Jay Leno joins Spike to discuss a range of topics, including his experiences with vintage cars and the upcoming Audrain Concours event. They share insights on the unique atmosphere of the event compared to larger shows like Pebble Beach, and Leno reflects on the history of cars in Newport. The conversation also touches on the new Ford GTD, its impressive technology, and the challenges of modern car pricing. Leno shares anecdotes about his career in television and his passion for automotive culture, making for an engaging and humorous episode.
Comedy legend Jay Leno returns to the garage for a high-octane conversation about cars, comedy, and controversies. They dive into free speech in comedy, the upcoming Audrain Concours d'Elegance, and Ford's innovative GTD, all while sharing unfiltered opinions and insider automotive knowledge.
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Jay Leno pulls no punches as he discusses the importance of free speech in comedy, referencing Jimmy Kimmel's return to television and drawing parallels to historical censorship cases.
The conversation shifts gears to Ford's electrifying Mustang GTD, with Leno arguing it represents excellent value despite its high price tag, thanks to its advanced technology and Multimatic construction. Spike and Jay also dive into Chris Harris and Max Verstappen's incredible Nürburgring run, the reimagining of Willow Springs Raceway, the growing threat of Chinese electric cars, and they pay tribute to Tom Matano, the late designer of the iconic Mazda Miata.
Throughout the episode, Jay shares candid stories about his experiences with corporate responsibility, his failed attempt to pass "Leno's Law" for vintage car emissions, and why he'll never run for political office, quipping that "politics is show business for ugly people."
Don't forget to get tickets to Audrain Concours to see the SCR crew!
https://www.audrainconcours.com
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"dressed for that or do we need to put blazers on? >> No, I think Johnny is dressed for I"
The Chevrolet Blazer is a type of SUV that can carry a lot of people and stuff. It's popular because it's tough and can handle different types of driving, like on the road or off-road.
The Chevrolet Blazer is a mid-size SUV that has been known for its ruggedness and versatility since its introduction in the late 1960s. It has evolved over the years and is often discussed for its balance of utility and comfort.
"well I drove that 1907 Renault that see now you got to remember uh Vanderbilt the first car races were in Newport"
The Vanderbilt Cup was a famous car race in the early 1900s that helped make car racing popular in the U.S. It was named after a wealthy family who supported the event.
The Vanderbilt Cup was one of the first major automobile races in the United States, held in the early 20th century. It played a significant role in promoting the automobile industry and motorsport culture in America.
Car
Cunningham Lmonster
"The Cunningham Lmonster. That's 1950. I've got a Cunningham car. Briggs Cunningham was an American sportsman."
The Cunningham Lmonster is a car made by the Cunningham company in 1950. It's known for being a special sports car from that time period.
The Cunningham Lmonster is a classic car produced by the Cunningham company in 1950, known for its unique design and performance. Cunningham was notable for creating high-performance sports cars in the mid-20th century.
"...world. He toured Europe. He with a Duesenberg, an SSK, Mercedes. It just that's what he never had a job..."
The Mercedes-Benz SSK is an old luxury sports car that was made a long time ago. It's famous for being very fast and stylish, and it's considered a piece of automotive history.
The Mercedes-Benz SSK is a classic luxury sports car produced in the 1920s and 1930s, known for its performance and elegance. It is often discussed for its historical significance and as a symbol of early automotive engineering.
"He toured Europe. He with a Duesenberg, an SSK, Mercedes. It just that's what he never had a job."
Duesenberg is a brand of luxury cars that were made in the early 1900s. They were known for being very fast and expensive, often owned by rich people.
Duesenberg was an American luxury automobile manufacturer known for producing high-performance cars in the early 20th century. Their vehicles were often seen as symbols of wealth and prestige.
"...I saw I saw they had a Daytona a couple years ago when Cadillac was re-entering IMSA and Yeah, it's killer in person."
The Cadillac Daytona is a race car made by Cadillac that competes in a series called IMSA. It's known for being impressive and unique in appearance.
The Cadillac Daytona refers to a race car that was part of Cadillac's re-entry into the IMSA racing series. It is known for its distinctive design and performance on the track.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
Overhead valves are a type of engine design where the valves are placed above the cylinders. This helps the engine work better and use fuel more efficiently.
Overhead valves (OHV) refer to a design where the engine's valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber, allowing for better airflow and efficiency compared to older designs.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
A V8 engine has eight cylinders that help the car produce more power. It's a common type of engine used in many powerful cars.
A V8 engine is a type of internal combustion engine with eight cylinders arranged in a V configuration. This design allows for a more powerful engine that can deliver higher performance and smoother operation.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
Power windows let you open and close the car windows with a button instead of turning a handle. It's a convenient feature in modern cars.
Power windows are a feature in cars that allow the driver and passengers to open and close windows electronically, rather than manually using a crank.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
Power steering helps you turn the steering wheel more easily, especially when the car is moving slowly or parked. It makes driving more comfortable.
Power steering is a system that helps drivers steer the vehicle by using hydraulic or electric assistance, making it easier to turn the steering wheel, especially at low speeds.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
Power brakes make it easier to stop the car because they use a system that helps you push the brake pedal with less effort.
Power brakes use a vacuum assist to help the driver apply the brakes more easily, requiring less effort to stop the vehicle compared to manual brakes.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
Air conditioning in cars keeps the inside cool and comfortable, especially during hot days. It helps to remove humidity and makes driving more pleasant.
Air conditioning in cars refers to a system that cools and dehumidifies the air inside the vehicle, providing comfort for passengers, especially in hot weather.
"In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in the world. V8, overhead valves, air conditioning, power windows, power brakes, power steering, uh, automatic transmission."
An automatic transmission changes the gears for you while driving, so you don't have to do it yourself. It makes driving easier, especially in traffic.
An automatic transmission automatically changes the gear ratios as the vehicle moves, allowing the driver to focus on steering and acceleration without needing to manually shift gears.
"Shelby co uh Cooper King Cobra. Look at that. That's beautiful."
The Shelby Cobra is a famous sports car from the 1960s that is known for being fast and powerful. It's a favorite among car enthusiasts and collectors.
The Shelby Cobra is a high-performance sports car produced in the 1960s, known for its lightweight design and powerful V8 engine. It has become an iconic symbol of American muscle cars and is highly sought after by collectors.
">> How does it handle like a Cobra? Like a Corvette that it looks like or remember it's it's 1952."
The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast and stylish car that many people love to drive. It's famous for being a sports car that can go really fast and handle well on the road, making it a popular choice for car enthusiasts.
The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic American sports car known for its performance, sleek design, and rich history since its debut in 1953. It has become a symbol of American automotive engineering and is often discussed for its handling capabilities and competitive nature against other sports cars.
"The 64 Sunbeam Tiger, right? Isn't that what Get Smart drove?"
The Sunbeam Tiger is a classic sports car from the 1960s that had a powerful engine. It became famous partly because it was featured in a TV show called 'Get Smart'.
The Sunbeam Tiger is a British sports car produced in the 1960s, known for its V8 engine and performance. It gained popularity for its appearance in the television series 'Get Smart'.
"They weighed almost the same as a Mustang and they had a short wheelbase so you could spin ..."
The Ford Mustang is a popular car that looks cool and goes fast. It's known for being a fun car to drive, and many people love it because of its powerful engine and sporty style.
The Ford Mustang is a classic American muscle car that has been in production since 1964, known for its powerful engines and sporty design. It represents freedom and performance, making it a significant part of automotive culture and history.
"to raceteck.com. Use my code spike 356. That's right, spike 356 for an exclusive 15% off..."
The Porsche 356 is one of the first cars made by the Porsche company, and it's known for being a great sports car. People love it for its stylish look and how fun it is to drive.
The Porsche 356 is a classic sports car that was produced from 1948 to 1965, marking Porsche's first production model and establishing the brand's reputation for performance and quality. It is highly regarded among collectors and enthusiasts for its design and driving experience.
"...at the new Ford GTD. >> Yeah. >> And here it is. >> A lovely car."
The Ford GTD is a special version of the Ford GT sports car, made for racing and high performance. It has features that make it faster and more efficient on the track.
The Ford GTD is a high-performance variant of the Ford GT, designed for track use and featuring advanced aerodynamics and technology. It represents Ford's commitment to motorsports and performance engineering.
"...How much will it cost me to break the Nurburgg Ring record with that car?"
The Nürburgring is a well-known race track in Germany where many cars are tested for speed and handling. Setting a record there means a car is very fast and performs well.
The Nürburgring is a famous racetrack in Germany, known for its challenging layout and is often used for testing car performance. Breaking a record there is a significant achievement in the automotive world.
"...because these are built in a specialty race shop. Multimatic, you know, if you open the hood, everybody that built it signed the inside of the hood for which is fun."
