The 12 Most Expensive Cars In Jay Leno's Garage

Today, Jay Leno is well known for being the guy with the massively valuable car collection. His web show turned YouTube channel has a vast audience and is complemented by on-air segments broadcast on CNBC as well. Leno's work in entertainment gave him the means to amass his collection of classic iron and his stardom as the host of The Tonight Show gave him a platform from which to transform into a full-time petrolhead.

Being successful in stand-up comedy and leading a successful late-night show have certain monetary advantages, and putting that to good use, Leno's collection is highly enviable. His collection features some of the rarest cars on the planet along with other more ordinary, but still desirable, vintage rides, although there is not a single Ferrari included. A few of the machines in his garage are complete one-off custom creations made from an unexpected mix of components, such as a Bentley powered by an utterly huge aircraft engine. These unique custom machines are hard to put a value on, especially when having well-known celebrity ownership in consideration. Many of them are unique and comparable and previous sales are not always equal comparisons, so there is a bit of guesswork involved in coming up with a dollar amount. That said, barring the many individual unique custom-built projects in Jay's garage and keeping with original or restored factory-built examples, here are the 12 most valuable vehicles of Jay Leno's collection in Burbank, California.

While this classic Bugatti comes in toward the bottom of this list in terms of value, it is far from being an inexpensive car. It just happens to be on a list that includes some real heavy hitters. But it is still a fantastic automobile and an important part of racing history for the European continent.

Bugatti introduced the Type 37 in 1925 as a more lightweight racer than his previous machines. Powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, it was a departure from the big straight-8 engines typical of the period. The model in Leno's collection is a later Type 37A, which means it is fitted with a Roots supercharger that helped it hit top speeds of up to 122 mph and, according to Car and Driver, his particular car was once owned by Bugatti factory driver Pierre Veyron. It is one of 76 produced and recent auctions of similar cars have topped out at just a little under one million dollars (via: Sotheby's). Those auction cars did not have a pedigree of having been owned by the namesake of the Bugatti Veyron supercar, so there is no telling how much that could add to the value.

Probably one of the lesser-known vehicles in the Leno garage is the American-made Cunningham. Leno owns a 1953 C3 that has been fully restored to its original condition and it is a beautiful machine. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Briggs Cunningham was one of the fastest drivers in auto racing. In his brief biography from briggscunningham.com, Tom Cotter says that Cunningham was influenced toward auto racing from an early age and that he benefitted from his well-to-do family that could help finance his efforts. This later turned into an auto manufacturing enterprise that, because of homologation rules for racing, saw him producing road cars. However, they were costly, and at a price of $9,000 to $10,000, he only sold 30 examples.

Leno owns one of the few remaining Cunninghams. It is a sleek early American sports car that derives its power from 5.4-liter Chrysler Fire Power Hemi V8 engines fed by four Zenith downdraft carburetors. Being a fairly small car with a big V8 engine made for a quick ride. The chassis was built by Vignale in Italy and shipped to West Palm Beach, Florida for final assembly, giving the cars American brute force power paired with Italian coachwork. It is a beautiful combination that makes for a valuable collector's car today and, per Concept Carz auction tracker, the value of Leno's is somewhere north of one million dollars.

Many early American car makers sought to bring luxury and refinement to the affluent consumer. While many failed in this attempt, folding barely after getting started, Packard excelled at delivering luxurious automobiles that remained in demand for many years. One of the most sought-after Packards is the Twin Six. The naming of the car comes from its mighty V12 engine. According to How Stuff Works, Packard produced about 35,000 of these cars and the chief engineer explained that 6-cylinder engines were inherently balanced, but in a V12 configuration, the same balance was achieved with lighter parts, providing more horsepower and torque.

Jay's 1932 Packard is, according to him, the first classic car he ever bought, and he has owned and driven it regularly since the mid-1980s. It is an older restoration, having been done before he bought it. You can see in an episode of Jay Leno's Garage that it is a fabulously nice example of a classic Packard. Among the many fine features of that car, one of the most pleasing is just how quiet it is. It barely makes a sound as it cruises down the highway and Leno remarks that it is equally comfortable as it is quiet. A convertible version of this car was recently sold at Sotheby's for $1.2 million. Jay's is a hard top but would likely bring a similar bid.

Mercer Motor Cars is a lesser-known American automaker. It was one of the leading race cars of the brass era, according to historian Clifford Zink. Mercer could very well be considered America's first sports car, as it was built to go as fast as possible and had few practical considerations about it, such as rear seats or trunk space. One of Mercer's cars won 47 races in 1911 alone. Mercer is a special automobile company in American history.

