-inch straight-eight to deliver 180 horsepower.
Brian Snelson, Wikimedia Commons
1931 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix (Cont.)
This engineering philosophy made the Type 51 the thinking man's race car, where finesse trumped brute force. Built on the same chassis as Leno's Type 37A but engineered for international Grand Prix competition, the Type 51 could maintain high speeds for hours without mechanical failure.
Craig Howell from San Carlos, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons
2006 EcoJet Concept
What started as a sketch on a napkin became Jay Leno's most ambitious automotive project. A 650-horsepower turbine-powered supercar that burns biodiesel and can theoretically reach 245 mph. The EcoJet began when Leno approached GM's Ed Welburn with his childhood fantasy of building a jet-powered car.
Alden Jewell, Wikimedia Commons
2006 EcoJet Concept (Cont.)
He was inspired by the futuristic concepts of the 1950s and his own 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car. Eight months later, a collaboration between GM's Advanced Design Studio, Honeywell, Alcoa, and other industry giants resulted in this one-off hypercar, which debuted at the 2006 SEMA Show.
Alden Jewell, Wikimedia Commons
1931 Duesenberg Model J Town Car
The Model J Town Car is the ultimate expression of Depression-era luxury, structured for wealthy clients who employed chauffeurs and demanded automotive opulence that rivaled European royalty. This massive machine has a 7.0-liter Lycoming straight-eight engine, producing tremendous power, all contained within a coach-built body.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
1931 Duesenberg Model J Town Car (Cont.)
At a time when most Americans were struggling financially, Duesenberg customers were spending the equivalent of several houses on a single automobile. Each Duesenberg chassis left the factory incomplete and was finished by independent coachbuilders, ensuring that virtually every car was unique.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
1963 Chrysler Turbine Car
Among the most forward-thinking experiments in automotive history, Leno's Turbine Car is one of only nine survivors from Chrysler's revolutionary user program that put jet-powered cars in the hands of ordinary families. From 1963 to 1966, Chrysler loaned these bronze-colored prototypes to selected drivers across America.
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, Wikimedia Commons
1963 Chrysler Turbine Car (Cont.)
When the program ended, Chrysler destroyed all but nine examples—keeping two for themselves, donating six to museums, and eventually selling one to Leno in 2009. The car's A831 turbine engine spins at 44,600 rpm and can run on a variety of fuels, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.
Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons
1906 Stanley Steamer
In 1906, steam cars outsold gasoline vehicles in many markets, offering instant torque, whisper-quiet operation, and the ability to reach remarkable speeds without the complexity of transmissions or clutches. The Stanley Motor Carriage Company's steamers could accelerate from a standstill faster than most gasoline cars of the era.
Lothar Spurzem, Wikimedia Commons
1906 Stanley Steamer (Cont.)
The automobile requires about 20 minutes to build up steam pressure before driving, but once ready, it can cruise silently at speeds that would surprise modern drivers. It had a Twin-cylinder, double-acting steam engine with 10 to 20 horsepower, depending on the model.
Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan, Wikimedia Commons
1928 Bugatti Type 37A
At nearly 100 years old, Leno's Type 37A proves that exceptional engineering transcends time. This supercharged voiturette racer can still achieve 115 mph and regularly sees street duty in modern Los Angeles traffic. The Type 37A was Bugatti's answer to smaller-displacement racing categories.
joergens.mi, Wikimedia Commons
1928 Bugatti Type 37A (Cont.)
It featured a supercharged version of their proven four-cylinder engine that bumped horsepower 20 notches above the naturally aspirated Type 37. Built for voiturette racing, where engine displacement was limited, these cars had to rely on sophistication rather than brute force to achieve their brilliant performance.
Lars-Goran Lindgren Sweden, Wikimedia Commons