Multimatic is a company that makes special car parts and sometimes entire cars. They are known for their high-quality work and often collaborate with car makers.
Multimatic is a Canadian engineering and manufacturing company known for producing high-performance automotive components and vehicles. They often work with manufacturers to create specialized cars and parts.
"What they do is they take a body and white Mustang. Body and white just means right off the assembly line."
'Body in white' means the car's body is put together but hasn't been painted or had any parts added yet. It's like the skeleton of the car before it gets finished.
'Body in white' refers to a stage in automotive manufacturing where the car's body has been assembled but has not yet received any paint or components like the engine or interior. It is essentially the bare shell of the vehicle.
"...and the the 8-speed tremic in the center where you normally have a transmission and the shifter. That's your that's your um dry sump..."
The 8-speed Tremec is a special kind of automatic transmission that helps cars shift gears smoothly and quickly. It's often found in sports cars and performance vehicles to improve speed and handling.
The 8-speed Tremec is a type of automatic transmission known for its performance and efficiency, often used in high-performance vehicles. It allows for quicker shifts and better power delivery compared to traditional automatic transmissions.
"...That's your that's your um dry sump. Your dry sump is right there. And then you got your engine front..."
A dry sump is a way to keep the engine's oil in a separate tank instead of just in the bottom of the engine. This helps the engine get the oil it needs, especially during fast driving or turns, which keeps it running smoothly.
A dry sump is an oil lubrication system that stores oil in a separate tank rather than in the engine's oil pan. This design allows for better oil circulation and reduces the risk of oil starvation during high-performance driving.
"...And then you got your engine front. So, you have a perfect 50/50 balance..."
A 50/50 balance means that the weight of the car is evenly spread between the front and back. This helps the car handle better and stay stable when driving fast or turning corners.
A 50/50 balance in a vehicle refers to an equal distribution of weight between the front and rear axles. This balance enhances handling and stability, especially during cornering and high-speed maneuvers.
"tires on my Ford GT. What are the fronts on this? Like three."
The Ford GT is a fast sports car made by Ford. It's known for its cool looks and powerful engine, making it very popular among car enthusiasts.
The Ford GT is a high-performance supercar known for its sleek design and powerful engine. It is a modern interpretation of the classic GT40, which famously won the Le Mans race in the 1960s.
">> I don't know if there's ever been a car with a Veyron might have had wider front tires and then 345 rea..."
The Bugatti Veyron is an extremely fast and expensive car that many people dream of owning. It's famous for being one of the quickest cars ever made, with a very powerful engine.
The Bugatti Veyron is a luxury hypercar known for its incredible speed and engineering excellence, often regarded as one of the fastest production cars in the world. It represents the pinnacle of automotive performance and is frequently discussed for its technological advancements and exclusivity.
"So, that's like Corvette, big Corvette Z06s, ZR1's would have 345 rear."
The Corvette Z06 is a faster version of the regular Corvette. It has a stronger engine and better tires to help it go faster and handle better on the road.
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a high-performance variant of the Corvette, known for its powerful engine and track capabilities. It typically features wider tires for better grip and handling.
"So, that's like Corvette, big Corvette Z06s, ZR1's would have 345 rear."
The Corvette ZR1 is a super-fast version of the Corvette that has extra power and special features to make it perform better.
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is an even more powerful version of the Corvette, featuring advanced aerodynamics and a supercharged engine. It is designed for extreme performance on both the road and the track.
"...you've got your uh your oil cooler, your differential cooler..."
An oil cooler is a part that keeps the engine oil from getting too hot. This is important because cooler oil helps the engine run better and last longer.
An oil cooler is a component that helps regulate the temperature of the engine oil, ensuring it remains at an optimal temperature for performance and longevity. It is especially important in high-performance vehicles where engine temperatures can rise significantly.
"...d gen. Yeah. Uh they make like the a lot like the Valkyrie, Aston Martin Valkyrie, Aston Martin 177. It's al..."
The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a super-fast and very special car that not many people can buy. It's designed for amazing performance and has some of the latest technology in cars.
The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a limited-production hypercar known for its extreme performance and cutting-edge technology. It represents Aston Martin's foray into the hypercar segment and is often discussed for its engineering innovations and exclusivity.
"... signal. Hang on. You know, they make a gazillion Ford Focuses and F-150s with and you get in and your"
The Ford Focus is a small car that many people use for everyday driving. It's known for being easy to park and good on gas, making it a smart choice for many drivers.
The Ford Focus is a compact car that has been popular for its practicality, fuel efficiency, and affordability since its introduction in 1998. It is often discussed for its versatility as a daily driver and its appeal to a wide range of consumers.
"they make a gazillion Ford Focuses and F-150s with and you get in and your everything works on your phone."
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that many people use for work and everyday driving. It's popular because it's strong, can carry a lot of stuff, and has cool features that connect to your phone.
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup truck that has been one of America's best-selling vehicles for decades, known for its versatility, durability, and advanced technology features. It is often discussed for its capability in both work and everyday use.
"I want a Bronco guy. I mean, you know, I a Ford Bron Where's my Bronco phone number?"
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV made by Ford that is great for off-roading. It's popular for outdoor adventures and has a loyal fan base.
The Ford Bronco is a classic SUV that has been reintroduced in recent years, known for its off-road capabilities and rugged design. It has a strong following among enthusiasts and is often associated with adventure and outdoor activities.
"the Ford Courage when the uh Carrera GT when they Paul Walker had the accident"
The Porsche Carrera GT is a very fast sports car made by Porsche. It's famous for its powerful engine and great handling on the road.
The Porsche Carrera GT is a high-performance supercar produced by Porsche from 2004 to 2007. It features a mid-engine layout and is known for its exceptional handling and speed.
"...I lift up my foot off the throttle and boom, the back end eight times down the center of the track at 180..."
Lift-off oversteer happens when you take your foot off the gas while turning, which can make the back of the car slide out. It's important to be careful when driving fast to avoid this situation.
Lift-off oversteer occurs when a driver abruptly lifts off the throttle while cornering, causing the rear tires to lose grip and the back end of the car to swing out. This can lead to a loss of control, especially at high speeds.
"politicians I met >> that had Camaros and vintage Mustangs. I mean, I was astounded at ..."
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car that many people love for its powerful engine and cool design. It's similar to the Ford Mustang and is often seen as a symbol of American muscle cars.
The Chevrolet Camaro is a classic American muscle car introduced in 1966, known for its aggressive styling and performance capabilities. It competes directly with the Ford Mustang and is often discussed for its cultural significance and appeal among car enthusiasts.
"uh the designer of the original Mazda Miata died. >> Yeah."
The Mazda Miata is a small, fun car that is great for driving. It's known for being light and easy to handle, which makes it enjoyable to take on the road.
The Mazda Miata, introduced in 1989, is a lightweight two-seater sports car that has gained a reputation for its fun driving experience and affordability. It is often celebrated for its simplicity and engaging handling, making it a favorite among driving enthusiasts.
">> which is crazy if you think about all the 911s we know about like Miatas that are that are most ..."
The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that has been around for a long time. It's known for being really fast and having a unique shape that many people recognize.
The Porsche 911 is a legendary sports car that has been in production since 1964, known for its distinctive design and exceptional performance. It is often discussed for its engineering excellence and status as an icon in the automotive world.
"... nothing like it. I mean, really, it predates the Boxster. I remember going, I think I may just have"
The Porsche Boxster is a convertible sports car that is fun to drive. It's known for being well-balanced and easy to handle, making it a great choice for those who enjoy open-top driving.
The Porsche Boxster is a mid-engine roadster introduced in 1996, known for its balance and handling characteristics. It has played a significant role in making Porsche more accessible to a wider audience while maintaining the brand's performance reputation.
"one right behind us, the Mercedes uh 190E. Yeah. >> Evo 2. We have one right back there."
The Mercedes-Benz 190E is a small luxury car that was made in the 1980s and 1990s. It's known for being well-built and comfortable, making it a nice choice for driving.
The Mercedes-Benz 190E is a compact executive car produced from 1982 to 1993, known for its quality construction and performance. It is often discussed for its role in establishing Mercedes-Benz's reputation in the compact luxury segment.
"can use all the power all the time. I I got a 68 Firebird that would had the six in it with the four barrel..."
The Pontiac Firebird is a cool car that was popular in the past for its speed and style. Many people like it because it looks great and is fun to drive.
The Pontiac Firebird is a classic American muscle car that was produced from 1967 to 2002, known for its performance and distinctive styling. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts and is often discussed for its cultural impact and representation of the muscle car era.
"...rtant thing was that this was faster than the BMW M3 Evo 2. It was just a touch quicker. And then they..."
The BMW M3 is a fast and sporty car that is part of the BMW family. It's known for being powerful and fun to drive, making it popular among people who love cars.