Jay Leno features his Mercer in an episode of Jay Leno's Garage, showing off the many fascinating quirks and features of the car. According to Jay, Mercer was a dominant manufacturer of the brass era but did not make it beyond that because of a decision by one of the company owners to return from Europe to the United States aboard a ship called Titanic. Jay's Mercer is a beautiful machine and is in excellent condition, of course. It is said to be capable of 100 mph, an impressive feat at a time when the Model T would struggle to get much past 40. Looking through past auctions of this limited-production car show that cars that rest in their completely original condition can fetch more than $2 million. Others that have been restored have gone for around $900,000. Jay's car is certainly a nice example of one with value within that range.

One of the most drool-worthy automobiles of the 21st century is the Porsche Carrera GT. It is said to be the last analog sports car as it comes without any traction control and with a traditional shift lever, foregoing many of the electronic driving aids seen in cars ever since. It is powered by a 5.7-liter V10, covered by plenty of carbon fiber, and has a Targa top. The Carrera GT represents the pinnacle of Porsche engineering and design for the era in which it was produced.

Leno states that he is the original owner of his Carrera and that it cost $450,000 when new. Like his other cars, it gets driven on occasion but remains in remarkably excellent condition. Other examples of this car have been selling at record prices lately, including one with an incredibly low 250 miles going for $2 million on Bring a Trailer. Considering Jay drives all of his cars and that he has owned this one for close to two decades, it is safe to assume it has a bit more miles than that. It may not hit the same high mark, but it is still one of the most valuable modern Porsche cars around.

Some of the most collectible American cars from the '20s and '30s are Duesenbergs. These cars were known for being of the highest quality as well as having loads of power. Wealthy people of fame and stature drove Duesenbergs, and, for their substantial amount of money spent, they received a lot of car. In Jay Leno's garage are a few examples, including a 1931 Model J Town Car.

Classic tells us the Model J is the most well-known of the Duesenbergs. They are outfitted with massive 7.0-liter straight-8 engines produced by Lycoming from Duesenberg designs. It was common at the time for cars to be produced by a manufacturer and then completed by a coachbuilder, so many Model Js are unique. Jay's Model J is a Town Car, which signifies a large car meant to be driven by a chauffeur. The passenger compartment is separated from the driver as in a modern limousine. The fact that cars were coach-built means that many unique models exist and that translates into a broad spectrum of auction pricing. Some cars have more value than others. Classic lists a range of $500,000 to $3 million, so it is safe to say Jay's Town Car could fetch at least $2 million.

Leno is a big fan of Duesenberg and owns several of them. The company succumbed to the economic perils of the Great Depression, meaning the number built is relatively low. Not only were they built during a depression, but they were also luxury cars catering to only the most wealthy clients and would have been built in small quantities even in a robust economy. The scarcity and the refinement combine to make them among the most valuable American vehicles ever made.

Jay's convertible Duesenberg is a Model SJ is much like his Model J but adds a supercharger for more power. The Duesenbergs of the 1930s were at the top of the range for sheer power output in their time. According to Motor Authority, the SJ is powered by a huge 420-cubic-inch inline-8 with twin cams that pushes out 265 horsepower, a phenomenal rating for the time. Luxury cars of the time were bodied by coachbuilders and Jay's was built by Walter J. Murphy Coachbuilders. Again, the unique nature of these coach-built cars makes valuation estimates a bit tricky, but recent sales of similar vehicles put this one easily in the $2 million range.

In 1967, Lamborghini released what would become the most consequential vehicle for the trajectory of high-end auto manufacturing. According to our own history of the car, the Sant'Agata company created and built the Miura, which was the first mid-engined sports car ever made for the consumer market, and it set the standard for every supercar to come. But it was not just groundbreaking, it was also a beautifully styled automobile. Penned by famed Bertone designer Marcello Gandini, the Miura turns heads anywhere it is driven and its iconic status has turned it into a most highly coveted vehicle as well as highly a valuable one.

Leno's Miura is one of the earliest examples of the Miura and also has a peculiar pedigree and story. The original owner was none other than the famous Rat Pack crooner Dean Martin, according to Car Buzz. Leno claims he received it with a non-running engine due to abuse causing a seized engine at the hands of Martin's son. It has since been repaired but remains otherwise all original and in excellent conditions. The Miura market has matured significantly in recent years, with certain cars selling for as much as $2.5 million. The addition of ownership by not just Jay Leno, but also Dean Martin could add to the value, but it will be a long time before we ever see that final sale.

