Autoblog

VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Allard J2X MkII

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Celebrities

Jay Leno and the Allard J2X MkII - click above to watch the video

It's not like we need another reason to be sickeningly jealous of Jay Leno, but along comes this video. In it Jay drives perhaps our favorite car from the 2009 LA Auto Show, the hugely lovely and impressive Allard J2X MkII. Only unlike the 500-ish horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi powered J2X MkII we got to look at, Jay blasts around the streets of Burbank, CA in a 600-hp 6.1-liter Hemi version. Grrr. Still, the Allard is such a desirable beast - and to see it in motion such a treat - that we'll tuck our Jay-based jealously back into its hole. This time... Watch the video, after the jump.

Gallery: LA 2009: Allard J2X MkII

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Allard J2X MkII

VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Allard J2X MkII originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Justin Bell shows off Lexus LFA in Jay Leno's Garage

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Lexus

2011 Lexus LFA at California Speedway - Click above to view the video after the jump

The lease-only 2011 Lexus LFA supercar has been getting a lot of exposure lately. We had a chance to drive it a few weeks ago and just showed you some pics of the matte black car when it showed up at Cars & Coffee in Irvine this Saturday, but now we have something even better. LeMans-winner and Jay Leno Show racing coach, Justin Bell, heads out onto Fontana's California Speedway with this very same LFA, getting some instruction himself from fellow racer Scott Pruett before taking the better seat for a lap.

The segment was shot for the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage, the Jay Leno webshow that highlights a different car every week, sometimes with Jay driving and sometimes with Justin doing the heavy lifting. Follow the jump to see the video for yourself and be sure to check out Jay's Garage regularly if you don't already. Listening to this thing rip up to 9,000 RPM is worth the nine-minute investment of your time, trust us. Thanks for the tip Gabriel!

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading VIDEO: Justin Bell shows off Lexus LFA in Jay Leno's Garage

VIDEO: Justin Bell shows off Lexus LFA in Jay Leno's Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Challenger

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Dodge, Celebrities

Jay Leno and the 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Challenger - Click above to watch video after the jump

Well, well, well -- look who's jumping on our Hotchkis bandwagon. It's none other than Jay Leno behind the wheel of the 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Challenger! What a wonderful beast of an automobile.

To refresh your memory a bit, the suspension gurus at Hotchkis wanted to build a classic muscle car that not only looked and sounded the part, but that handled like a modern performance car. In fact, they wanted to take things a step further, so they went and built an auto-crosser. To quote ourselves, "Tooling around the 'hood a bit I'm slightly amazed at how much the bright yellow Dodge feels like a go kart. A gigantic go kart, but a go kart nonetheless."

And guess what? Jay feels the same way. Well, not quite the same, as he compares the handling to a Lamborghini. We're not prepared to go quite so far, but there is no question that as far as 1970 Mopars go, this is the best handling one out there, period. One thing Jay does that we didn't get to do is place the E-Max on a lift and get a guided tour of all the fancy-pants suspension components from none other than John Hotchkis himself. They examine the poly-bushings, the shiny tie-rods and the elegant A-arms that make up the E-Max's sophisticated front end, as well as the less-than-modern (but still nifty) solid-axle leaf-sprung rear. Then they venture out into the streets of Burbank for a little hoonage, including a smoky burnout. Watch the video, after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Challenger T/A

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno explains his biodiesel-powered EcoJet, races a private plane

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, GM, Celebrities, Specialty, Electric

Jay Leno's EcoJet - Click above to watch the video after the break

In a garage full of ultra rare, highly desirable cars and trucks, Jay Leno's EcoJet still manages to stand out as one of the coolest. Part of the vehicle's claim to fame comes from its ability to run on biodiesel fuel, putting out an impressive 750 horsepower and 700 ft-lb of torque at 48,000 RPM from its Honeywell LT101 jet turbine engine.

Underneath its distinctive carbon fiber skin lies an aluminum chassis that is kept in contact with the ground using existing suspension bits from the Chevrolet Corvette. Also in use is a four-speed automatic transmission from General Motors that gets its input from a custom gearbox that reduces engine speed from those aforementioned lofty heights down to 6,000 rpm.