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, known for its powerful engines and sporty handling. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts and is often discussed for its performance capabilities on both the road and the racetrack.
">> You know what I got? And uh a 1961 Jaguar Mark 9. Original paint, original interior."
The Jaguar Mark I is a classic luxury car from the 1950s that is known for its beautiful design. Many people admire it for its style and how nice it is to drive.
The Jaguar Mark I is a luxury sedan produced from 1955 to 1959, known for its elegant design and performance. It is often discussed for its role in establishing Jaguar's reputation for quality and style in the automotive market.
Select text to request an explanation
[Music]
Jay Leno, here we are. Spikes Car Radio.
It's good to see you.
>> Good to be back.
>> You know what's nice about this, Jay?
This is the first time I've ever seen
you in a short sleeve shirt. You look
You look like a young man.
>> Well, thank you.
>> Young teenage Jay Leno. Yes, I am. And
I'm 60s.
>> And I'm in a weird long shirt.
>> I know. Well,
>> yeah. That's like my dad used to wear
that to the office, which
>> actually I'm the same weight now as I
was in high school.
>> Yeah. Yeah. You look great. You you you
look absolutely great. But I I will tell
you I got Last time you were on the
show, you had a a sport coat on and a
shirt and I felt like such a slouch that
today I went I'm I'm going to wear a
nice shirt.
>> I think we're fine.
>> I wore a collared shirt. I don't know
why you don't you don't ever get nervous
about stuff like that.
>> Welcome to fashion world. I thought it
was a car show. I'm sorry.
>> It's not. before we even get into cars,
you know, I'd love to hear what you uh
what you thought about Kimmel last
night. Kimmel was back on the air. You
know,
>> you know, I'm a free speech guy. It's as
simple as that.
>> But it's a big moment for him, right?
>> I think it is. Yeah, I think it is.
Well, I think it's a a big moment for
free speech advocates. I mean you you
know people forget back in the 60s like
you were in New York City if you were a
comedian like Lenny Bruce you got a
cabaret card which means you could work
nightclubs you got a license and if you
use an obscenity or said something a
policeman did not like he could come off
stage tear up your card and you didn't
work you couldn't go on stage anywhere.
So it it's not new, but every 25 years
we need to be reminded
>> this is not something you take for
granted.
>> Yeah. And I and I think a lot of people
were surprised at Disney uh and they
were surprised with Co Bear with
Paramount and CBS. I've never known TV
networks to be brave.
>> I've never known them to be brave.
>> Anything but courageous.
>> Right. Right. But Right. You know,
having worked in television now for 30
years, they are the least brave
organizations I've ever seen. They are
scared constantly.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Right.
>> Did you ever have any issues when you
were doing uh the Tonight Show? You were
on the air for 22 years.
>> Yeah. Nothing.
>> Did Did no one ever came up to you
during the Clinton stuff or and said,
"Hey, Jay, you got a layoff?"
>> Not really. You know, that was just men
behaving badly. Yeah, that was like that
was the perfect scandal because oh it's
it's naughty, you know, it's that kind
of it's like Hugh Grant St. Oh, a
handsome guy. Oh, was this street
walker? Oh, draial and has all the
elements that make it spicy without
doing any real harm to anybody. You
know,
>> that was the what were you thinking
moment,
>> right?
>> What were you thinking?
>> What the hell were you thinking?
>> What the hell were you thinking? Was
wasn't that if I'm remembering correctly
the turning point for your show ratings
people say that and from that point on
we were pretty much number one but right
>> but we had been building up to it you
know we took the show to New York and we
I finally got to
>> put the set I wanted you know I was
doing Johnny's show and the stage was
here it was about 300 ft and then the
seats went straight up like Broadway and
that's where John up high and to me I
like to come out and shake hands with
the audience. So the first time we
flipped the show to New York, we went
into the U Saturday Night Live studios
and we used that stage which is much so
the audiences like we're trying to use
is I could come out and I could I could
hide I could say hello and shake hands
and that made it a bit more intimate and
and change the feel of it. Yeah.
>> Right.
>> And you know you know the weird thing
about any of this is if the joke is
really funny
all bets it's okay. Yeah.
>> Because people just don't want their
time wasted. you know, yeah, it does go
a long way. It doesn't absolve you
completely, but it can. I mean, you
know, we we on Seinfeld learned that
with the Puerto Rican Day parade. There
was a you know, I don't believe that was
the funniest episode of the series. And
there was a flag burning in it where
they burned a Puerto Rican flag. Our
cast, they being being us, were, you
know, I was like, "Hey, I don't think we
should be burning a Puerto Rican flag. I
think that's a it's not funny in this
context and I think it's going to play
the wrong way and and you know we were
right
>> or it's banned.
>> It's been banned. Well, it was Yeah. I
mean the idea was very simple. It was
you know being in New York you on the
weekends frequently there was a parade
on 6th Avenue every weekend. It was a
different organization. You couldn't go
from one side of town to the other.
>> Right. Right.
>> And uh Yeah. Well,
>> I think we picked the wrong parade.
>> Yes.
>> But burn the Irish flag next time. Let's
talk about um all of us are going to be
at the Audrain Concore,
>> right?
>> The Audrain Concore. And I'm excited
about this because I've never been to
it. I've heard a lot about it from you
and from Donald Osborne. Um we're going
to be there. I think we're doing a a
show uh Friday at 1:00.
>> I think the way it works is you can buy
tickets to the event and you just get to
come to this for free. But I wanted to
just ask you about it since you're there
pretty much every year. He's the mayor
of uh
>> Yeah, you're the mayor of Audra.
>> You know, I like it because although I
wasn't at Pebble Beach in the 60s and
70s, it feels like that. It's not
particularly crowded. I mean, Pebble
Beach is a great thing, but it's so
crowded. I mean, you can't your hotel,
you can see it
>> and it's an hour drive
>> because it's so many people in the road,
you know. Whereas this, it's a lot
looser. It's a bit more spread out.
There's a lot of architectural
interesting things, houses you can
visit, you know, if you're not if your
spouse is not a car person, you know,
that kind of thing. And and yeah, and
it's it's all the East Coast collect,
you know, it's so funny. You come to
California, you meet two or three guys
that have hundreds of cars, and you go
back east and you meet hundreds of cars,
each owned by one guy.
>> A lot of guys have had a car since they
were in high school or whatever. And,
you know, it's just a different sort of
feel. And and I like that. And you know,
Newport is one of those cities you have
multi-million dollar mansions next to
little cottage houses
>> where the people of families have lived
there for literally hundreds of years.
So it's it's really interesting. It it's
it's an interesting place to go.
>> Where where does the event take place?
Like is it
>> a golf course or is it on an estate or
>> Well, the Doris Duke estate is a huge
right on the water. Yeah, it's Yeah,
it's an estate. It's not a golf course
and it's literally the whole city, you
know.
>> Well, not to go back to fashion, but
what what what are we wearing for this?
I mean, look at Johnny right now. Is he
dressed for that or do we need to put
blazers on?
>> No, I think Johnny is dressed for I
think he's dressed for that. Yeah.
>> I'm going to dry cleaner right now.
>> That's a serious question.
>> I thought you're in movement shots. You
got the black
>> movement shots.
[Laughter]
>> Where did you pull that one from? I love
how I' I've been able to dress
appropriately for Pebble for 15 years in
a row. But you
>> honestly, I'll be I'll be honest. It's
not about you, Johnny. I I do I get
insecure and I panic about clothes
constantly. Constantly. Like I really
don't know how to dress for this. I'm
going to bring a blazer and a shirt, but
I want
>> a wedding. Think of it like a wedding.
Nobody cares what you're wearing.
>> I I want to do well. No, these people
are are bringing us there. I want I want
to do well for them. So, I just want to
know.
>> I think you'll be fine.
>> And you're bringing Zuckerman. You want
to do well in your
>> I think you'll be fine.
>> M and shots. Look it up.
>> Yeah.
>> Um what uh they sent I talked to Nick
Waller who I guess puts on the event
there uh or is part of who puts on the
event there and he sent me a bunch of
cars. I said what's there? What am I
going to get to see? You want to throw
that up here?
>> What do you got?
>> I thought it would be interesting to
kind of have you comment on this stuff.
like I couldn't get a sense of like
>> well I drove that 1907 Renault that see
now you got to remember uh Vanderbilt
the first car races were in Newport
Rhode Island on Belleview Avenue
Vanderbilt was he would be a billionaire
by today's standards and he imported a
bunch of these cars he bought them for
his friends uh and there's a lot of rich
history a lot of these uh Nick who has a
museum there likes to collect cars that
have Newport history you know that
belong to this family, whatever it might
be, you know, and and there's a lot of
history there. And and what an amazing
car that 1907 Renault was to drive. It
is like a modern car.