Anyone who watches enough of Jay Leno's garage will know that he has a penchant for French vehicles. Not only is he a fan of French vehicles, but he is also a wealth of information about them and the French designers and engineers that create them. One person whom Jay speaks of quite a bit is Ettore Bugatti, creator of the famed automobile which bears his name. A few of these cars are also in Leno's collection, including a 1931 Type 51, a Grand Prix race car.

The Type 51 is built upon the same chassis as Jay's Type 37A but features an 8-cylinder supercharged engine. According to Hemmings, the Type 51 is propelled by a 138 cubic inch straight-8 that makes up to 180 horsepower, which was less than the 250 from the 4-cylinder cars. Perhaps this was done to keep stress on the engine low and provide for long life. Type 51 cars are about as rare as they come, and original cars in good condition can bring millions. Jay does not mention it in his video, but his Type 51 appears to be fully restored to like-new condition, which may make it less valuable than one in original, unrestored condition that is not perfect. Regardless, recent auctions signal that this car is easily a $3 million machine.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is a thing of beauty. Not only was it an engineering success and a winning racer, but its styling also stirs emotions, unlike most other cars. Car and Driver proclaimed in 1956 that it was a trend-setter with styling that was a shock to the world of automotive design. Furthermore, they noted that the gullwing doors would surely be widely copied in low-slung American sports cars. Further praise was lavished on the slanted six-cylinder which realizes the enormous potential of fuel injection. The verdict was that it is a great car to own if you can afford the ultra-steep price of more than $7,000, a hefty sum for the time.

The price of the 300SL prevented it from ever being any kind of mainstream car. Because of this, the car now exists in highly limited numbers and is now reserved for collectors with very deep pockets. However, for those who can afford it, they get a magnificent machine that is not only a great-looking and driving car, it is a piece of history. Jay's 300SL is a great example of the original, unrestored classic. It was found in the desert and, while all the mechanicals were brought up to a new standard, the paint exists with flaws, cracks, and peeling from years of sitting. According to Robb Report, extra nice examples of this car could fetch between $7 and $9 million. The all-original Jay Leno Gullwing is likely not far off that mark.

In today's world, we are spoiled for our choice of insanely rare and powerful cars that are now called hypercars. These are the machines that go beyond the boundaries of the Ferrari and Lamborghini supercars we have had for decades. This trend of niche automakers producing highly limited numbers of cars with astronomical specs and pricing may have begun with McLaren with their 1995 F1.

The McLaren F1 is widely considered the best supercar of all time. That may be a bit hyperbolic, but there is at least some merit to the claim. Built in the 1990s to be the best production car possible, the F1 became the speed record holder for nearly a generation. McLaren obsessed over every detail to make a car that produced more than 600 horsepower from its BMW V12 but weighs about the same as a Miata. Car and Driver says it gets to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and tops out at more than 200. Leno has owned his since new and he drives it on a semi-regular basis. Like so many other cars in his collection, it will have more miles than pure garage queen collector cars than never see any pavement, but it is still among the fastest and most valuable cars ever made. A super low mileage model sold recently for $20 million, setting a new record for the ever-appreciating hypercar.

One fascinating thing about Jay Leno is that he is an avid enthusiast of all cars. He does not appear to prefer a specific era, brand, or type of car, but it is clear he has an affinity for Depression-era luxury cars, such as Duesenbergs. He is fortunate enough to have a few Duesenbergs in his collection, including a one-of-a-kind one-of-one aerodynamically styled coupe. The 1934 Walker Coupe is the only Duesenberg to have shaped and rounded bodywork representative of the style that dominated the late '30s.

Jay's most expensive car started with a unique story that led to it being the most expensive Duesenberg ever built. Custom ordered by Josiah Lilly, of Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, the Walker Coupe was styled to his demands of a sleek aerodynamic car with a v-shaped windshield, sleek roofline, and headlights that were integrated into the fenders (via Motor Authority). Jay saved the car from long-term storage in a garage in New York and saved it from rotting away and succumbing to the ravages of time. It was in a sad state of disrepair but has been brought back to its former glory and received a new life in Jay's garage. Since this is the only car made with these specifications, no auction comparisons are available, but estimates suggest it would easily reach between the $20 to $30 million mark (via Car Buzz).