Naturally, special carbon fiber brake discs from Brembo paired up with aluminum six-piston calipers were necessary to hold back the engine's 200 horsepower at idle. Inside, Microsoft built the dash, including a full Windows Vista-powered computer that is fully connected to the internet.

As we have come to expect from Leno, the EcoJet does indeed see action on the roads in California, and Jay also finds the time to visit the airstrip for a race against a private jet. Wanna know who wins? Click past the break to watch the video.

Gallery: Jay Leno's EcoJet

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno explains his biodiesel-powered EcoJet, races a private plane

VIDEO: Jay Leno explains his biodiesel-powered EcoJet, races a private plane originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Rush Limbaugh runs Leno's Green Car Challenge, takes out Al Gore twice

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Humor, Electric

Rush Limbaugh in Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge - Click above to watch the video after the break

As expected, Rush Limbaugh strapped himself behind the wheel of Ford's specially-prepped electric Focus hatchback as part of Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge last night. We don't mean to brag or anything (well, maybe just a little), but we totally predicted the outcome way in advance of the actual running.

No, Rush did not beat Drew Barrymore's time. Yes, he did in fact take out Al Gore... twice. Also Ed Begley Jr. In any case, Limbaugh claims to have enjoyed his time driving a silent electric car in anger and couldn't care less that his time was negatively impacted by aiming for Gore and Begley. Click past the break to watch the video.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Rush Limbaugh runs Leno's Green Car Challenge, takes out Al Gore twice

VIDEO: Rush Limbaugh runs Leno's Green Car Challenge, takes out Al Gore twice originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno inspects the Devon Motorworks GTX

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Celebrities, Specialty

2010 Devon GTX walkaround with Jay Leno and Justin Bell - click above to watch the video

Celebrity car-lover Jay Leno was up in Monterey this year, helping to auction off some charity items and checking out every car that caught his fancy. One such car was the newest all-American supercar, Devon's GTX. Jay spotted the car on the concept lawn at Pebble Beach and had development driver Justin Bell give him a walkaround. Fortunately, someone had a camera rolling to chronicle the experience for a Jay Leno Garage segment.

Click through to the jump and you'll hear Justin mention some interesting stats on the car: 3,000 pounds, 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque to name a few. That means that this limited production designer sports car will have a much better power-to-weight ratio than the Viper ACR with which which it shares some DNA. In fact, the Devon's numbers mirror those of the Ferrari Enzo, although the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was reportedly the actual benchmark for the car. No wonder it has been setting production car lap records.

Our favorite part of the video is when Jay fires the GTX up. We can tell you from firsthand experience that the Devon crew has done a terrific job of making their creation sound as good as it looks and performs, and you can get a taste of that in the video. We'll have a lot more Devon news for you in the near future, but for now, follow the jump and watch the clip.

Gallery: Monterey 2009: 2010 Devon GTX

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno inspects the Devon Motorworks GTX

VIDEO: Jay Leno inspects the Devon Motorworks GTX originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future Leno Show Green Car Challenge lineup leaked

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Drew Barrymore takes the Green Car Challenge - Will any of these guys be able to beat Drew's lap time?

Last week, actress Drew Barrymore kicked off the Jay Leno Show's Green Car Challenge segment with a bang. Literally. Canons shot streamers and ping pong balls at the Ford Focus EV while she zipped around the track. Although the whole thing was a bit hokey, we know the segment is here to stay, hopefully with some healthy tweaking.

We say drop the second lap shenanigans, create a properly defined track and make it a real race with some interesting guests. Well, with what we just learned, we think they might be on the right track. No pun intended. It will be another Big Adventure for the next celeb to take the wheel, none other than actor Paul Reubens, better known to most of us as Pee-wee Herman. After Pee-wee has a crack at the challenge, other celebs scheduled to appear are sportscasters Bob Costas and Al Michaels, as well as the one and only, hybrid-loathing Rush Limbaugh.

Are any of these guys capable of besting Barrymore's lap time? Our money is on the lightweight Costas, although Pee Wee might be a shot in the dark. Michaels could surprise, but we doubt Limbaugh will be able to avoid the penalties that will ensue from mowing down the effigies of Al Gore and Ed Begley, Jr. What say you? Who will top the board after these guys complete the Green Car Challenge?

Future Leno Show Green Car Challenge lineup leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell!