Go through the gears, you know, and and
fast. I mean, 70 mph in that. You really
feel like you're moving.
>> Wow.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> That can do 70.
>> Oh, easy. Yeah.
>> Look at that. Look at that steering
column.
>> Well, you know, cars have always been
fast. They just couldn't stop a round
corner,
>> right? Yeah.
>> Scroll down and Jay, go ahead. You can
stop Cameron anytime you like and tell
us about anything else that you may want
to talk about. So this is I guess
>> these are the cars that are going to be
featured,
>> right? The penard.
>> There's L monster. You know what that
is? That's a Cadillac.
>> What is that?
>> The Cunningham Lmonster. That's 1950.
I've got a Cunningham car. Briggs
Cunningham was an American sportsman.
when he and his wife married, he was uh
swift swift meat packing and she was uh
Standard Oil. They were the richest
couple in the world. He toured Europe.
He with a Duesenberg, an SSK, Mercedes.
It just that's what he never had a job.
He was an American sportsman. He won
this the uh America's Cup a number of
times. Uh so he he he wasn't I mean he
wasn't like a lazy guy. I mean, he was
like a professional athlete who could
afford to indulge his passing. And he
wanted to win lean with an American car.
So, he took a Cadillac and put that
>> what they called then streamline body.
I'm not sure if it streamline, but the
French called it Lemon.
>> I've never I've never seen this car
before. I've never seen
>> I've seen it. Yeah. I saw I saw they had
a Daytona a couple years ago when
Cadillac was re-entering IMSA and Yeah,
it's killer in person.
>> It looks like a boat.
>> It does. the number. I'm not even sure
what number that is. Is that a nine or a
two on the front of it?
>> Right.
>> No, that that was a fast car. I mean,
>> yeah.
>> In 1949, Cadillac was the best car in
the world. V8, overhead valves, air
conditioning, power windows, power
brakes, power steering, uh,
>> automatic transmission.
>> Automatic transmission things.
Rolls-Royce was still a a six-cylinder
with a manual gearbox. I mean, it really
was an amazing car. And you had that
that that Cadillac overhead valve V8
which was introduced in
>> and this this is a oneoff, right?
There's one Monster.
>> It's Yeah,
>> it looks like something Philip Saraphim
would uh collect here.
>> Yeah, you just bought it 10 minutes ago.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. No, it's a great car.
>> Let's get down to some of the more uh
recent cars that are going to be here.
All right.
>> Some of the stuff I've never even heard
of, like the Boar Stiletto.
>> No, that's never heard of that. Don't
know what that is,
>> but the allards are killer. Those could
be Chrysler or Cadillac motor.
>> Shelby co uh Cooper King Cobra. Look at
that. That's beautiful.
>> There's the uh the Cunningham right
there. I've got one of those. It's a
fabulous car.
>> How does it handle like a Cobra? Like a
Corvette that it looks like or remember
it's it's 1952.
>> Mhm.
>> And mine has the Hemi V8 in it. Uh they
were built in Palm West Palm Beach,
Florida. Okay, imagine how many my wife
is from West Palm Beach, Florida. Then
the bodies were sent to Europe to Italy
to be But then they came back.
>> They were $15,000 in 1952 when the house
was 12,000. So
>> uh but it's a very powerful car. It had
a two-speed semi-automatic, which I I
put a TMIC 5-speed in it just two speed
is too dopey. But but a fabulous car.
Makes all the right noises, drives nice.
Yeah. Interesting. Interesting.
>> A lot of cool stuff, man. The Get Smart
car right there. The 64 Sunbeam Tiger,
right? Isn't that what Get Smart drove?
>> That's what the race car version of it
>> with the 260. Yeah. Yeah.
>> I prefer this one.
>> They were They were interesting cars.
They They weren't particularly light.
They weighed almost the same as a
Mustang and they had a short wheelbase
so you could spin it really quickly.
>> Anyway, if you're uh on the East Coast,
you want to come to Adrain to see us
all. We're all going to be there and I
think you just go to adrainconcore.com
or go here and buy a ticket. Come see
us. Come say hello. I'm excited. This is
going to be fun.
>> I think you'll have fun. I think you
can.
>> It's really spread out so you can really
get up close with the cars. It isn't
like there are ropes around it and and
everything's not like a lot of times you
go to these car shows and everything's
six cars and the thing around it with a
guard. You can get right up and talk to
the owners and and and it's very nice.
By the way, I'm a judge.
>> You are
>> Judge Johnny.
>> Oh, yeah. What What are you judging? Do
you know?
>> I don't know. But I I cornered Donald.
>> A sign of a good judge.
>> Yeah. I I Well, they actually we're
going to have a meeting like Thursday
night and they'll they'll tell you.
>> Do you know what you're going to wear as
a judge? Do they tell you what to wear?
>> Not yet, but I I know I know what judges
wear. Khaki pants. And
>> Do you get nervous about that? Like, do
you feel like you're qualified to judge
this?
>> Yes. My my my goal in life is to be a uh
Pebble Beach judge.
>> Is it really? I'd love to cuz Dan Neil
has been a judge for like since I've
been in the industry.
>> He won the peeler surprise. So he's the
only journalist I believe who's ever
maybe Ken Gross is he's head judge but
um you know I don't write for a
newspaper so obviously I haven't won the
Pulitzer
>> but they asked us you know next year is
the 75th anniversary. They want to do
something special for us.
>> Well, do you want me to say
>> Judge Johnny? Absolutely.
>> Judge Johnny.
>> I'd be happy to use that uh leverage.
>> I would love to. I mean, I just figure
being a judge at Audrain would be like
the stepping stone into judging Pebble.
>> It could be.
>> So,
>> it could be also a stepping stone into
respectability on this show.
>> No. On this show? No way.
>> On this show?
>> No, no, no. In real life, I'm very well
respected here. I'm, you know, not even
the third wheel.
>> My favorite judging story. Oh, yes. Go
ahead. This guy had an Auburn
>> and the judges come around and judges
goes, "Uh, your clock doesn't work." And
guy goes, "Oh, uh, you let me get my
restored judge. Look, I'm going to go
down this row of cars. See if you can
find the guy. If you come back and the
clock's working, we won't deduct any
points." He goes, "Okay, okay, great.
Great." He's calling. He's he can't get
he can't find his his his guy. He's on
the field somewhere.
Judge comes back. I'm sorry. Got to
deduct your points. Then about 10
minutes later, the the mechanic comes
in. He's got a sandwich and a soda or
something. And the guy tells, "What's my
you know the clock doesn't work?" And
and the guy said, "Did you wind it?" And
he said, "No, I thought it was
electric." "No, it's not electric. It's
1928."
>> And And you what you do? You turn the
outer bezel.
>> Yeah.
>> And But the guy didn't know that.
>> Oh my god.
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it was just like the
funniest. And he lost points.
>> And he lost the points. Let's talk about
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All right. You brought a beautiful car
for us to look at and you're going to
take us through it. at the new Ford GTD.
>> Yeah.
>> And here it is.
>> A lovely car.
>> Well, you know, the funny thing about I
love reading the comments. People
furious how much it costs,
>> right?
>> But I I contend they're probably losing
money on everyone they be,
>> right? But there's just I think there's
just a general, you know, they say that
to us all the time, too. It doesn't
really matter what what what cars we're
talking about. We can be talking about
something in the 40 to $50,000 range.
Most cars are too expensive for people
these days and there's a lot of
>> but you also
>> I think B just general anger about the
price of cars which is understandable
>> but we live in an era where nobody
appreciates other people's work.
>> No
>> you know they really don't. They think
you I used to be people say man you got
to when you go to the Tonight Show like
4:00 to give you some jokes to read and
you're done by 6. No, I was in at seven
in the morning. At midnight, I'm still
But the thing, you know, the thing about
that is if I said to you, I've got a
Mustang. How much will it cost me to
break the Nurburgg Ring record with that
car?
>> Well, and you gave it to a race shop, $2
million, $3 million. I mean, I've seen
people build cars and spend that kind of
money. I mean, that is
>> about $400,000 by the time you're done.
But it is it is amazingly good.
>> When I look at the technology, when you
look at that chassis and and you see how
much people pay for just this little
part, you know, that suspension, what it
would cost, it's actually I I I hate to
say a bargain, but it it's it's good
value for the money. It's worth it.
>> Yeah. There's more profit in selling a
dark horse than in selling one of these
because these are built in a specialty
race shop. Multimatic, you know, if you
open the hood, everybody that built it
signed the inside of the hood for which
is fun.
>> That's cool.
>> And you can call you can talk to the
guy.
>> Do you want to open the hood, David? Do
you want to go over there and open the
hood and show them?
>> Yeah, I'd like to see that. Real
>> real quick on price for a second. Was
was this or your Rolls-Royce more
expensive? What did you Which one cost
more?
