We often see Jay Leno discussing on his web series cars such as Lamborghinis, Mustangs and Challengers, to name just a few. But in addition to "The Tonight Show" host's massive collection of sports cars and motorcycles are also a number of classic cars from the early 20th century. While not everyone may be as familiar with old names like Doble and Hispano-Suiza, it's impossible not to know of Bugatti and Jaguar. So we've put together a list of some of the Denim Chin's best and most desirable classic car presentations to date.
It should come as no surprise that Leno owns an original 1918 Cadillac Type 57 Victoria. Despite its age, this classic Caddy still has its original paint and wood-spoke wheels. Just to give a clearer idea as to how remarkable this is, Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States when this car was built and World War I had only begun the year prior.
Among all the steamers and supercars, Leno is also the owner of several classic Bugattis, including this 1928 Type 37A. Originally owned by Pierre Veyron (the namesake for today's Bugatti hypercar), the car was raced decades ago but it's still managed to hold up quite well over the years.
Classic steam cars are a rare find these days. But Leno, being a big fan, happens to own a few, one of which is this 1925 Doble Steamer. Producing 1,000 lb-ft of torque, Leno's pride and joy has also had some mechanical updates that included remaking the steam condenser from aerospace materials that can withstand temperatures up to 6,000 degrees.
The type of car that originally ignited Leno's passion for cars was a Jaguar XK120. It all started from that gorgeous British-built roadster. So it stands to reason, if not obsession, that Jay has one in his vast collection. More than 50 years after its debut, the XK120 remains one of the most sought-after collector cars out there.
Aside from the cars he owns, the Denim Chin is also given access to some of the most rare and expensive cars in the world. In this video, Leno checks out a one-off 1938 Hispano-Suiza Dubonnet Xenia. With its fighter plane-inspired body work and its four-wheel independent suspension system, this French-built masterpiece is truly something else.