Dan Roth — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #146 of the Autoblog Podcast puts Chris, Sam, and Dan in fast company, talking to Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell. Johnny's heading out to run the Petit LeMans, but he took some time to chat with us first. Once the crew settles down about apexes and back straights, we head off into a couple of topical discussions. Jay Leno's two-lap challenge starts us off, and GM's new "May the Best Car Win" ads get our attention next, and then we move on to Nissan's settling of the class-action lawsuit over GT-R transmissions. Some questions finish us off near the hour and a half mark. Thanks for listening, and if you like what we're doing, be sure to let us know in our survey or by leaving reviews in iTunes. Our friends over at Engadget and Joystiq do great podcasts as well, in case you need a fix before we circle around again next week.

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell!

Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge

Alex Nunez — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:11:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Drew Barrymore takes the wheel in Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge - Click above to watch the video

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that NBC, apparently incapable of producing compelling scripted television not named The Office or 30 Rock, has nuked its entire 10 PM primetime lineup (and effectively thrown Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show under the bus) on the gamble that Jay Leno can carry that hour every weeknight. The Jay Leno Show indeed debuted to boffo numbers on Monday (18 million viewers), and went on to win the 10 PM timeslot for NBC every other night as well. (The real competition starts this week, as the other nets roll out their new Fall schedules.) On Friday, 7.7 million viewers witnessed the first edition of the much-hyped Green Car Challenge segment, a regular feature of the Leno show that will put a celebrity guest behind the wheel of an electric Ford Focus ST to see how quickly he or she can run two laps of the circuit painted on the backlot behind Leno's soundstage.

First up was Drew Barrymore, who explained to Jay that she was currently without a driver's license as she clicked into the racing harness in the driver's seat. The segment goes like this: lap one is unobstructed -- the celeb simply tries to get around the course as quickly as possible in the electric Ford Political Correctness Capsule. Lap 2 adds a healthy dose of lameness, with dangling cardboard cutouts of Al Gore and Ed Begley Jr. that try to impede the driver's progress. These are to be avoided if the celebrity doesn't want to take a 1-second penalty for each strike. (We're hoping someone aims right for the stupid things in a future segment.) In addition to tree-hugger avoidance maneuvers, the second lap also features cannons that shoot ping-pong balls and party streamers at the car. It's about as dopey as it sounds, and despite all the hoopla (NBC has the Goodyear Blimp capturing the overhead shots, for crying out loud) it just comes off as a cheap imitation of Top Gear's "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car", which, of course, it is. Watch and judge for yourselves after the jump, where the segment is embedded in a Hulu player.

[Source: Hulu]

Continue reading VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge

VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge Ford Focus EV - Click above to watch video after the jump

We've already showed you the first images of a new battery electric Focus that Ford has built for the guests of the new Jay Leno Show to drive in his Green Car Challenge. Now Ford has also posted a video with some of the engineers showing off their handiwork. Once the team got the Euro-spec Focus electrified, it was time for the Ford Racing crew to charge it up. Andy Slankard, Engineering Supervisor at Ford Racing, describes the work done to prepare the car for its life on the small screen. While these show cars started life as Focus ST models, their new powertrain and the added mass of a 23 kWh battery pack meant the suspension needed some beefing up. With the battery pack sitting in the cargo hold in the rear, the weight balance was undoubtedly shifted towards the back. Nevertheless, the car still looks pretty good going through the autocross, as you'll see in the video after the jump. Thanks to Clifford for the tip!

Gallery: Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge Ford Focus

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show

VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pretty in Pics: Leno's electric Ford Focus gets a face, specs

Chris Shunk — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge Ford Focus EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

The new Jay Leno Show has been given as much push as any new program in recent memory, with a constant barrage on TV, the radio and all over the interwebs. One part of the show that has really piqued our interest is Jay's Green Car Challenge, which puts celebrities behind the wheel of an electric Ford Focus. We reported on Jay's Top Gear-like challenge last week, but we hadn't gotten our hands on any pics or specs... until now.