>> Yeah, that's uh
Wow, look at that. There's David, who's
your producer on uh the Jay Leno Garage
Show.
>> Producer and director. Yeah, he doesn't
>> producer and director extraordinaire and
cigar smoker
>> and good dude
>> and allaround good dude.
>> We like him
>> and uh did not hesitate there when we
said go open the hood. Like I wouldn't
look at this is a multi-step process
here. Wow. There you go. All right.
>> See all the see all the things.
>> Oh wow. Look at that. That's so cool.
Well, that you know that it it's kind of
fun because it's a bit like having a
watch made for you or something like
that. You can Multimatic is a small
company and you can speak to just about
anybody in the company.
>> I like JLo seat guy.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Where does he say that? Yeah. Oh, on the
right side. Cam going in close. I was
looking at first of all impressive
signatures straight across the board.
>> Very good.
>> Except for JLo seat guy.
in single quotes.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, look, he knows how to stand out.
So, Jay, how much of the Mustang is
left? Cuz when I hear multimatic, I
think like bespoke chassis, right?
>> It is bespoke chassis. It It is.
>> So, like headlights, like what's left?
>> What they do is they take a body and
white Mustang. Body and white just means
right off the assembly line.
>> Okay.
>> Uh they cut it in half right behind the
the seat and they they put on that whole
rear end. that's got the uh suspension
and uh and the the 8-speed tremic in the
center where you normally have a
transmission and the shifter. That's
your that's your um dry sump. Your dry
sump is right there. And then you got
your engine front. So, you have a
perfect 50/50 balance. I mean, the front
tires on this are wider than the rear
tires on my Ford GT.
>> What are the fronts on this? Like three.
>> I'm so dyslexic with numbers, but yeah.
Okay. or whatever it is.
>> I'll go look cuz I I I'm
>> Take a look. That's all I know.
>> Let's look inside. Let's take a look
inside because what I found striking
about the car that this car is a little
Spartan and a little empty and I like it
like a little bit of a race car inside
and it's not really a car made for the
road that they You know what I mean? The
the interior design is saying to you
this is something for the
>> something else that shows you. Sure. Go
ahead. Can I walk over there?
>> Everybody Everybody's Well, I can't walk
over there. I've got to stay here cuz
I'm on mic. this rear deck off here.
>> Okay, Jay's walking over. So, yeah, 325
fronts, which is mega for a front. I
mean,
>> I don't know if there's ever been a car
with a Veyron might have had wider front
tires and then 345 rears. So, that's
like Corvette, big Corvette Z06s, ZR1's
would have 345 rear. So, it's it's super
legit.
>> In terms of tires,
>> he's lifting up the bag. where you'd
normally have a trunk.
>> He's not on mic.
>> No, but he's saying where the trunk
would be.
>> Yeah. If you're going on a trip in this
car.
>> And if you're going on a
>> luggage in the Harley.
>> Okay. He's telling us if he's going on a
trip, you take this piece off.
>> You see you've got your uh
your oil cooler, your differential
cooler.
>> Here he comes back. It really is an
impressive car, isn't it? really
interesting things.
>> And Multimatic, I mean, they make, you
know, they made the the the Ford GT, the
third gen. Yeah. Uh they make like the a
lot like the Valkyrie, Aston Martin
Valkyrie, Aston Martin 177. It's all
multimatic stuff. So, there's a little
shop in Canada where they can do like
low volume super and hypercars and race
cars.
>> So, the piece you just pulled off.
>> Yeah.
>> The rear trunk that that normally be the
trunk.
>> That's where the trunk would be. And
what is there? Then there you've got
your U oil coolers for your differential
and your transmission.
>> Uh it's how you can get to your
transmission. Uh
>> you know, it's a it's an out andout race
car. It was designed to do one thing,
>> break the record at Nurburg Ring,
>> and I thought that was I like the fact
that they said they were going to do
that and then they went and they did it.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> You know, I I I like that.
>> And then Chevy beat him a week later.
But but no, but see that's not true
because that that's a different class.
That fair.
>> The Corvette is not in the same class as
the Mustang.
>> Jim Farley himself brought you this car.
>> Yeah, Jim did. Yeah. You know, you know,
you know, I don't know if people know
Chris Farley was his cousin.
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, Jim's been on the show
and he talked about it. That's right.
Yeah. When Chris was on the show, Jim
would come with him cuz Jim was working
with Toyota at that time, you know. Oh,
wow.
>> He was just, "Oh, you're the cousin.
Hey, nice to meet you." You know, it's
kind of funny. But uh but yeah, those
rear inboard shocks we were on the
screen a second ago. Those are just
insane. Like
>> that suspension unit. And the thing I
like about is you know and and you you
can maybe verify this. You ask the
Martin whenever you get these European
cars your phone never quite syncs. You
know you you oh you get in and oh hang
on I got a signal. Hang on. You know,
they make a gazillion Ford Focuses and
F-150s with and you get in and your
everything works on your phone.
>> Everything works right away.
>> And they have a concier service where
you call and you speak to a man or a
woman who knows exactly what your
problem is.
>> Really?
>> Yeah. You don't
>> the problem with what? The car.
>> Well, see, you'll say you, hey, I don't
understand this. Oh, yeah.
>> I see. I see. They can help you with
what with what's
>> they started this program back with the
Ford GTs. They had like a a bunch of
guys named Tony and that's all they
could they would travel the country and
fix Ford GTs.
>> Well, I I want a Bronco guy. I mean, you
know, I a Ford Bron Where's my Bronco
phone number?
>> Well, there you go.
>> You got to wait for the multimatic
version of the
>> the multi I see the multimatic version.
You know, when I got my first Ford GT,
the 2005, I got a a letter from Ford
saying, "Uh uh, don't drive it. We want
to replace the the A arms in the front.
We we haven't had a problem, but
somebody Magnaflux something we thought
they might be, so we want to replace
them." I said, "Fine." They came to my
garage, jacked it up, put the brand new
billet a arms in the car,
>> and then I about two days later, I get a
call from the Los Angeles Times. Hey,
how do you feel about buying a lemon? I
go, what are you talking about? Well,
the Ford GT I can't even drive them.
They're all they're tech. No, they the
company sense there might be a problem.
There wasn't, right?
>> We'd like to fix this before it becomes
a problem. They came to my house at
their in my garage at their expense.
>> Redid the whole front end
>> and fine. It wasn't just, oh, you're on
TV or so. I mean, every Ford GT owner
got that. And I thought to me, that's
corporate responsibility. you got you
got a product here with literally
thousands of parts made from different
manufacturers, you know, and and the
fact that they they did that I thought
was
>> but that's so common with people looking
for like a scandal like like famously
with Rivian they had a a recall and all
they had to do is they had to check the
torque on two bolts. So a guy came to my
house, he goes, "Okay, put raise the
suspension and he was under there for 45
seconds. Okay, you're fine." And
everyone's like, "But the recall,
everyone was recalled." I go, "Yeah,
they to check the torque." You know,
like they had they had a corrupt data
file.
>> I know. But again, it's a case of some
and everybody always it's my favorite
thing whenever there's a for the cost of
a $2 part,
>> right? just someone so like like when
the Ford Courage when the uh Carrera GT
when they Paul Walker had the accident
um it was blamed on eight-year-old
tires, you know,
>> and but because it didn't it
deliberately did not have stability
control. I mean, it just it didn't come
in the car,
>> but they figured, well, what's the
cheapest stability problem? Oh, $50 or
something. And oh, because of that. So,
they always try to make it look like,
you know,
>> right? Porsche did it on purpose. Like
as if as if Bosch isn't next to Porsche
and if they don't have stability
control.
>> I testified in Porsche's defense on
that. Yeah. Yeah.
>> And what did you say?
>> Well, I was at Talladega. We were doing
a 100 laps and 100, you know. So, I'm
coming down the back straight in the
last lap and the guy goes, "Okay." I go,
"Oh."
>> And I lift up my foot off the throttle
and boom, the back end eight times down
the center of the track at 180.
>> Yes. And luckily, you know, I use that
old adage, you know, you always hit what
you're looking at. So every time I saw
the wall, hey, I I just jerked the
wheel. So the car just stayed in the
center. I flat spotted all four tires,
but I didn't hit anything. Yeah.
>> You know, so and it was the same thing.
And I said, it was my era. I am not a
professional race car driver. I was
driving a race car on a track at 190
miles an hour.
>> It was my fault.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> But you No, I I No, it wasn't. You know,
the lawyer tries to get you. But do you
think if they had done No. No. I'm not a
race car driver.
>> You know, Jerry and I went to that uh
the the press release of that car the uh
in Berlin when they were Yeah. We were
flown out for Automobile magazine or
Jerry was he was writing the piece. He
brought me along
>> and we went out and they had a bunch of
orange cones in a parking lot and they
said just hold it right at I think 35
miles an hour. But if you lift at any
point going through these cones
zigzagging,
>> you're gonna lose it. And when you lose
this car,
>> yeah,
>> when you lose this car,
>> it doesn't come back.
>> Right. Right.
>> He goes, "The professional drivers might
be able to bring it back,
>> but you guys won't."
>> And we all went, "Huh, of course I know
how to turn it. I'm the real driver."
>> I immediately spun the damn thing
because I was like, "God, 35 is too
fast." Lifted up, spun. He was exactly
right.
>> Race car driving is like sex. All men
think they're good at it. Yeah, I'll be
all right. Yeah, I think I know what I'm
doing.
>> I'm the best.
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sponsoring the show. And do you guys see
the you want to talk about I was going
to ask you about Chris Harris and Max on
stop and driving the around Nurburg R
>> the GTD?
>> Yeah. Did you see?
>> Oh, no. I haven't seen it. But we can
watch it. We can look at it here. Is
there something you want to
>> Well, no. It's 20 minutes long. But Max,
>> that's a nice break. We could just ask
back.
>> Max matched the record like first time
out. Look at that. You know, I think the
record was 652 and
>> I think he did 647, you know.
>> Wow.
>> And just first it is right here. There
it is.
>> You know, it's so funny cuz I I'm I'm
writing a column about this. The fact
that Chris Harris, I think, is just an
amazing journalist. Yeah. And an
excellent driver.
>> He just looks gobsmacked by this one. I
mean, sitting next to Max, he's like,
"Oh my god."
>> Yeah. What a day.
>> You're not even in the same league.
Look how I mean, he can't believe how
quickly Max is circling.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> And
>> no, I did I did watch this. This is so
fun.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, if that doesn't Johnny make you
jealous as an automotive journalist,
like that shoot, right?
>> Oh, yeah. No, my my my star is falling.
I used to do stuff like this.
>> Look at Chris.
>> I'm out of it now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. the
fact that Max did not trash the car, you
know, cuz I mean he's a pretty hardcore,
>> but he, you know, he was only crashy
when he was like trying to pass people.
He never like he never crashed on his
own.
>> No, I didn't mean I I didn't mean cra I
mean I mean I mean he's a pretty hard
>> Yeah.
>> judge, you know. He's a professional
guy. When you see him, he doesn't take
any crap. I watched someone said
>> they asked him some stupid question and
he said,
>> "I'm four-time world champion." Yeah. I
think I think that answers it, you know.
Yeah. I mean, and I don't blame him,
>> but he he's just not like when you see
some other guys like Ricardo, oh,
they're very friendly and gregarious.
Yeah. Yeah. He seems to be a pretty
>> What I like about him is he said that
after F1, he wants to go and do other
stuff and and win everything else, which
I thought was cool cuz most F1 guys kind
of what I don't know what they do, but
like that's great. Like, you know, come
come do NASCAR. the average I mean when
you look at Chris Harris who's very good
and compared to Max it's not even him
>> you know my dad was a prize fighter my
dad once told me if the average
heavyweight punched the average man in
the stomach it would break his back in
half
>> that's how powerful those guys right
>> you know I mean I I know if you ever met
if you ever met Mike Tyson I met him in
a hotel once the height of he was coming
down the stairs and it was like I was
like frightened
>> well if your dad's telling you that your
whole life of course the scariest guy
but when you when you see that
>> animal hungry it's like you're not even
mean when I watch Chris Harris here just
like oh my I think he did very well
>> but you're not Max
>> you're not Max he's on a whole new level
I wanted to you know while you're here
ask you about Leno's law you know I was
so excited about this I remember reading
about it and then
>> you think Hollywood is sleazy oh my god
>> yeah no I know Well, that's why I mean,
just to back it up for folks who don't
know what Leno's law was, this was a way
to not get uh vintage cars smog checked
year after year, right? Isn't that how
it worked?
>> That's the idea behind it. If you have
an older car that pass smog fine and now
it doesn't because you know, and plus,
you know, the old cars without uh the
onboard diagnostics, right?
>> You've got to get the rolling road kind
of and nobody has those anymore, right?
So you got some people had to drive like
to San Diego to find one to So you you
want to drive you're making criminals
out of people. You know your grandpa
gave you his car. You've been using it
and now it's legal in Nevada and every
other state but it's not legal. We just
thought even it up a bit. But
>> so you but you put together a piece of
legislation with state congressional
support and brought it up to Sacramento
>> and they passed everything and then at
10 minutes to midnight one night. Oh,
they took a vote and sorry and it was
gone.
>> Yeah, cuz we're just waiting for the
governor to sign. I This is going to be
good cuz New's going to run for
president. So let's give him Yeah. Yeah.
So So he's not he's loosen up. No, never
got to him.
>> So what happened?
>> Yeah. What happened?
>> I I don't I you know It's like when
you're a club. That girl was pretty.
Hey, my wallet's gone. What happened,
you know? I mean, that that's literally
what
>> it was just politics. Somebody just
knifed it at the last
>> That's what I heard at 10 minutes to 12.
They they held the vote of everybody
here. Everybody. Okay. Oh, we have
enough
>> and that was it.
>> Gone.
>> Did anyone even call you to go, "Hey,
sorry."
>> I read in the paper. No,
>> you read about it in the paper.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> That's not fair.
>> The fact I'm still reading papers is
stunning. Where do you Where do you get
these papers? Paper.
Um, but odd concept,
>> but do you do you get another shot at
it? Do you
>> I guess we could try again in a couple
of years.
>> I mean, I ballot measure.
>> It's one of those things like when I
read that you were doing it, I was like,
this is why Jay's let American folk
hero, you know, and, you know, we talk
about it on the show all the time. There
aren't enough politicians focused on the
basic quality of life issues like
executing drivers who drive slowly in
the left lane, things like that, right?
>> Yes. Publicly executing them. number of
politicians I met
>> that had Camaros and vintage Mustangs. I
mean, I was astounded at how many of
them they hope this passes. But because
they have big government, big they can't
necessarily be
>> But but you understood like we
understand a vintage car is maybe a car
you're taking out once or twice a month
and putting a couple of miles on. No
one's dailying these.
>> You make criminals,
>> right? Exactly.
>> You know, when 51% people break the law,
it's not a law anymore.
>> Would you ever consider running for
office to push It's a horrible job.
>> Would you like to announce anything here
on the show, Mr. Le?
>> You be president of United States so you
can make more money in two weekends in
Vegas.
>> You're not paying attention to our
current president.
>> So, it's all about So, it's all about
money for you.
>> Yeah. But don't you think, you know, my
wife dabbles in politics from here and I
get a sense of the type of people that
show up to these events and the type of
people who show up to entertainment
events.
>> Yeah.
>> Like, and it's a step below the
entertainment folks.
>> Yeah. Politics is show
>> political people show business for ugly
people.
>> Yeah. Yeah. But the people who you have
to galvanize frequently are
>> really deranged,
>> you know. And it was really funny
because they started to really come
after me,
>> you know. Uh I would read articles. Jay
Leno didn't want to drive the extra two
miles to go to the smog station for his
old car. You know, they had all the
time.
>> Yeah. Jay has a smog station in his
shop, by the way.
>> I don't know that anybody likes the smog
station. Well, you know, when I uh when
I met with the California Resources
Board, I was very complimentary. I told
them because they they came in guns
loaded, you know, like I said, no, you
guys have done a great job. When I when
I lived here in the 70s, it was
horrible.
>> It was 160 days a year. Don't go
outside, right?
>> We have 10 times as many cars and the
air is easily five 10 times cleaner than
it was. But to me, I equated it to like
uh alcohol. Look, people going to drink.
So, let's come up with 0.08. Okay. Cuz
then everybody would be drunk. So yeah.
0.08. Anything above that, you're drunk.
With an old car, you got this, the car
is over 35 years old. All right. What is
it?
>> 0.01% of the population.
>> If that barely being driven, why make a
criminal out of this guy? And to me, if
you've had an old car your whole life,
environmentally, I think it's better
than buying a new car. Yes. You know, so
absolutely.
>> But none of those none of those points,
you know, got us.
>> I think this is why it's great you're
running for governor.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
I'm super excited about Governor Jay
Leno
>> and everything he's accomplished.
>> Governor Leno,
>> you know, when when when Schwarzenegger
announced on my show,
>> I almost said to myself, you know, he's
not going to run. We get all this
anticipation of people going to be mad
at me for stringing them along and they
go, I'm going to
he ran, you know.
>> Yeah. And right away erected a tent that
he could smoke cigars in.
>> Yeah. and pretty decent governor all
things considered.
>> Oh yeah. Well, Leman got me good, you
know, because Arnold said, "Would you
come down to the Tilton?" So, okay. So,
I get on and we're in this little room
and then the door opens and there's 500
reporters there. And so, I and Leman got
a got a shot of me looking at my watch
while talking. I'm like, and then he
showed it on the show. Lo looks
fascinated.
>> I'm not sure.
>> Did you write that? write that. I could
have written that joke. It's possible
that I wrote that joke. I do remember
that. Yeah.
>> I mean, it was funny.
>> It was very funny. No, I'm always
looking for stuff like that when people
cuz I know how hard it is to stand
around and listen to folks. Are you
going up to uh Willow? Willow's being
reimagined and reth
up there.
>> Yeah, we're going I'll take the GTD up
there.
>> They have a new They posted something.
Look at this. Uh Triple0 is also going
to be up there for the big party. Oh,
cool.
>> I don't know anybody who's not going to
be at this thing, right? This is a
really really big deal. Have you seen
any of the uh what they done to the
tracks yet? Have you seen it?
>> I I I know they they redid streets of
Willow
>> Streets. The carding track has been
redone.
>> And I guess they're going to put a hotel
in and
>> a hotel gambling.
>> They're doing all of it. Watch Thieves.
>> I think they're putting a hotel.
>> No, they are putting a hotel in
>> and I think they're going to build
either condos or
>> Yeah, they are with garages for divorce
guys cuz
soon to be
>> the wife's not going to go to Willow for
the week. I think the idea is like you
if you have want to have a bachelor
party, you don't want to do the
traditional BS in Las Vegas, you get a
condo with your friends, you go up and
race for the weekend and you, you know,
have a nice time. I think they are, you
know, democratizing thermal in a way,
right? There's a private piece of this
and a public facing piece of it.
>> Yeah, I know mostly public. This is
mostly public.
>> Every ticket they sell, they're selling
$10 tickets uh for this event up there.
Everything's going to charity. Um, and I
know the guys who are doing it and I'm
excited about everything.
>> Will you show up? Do I have to buy a
ticket?
>> I think you can just show up.
>> Okay.
>> Just saying.
>> Just saying that they're going to send
you the I can send you the link for for
the invite. But it, you know, tickets
are
>> I think I think it'll be fun.
>> I mean, I'm so glad it didn't go away
cuz every other racetrack disappeared.
Yeah. Riverside and
>> I think Matt Far is going to be up there
hosting a car mcing.
>> He's MCing a car show. I think Matt is
now part of Willow. Like it's
>> I think he is.
>> Yeah.
>> But I'm I'm super psyched. Willow.
>> I got I got a I know I'm going on the
helicopter, but I'm having a uh Corvette
ZR1 brought to the track for me.
>> You are?
>> Yeah. Cuz I was like, what's like, you
know, a good thumb in the eye of Singer,
like, you know, Corvette and 10001X
or
>> not the X cuz that's not it's not out
yet. It's not.
>> Are they going to let you take it on the
track? Well, I've been I've been texting
with people from Singer and people from
Farah saying like, "Hey, I want to make
sure I can do some laps." And I haven't
heard back yet, but I got the word
either yesterday or the day before from
Chevy that they're going to kick one
loose.
>> It's the greatest performance bargain in
the world.
>> Yeah. I don't doubt it.
>> Have you ever driven one?
>> Which one? The ZR1.64.
>> I haven't had a new Corvette in a while.
I'd love to.
>> This is the one.
>> This is the one. I mean, 164 horsepower
rear axle.
>> I mean, you have to spend a million
bucks on a European car to get the same,
>> but you'll never even get that on just
the rear axle, like without a hybrid.
Like, it's the Valkyrie is just the rear
axle, but it has a hybrid component to
it. This is just the driven wheels, 1000
horsepower V8. Like,
>> I've always been a Corvette fan. Always
loved them since the ' 60s. I think
they're great cars.
>> Yeah. But I'm stoked about them. I'm
like,
>> that's good. Well, uh, check us out if
you want to see us there. You're not
going to make it to rain. We're going to
be up here at Willow Springs reimagined.
Spikes car radio reimagined.
But I don't know anybody who's not going
to be there at that point at this point.
Right.
>> There's a lot going on.
>> I mean, they've really coraled all of
us.
>> I mean, did you get the there's there's
something on the 10th now. It's so big.
>> There is. What?
>> Check your text. I'm sure you got it.
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, the dinner. The
dinner. But you know what I'm It's like
a big It's not stopping.
>> My kids are talking about it. They're
all excited. Yeah. They they you know
they're excited about a racetrack where
they can get on and they don't have to
fly now. You don't have to go somewhere.
You can drive up.
>> I mean Yeah. I mean cuz it's been there
forever and I I've done thousands of
laps at at you know both tracks.
>> It was always kind of crappy.
>> It's just you're going to die. You just
really
>> Yeah, that's right. No. And by the way,
>> I would I've showed up. I've been there
a couple times where that had happened
the day before. Yeah.
>> Because of the track. And now
>> you've got, you know, a safer place to
to race. I'm excited about this. Right.
>> Um, let's check out this story right
here so I can get your perspective,
guys.
>> Uh, the Bentley story in Louisville
>> or the Dodge Durango story.
>> Was it Bentley or Dodge? Here it is
right here. Cops publicly crush Dodge
Durango Hellcat to taunt takeover guys.
This is to make a point. Why did they
choose this angle?
>> It's a little Why? Why all of this
foreground whatever that is snow? Fake
snow. Oh, what am I looking at there?
This uh apparently was a 710 horsepower
Durango Hellcat seized during a recent
sideshow in the city. This is a message
to the people, the chief said, who want
to go out and participate in this
dangerous behavior. Here's a much better
angle.
>> That's what they do in Australia.
Australian.
>> Yeah. For going 1 mile an hour over.
>> We are not going to tolerate it on the
streets of Louisville. Jay, is this okay
or not okay?
>> Well, first of all, that car is a
peacemail car. It's made up of stolen
parts. So, it it couldn't be resold.
Could you say why wouldn't the police
department
>> Oh, I didn't know that.
>> sell it and use the money for officer,
you know, healthc care fund or
something. The engine was from something
else. The wheels are something else. It
it's a lot of stolen parts on the car.
So, it it couldn't even be registered.
I'm not sure if it was a salvage title.
So, I see.
>> I think they're just trying to make a
dramatic point here. But, yeah,
>> that answers all my questions.
>> Yeah, I guess we're done with this.
Yeah, but I mean Dodge Hellcat stuff
easily and often stolen, so it all
checks out.
>> You know, I' I've got one. I I love that
car. It's a It's It's the best car to
you just aim it at Vegas and you put
your foot down.
>> But these street takeovers
>> Oh, the Street Takeovers are stupid. I
don't I don't
>> They're stupid.
>> Yeah, I don't.
>> Yeah. I mean, it's it's you know, you
because it's so easy to get 700
horsepower cars now. People don't really
know what to do with them, right? And so
they're just doing the dumbest thing,
the easiest thing.
>> I got to say I do see it as a symptom of
a lack of proper car events like that.
>> What's that?
>> Lack of tracks.
>> Lack of tracks and places to go and
because I think a lot of those guys like
are just like us. They like they just
there's nothing else to do.
>> And you know, most cops are car guys. If
you're dicing with another car, you're
screwed.
>> Yeah. They don't like that.
>> But you you can you can be going over
100 miles an hour. Take it easy and
they'll write you to 75 or 80.
>> Well, if you're Jay Leno. Yes.
>> Yeah. Jay Leno doesn't get tickets.
>> Well,
>> well, Jerry got a ticket.
>> Oh, that's right. He got his first
ticket ever.
>> Get a ticket. Huh? That's hilarious.
>> Speeding, right?
>> Yeah. He got his very first ticket.
>> Very first. Like the cop was so young.
He didn't really know who Seinfeld was.
>> He did know who he was, but he was like,
"Look, today they said no one gets off."
And it was And Jerry had never gotten
one before. It was really fast.
>> I don't recall.
>> It was like 65 and a 55. It was on PCH
before.
>> It was on PCH and they were
>> Oh, PCH.
>> Yeah, they were sending a message. Yeah,
but this was at before the fires.
>> Did you guys see this uh this electric
car?
>> Oh, the Chinese.
>> Yeah, the Yang Wang
>> went 308.
>> Yang Wang.
>> Yang Wang.
>> Hey, how's your Yang Wang?
>> Fast, baby.
>> Say to your woman, can I show you my
Yang Wang?
>> Extreme electric hypercar has just
become the fastest production car on the
planet at 308. Weren't we just talking
about this on the show about the
Bugatti?
>> I don't get to hide top speed. It's so
stupid. But
>> I like top speed. I I
>> I do like top speed. Here's the what I
wanted to bring up though. I keep
hearing it seems like every week I'm
hearing about BYD.
>> BYD
build your dreams.
>> Yeah.
>> And its effect on the American
automotive industry in particular, its
effect on Porsche. You know, Porsche
just announced they were going back now
to uh ICE 718s and and other versions of
the car because and they said the
Chinese market is not what we thought it
was
>> because which they left out BYD.
How much of a threat is this to the, you
know, the automotive industry as a
whole, this company or do we welcome
these guys, you know?
>> Well, it's a wakeup call, isn't it?
>> It's a wakeup call.
>> I mean, that's where Jim Farley is very
sharp. He's studied this
>> very sharply
>> and he knows
>> if they can build electric car for X
>> and that see the trouble that China will
have is the idea of cheap Chinese labor
is disappearing quickly. You have the
strong middle class in China and now the
union worker well we we want we want to
make real money building car. So then
they go to Vietnam or they go to they
they keep moving further and further to
other countries you know. So, uh, I I
think the Chinese it'll be innovation
that wins it for them, not just
necessarily the cheap labor.
>> But don't we have a problem bringing
We're never going to get these cars in
the US, right?
>> No. We we this is the one only thing
Biden and Trump have ever agreed on is
the 100% tariff on Chinese cars, you
know, that's that's staying in place.
It's the one law Biden passed that the
Trump administration is not undoing. And
kind of rightly so because like like
yeah the Yang Wang here great it is the
best name possible.
>> Yang Wang
>> um like that would be that you know that
that's cool but like you know um uh
Xpang is another company and they make
this thing. It's like the SU7 and it's
like you know I forget exactly but like
1600 horsepower and it costs like I
forget like $40,000 or you know what I
mean? And yeah, the next one will be
good
>> will be the Swiss. You have the Chinese
the Chinese making a lot of parts for
>> different watch manufacturers now.
>> But when they start building watches,
you're going to see watches that cost
100,000 for 15,000. You know,
>> that's a nice watch you're wearing
today. I noticed.
>> Oh, yes. This is my
>> the Jay Leno. Look at you both have it
on.
>> I can't believe I didn't bring mine.
>> I don't know how we do this.
>> It's such a great watch. It looks so
beautiful. I I've said it on the show
many times. You really nailed the
automotive Sheffield. I've had three
SWATs at it and it never occurred to me
to do a driver dial and you right away
came up with the perfect idea that I
should have had a year before you. But
that's why he's Jay Leno.
>> Well, we have a mechanics watch coming.
You You'll like that one.
>> Oh, really?
>> Yeah. You'll see that.
>> I'd like to see that.
>> Um, normally I don't cover stuff like
this, but I thought um why not bring it
up.
>> Yang Wang.
>> Yeah.
>> No, we cover a lot of Yang Wang on. the
uh the designer of the original Mazda
Miata died.
>> Yeah.
>> Uh Tom Matano, if that's how we
pronounce his name, Matano's long and
storyried career took him many places.
And he's best known for his time at
Mazda
>> uh for designing this car. You know, I I
got to be honest, like in the beginning
of my car ignorance, I always made fun
of the Mazda Miata. And now I have
nothing but respect for that.
>> There was a guy named Jim Hall.
>> Jim Hall also
>> Jim Hall was an American. He he really
>> racer. Jim Hall Bob Hall's uh Jim Hall
was actually Jim Hall's brother. It was
Bob Hall.
>> Oh, Bob. Okay. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yeah.
And And he's the one that really I I I'm
not as familiar with this.
>> Well, Tom was a designer, exterior
designer. So So Bob pushed the concept.
Hey, let's do a really lightweight
British sports car that starts,
>> right,
>> which was groundbreaking for late 80s.
But no, Tom was the the design chief at
>> If Lotus had done this, they'd still be
>> Yeah.
>> It that is the biggest sports car in the
history of the world.
>> Yeah.
>> Over a million sold. Yeah. It It's
great. It's smart. And the fact that the
latest iteration of it
>> is almost the same weight as the first
one that came out. I mean, rather than
make it like a Mini, it gets bigger and
fatter and it they they made it they
trimmed it down and it's the most fun
for the money.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. They they actually made the fourth
generation much lighter than the third
generation. They kind of caught
>> and the most raced car in the world.
>> Yeah. On any Sunday, the number one car
out on a racetrack is a Miata,
>> which is crazy if you think about all
the 911s we know about like Miatas that
are that are most people are racing.
>> No, it's a great car
>> because there was nothing like it. I
mean, really, it predates the Boxster. I
remember going, I think I may just have
to buy a Miata because there's nothing
faster for me. And then they announced
the Boxster. Remember when it came out
they had they they went the Leia Koka
route because everybody called it a
quote secretar's car right you know
right the Mustang.
>> So yeah so that's what happened with
Leia Koka. He called Carol Shelby. Can
you make this? Because see the Mustang
had the smallest V8.
>> Chrysler had 318 340. Chevy had 327.
Ours is 289. So it was the smallest
motor. So they said we got to make this
powerful. He told Shel, "Whatever it
takes, just make it loud and rockous and
and he made the Shelby GT." There you
go.
>> Let's throw up Jay's channel for a
second before we go because you drove uh
recently right there a car that our
co-host Paul Zuckermanman owns. We have
one right behind us, the Mercedes uh
190E. Yeah.
>> Evo 2. We have one right back there.
>> Is your own Evo?
>> I believe it is. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Evo 2.
>> So, it's not an American car. Cuz
>> did you enjoy driving? Apparently you
had never driven this car before. This
was the first time.
>> Not not in recent memory.
>> Well, you know, it's so funny cuz I had
a 6.3 Mercedes and I thought, I want a
little four-cylinder Mercedes, you know,
but wonderful handling car. Tight,
really cool, really like what they used
to call a Q ship, you know,
>> something would wouldn't get a lot of
attention
>> except this one's got that wing.
>> Yeah. Yeah, the wing is a bit
>> It's beautiful. I mean, here's another
car like we were talking about Inos
Grenaders and the best thing it's got
going for him is its handsome looks. Its
handsome looks, not his. This 190 is the
same way for me. Like, I've never driven
Zuckermanman's car. I would guess this
isn't all that fast. Like, right, 0 to
60 is 7 seconds.
>> There's a certain joy in using all the
power all the time,
>> right? you know, just put
[Music]
because, you know, I enjoy watching the
tax sweep across. I've got a 63 Carrera
2, the Porsche, and the great fun. You
you get in a P1 and the T I'm in jail.
What happened? Why' I get arrested? But
you go, you're going 150 miles with that
thing. Just just enjoy the sweep as it
comes across and it hits seven grand and
then you shift and then you do it again.
And it's the same thing with that. You
can use all the power all the time. I I
got a 68 Firebird that would had the six
in it with the four barrel and it's the
same thing. It's about 215 horse,
>> but I just like keeping my foot in it.
>> And the important thing was that this
was faster than the BMW M3 Evo 2. It was
just a touch quicker. And then they had
a real battle and they actually made the
engine. So, I think with the BMW, they
never enlarged the engine, but this went
from a 23 to a 25 liter, you know, big
block four-cylinder front,
>> right?
>> You know,
>> so Jay, before we go, you still hunting
for cars? I know you just got this guy.
You got a new car there. You're still
moving. You're still adding to the
collection.
>> I got the W1 coming.
>> The W1?
>> Wow. Yeah. It's the He's going to have
the trifecta, the the F1, the P1, and
the W1.
>> That's my last. The McLaren.
>> Yeah.
>> Wow.
>> Yeah. And and the interesting the sales
tax on that is more money than the ZR1X.
>> Are you going to get a ZR1X?
>> Yeah, I get a Z.
>> So, you're still going? Are you looking
for anything else vintage at this point?
Are people still cuz I remember, you
know, people would always call you up
and go, "Hey, I found this car. I've got
this thing."
>> Is that still happening to you?
>> You know what I got? And uh a 1961
Jaguar Mark 9. Original paint, original
interior.
>> Talking.
>> It looks It's fabulous.
>> Full wood.
>> No timber. I mean I mean it's lumber.
It's like a lumber yard.
>> Oh, I got to see this thing. Wow.
>> I drove a 420G which was like the you
know the re It was a MarkX redone Mark
10 redone and it had the the full wood.
I forget the number. It was like, you
know, 350 pieces of individual pieces of
wood.
>> You're right. Amazing.
>> It's like a scaffold in there.
>> Well, Jay, it's so great to have you on
the show.
>> Thank you.
>> The audience loves having you here. We
love having you here.
>> We'll see you at the drain.
>> We're going to be at the drain any
minute. If you want to see us there
live, we're going to be there Saturday.
Just go to odraconcor.com,
buy a ticket, and you get to come see
that. If you're a Patreon subscriber,
stick around. We're going to answer your
questions right now. We'll see you next
week. Spike car radio.
[Music]
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