The special battery-powered Focus started life in Germany as a run-of-the-mill Focus ST five-door hatch back in July, then it was shipped to Dearborn, MI for electrification. The one-of-a-kind Focus was given an extreme makeover in only six weeks, but we think the results are pretty remarkable. The Green Car Challenge Focus is bright orange, has more decals than Tony Stewart's car and packs a permanent magnet electric motor. The electric Focus weighs in at a portly 3,421 pounds due in part to the vehicle's 98 air-cooled, 60 Ah lithium ion batteries. The electric motor kicks out 141 hp (105 kW) and 235 lb-ft of torque and has a 7,500 rpm redline.

The goal of Leno's Green Car Challenge is for celebrities to achieve the best possible lap times, so Ford made sure its ecologically friendly Focus could also handle track duty. Among the added features in this Euro Focus ST are Recaro racing seats, a full roll cage and a five-point racing harness. Ford also added 12.6 inch front rotors and 11 inch discs out back to make sure this hot orange Focus could stop as well as it can go.

The Green Car Challenge Ford Focus will first hit the airwaves tonight as actress Drew Berrymore gets behind the wheel for some track time. Hit the jump for more details about Ford's converted Euro Focus ST, and click on the gallery below to see a couple great looking pics.

Gallery: Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge Ford Focus

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Pretty in Pics: Leno's electric Ford Focus gets a face, specs

Pretty in Pics: Leno's electric Ford Focus gets a face, specs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drew Barrymore first to race Ford Focus EV on Leno's new show

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Apparently, electric cars are for girls. For his new prime-time TV show, Jay Leno is going to pit celebrities against one another in his new Green Car Challenge segment and the first one in the driver's seat will be Drew Barrymore. Barrymore will get behind the wheel of a prototype Ford Focus EV this Friday. Following Barrymore's initial time trial, Leno will rope other stars into racing the sponsored Focus on a special track built outside the show's new studio once or twice a week.

For Ford, the tremendous publicity of getting celebs into their upcoming electric vehicle - which is due on the market in 2011 - is a tremendous coup. Nancy Gioia, director of hybrid vehicle programs for Ford, told USAToday that the Leno tie will go a big way in making EVs seem normal. "If (electric cars are) only seen as quirky or off the beaten path, it's really hard to get people" excited, she said.

GM's Rob Peterson sees a benefit to all automakers who are bringing an EV to market. "If we walked into the showroom in 2011 with very little lead time, some segments of the population would have a tough time understanding what these vehicles can do," he said. Instead, we'll have two years of YouTube clips of famous people saying "oh, it's so quiet" to get everyone ready.

Gallery: ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule

[Source: USAToday | Image: Adam Pretty/Getty Images]

Drew Barrymore first to race Ford Focus EV on Leno's new show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Ford Festiva SHOgun replica

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Auctions, Hatchback, Ford, Specialty

Ford Festiva SHOgun replica - Click above for image gallery

Way back in the late 1980s, Chuck Beck, who's perhaps best known for his excellent Porsche 550 Spyder replicas, created what in our minds is still one of the greatest hot hatchbacks of all time: the Festiva SHOgun. While nobody would mistake the lowly Ford Festiva as a performance vehicle, the SHOgun packed a 220 horsepower secret behind its front seats in the form of a V6 engine yanked from a Ford Taurus SHO. A legend was born.

There were only seven SHOguns produced in 1989 (number three is still owned by Jay Leno), so it's highly unlikely you'll ever run into one for sale. Of course, the possibility exists that you could just make one yourself... or, alternatively, purchase this replica on eBay.

The car's current owners claim to have purchased their SHOgun replica from a museum and say that it's powered by a 1996 SHO powerplant. We don't think so. The '96 SHO had a V8 engine and this one, like all the real SHOguns, used a Yamaha V6 - in this case mated up to an automatic transmission. Interested? Click here to visit the auction page.

Gallery: Ford Festiva SHOgun replica

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Ford Festiva SHOgun replica originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno (almost) takes a closer look at the McLaren MP4-12C

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, UK, Celebrities

Jay Leno lifting the McLaren MP4-12Cs carbon fiber tub - Click the image to view the video after the jump

In this video, our favorite zillionaire car freak -- Jay Leno -- goes to the ultra-modern McLaren factory in Woking, England to look at the brand new MP4-12C. Only they don't show it to him. Well sure, they show him the ridiculously lightweight carbon fiber central tub. They show him three-dimensional CAD renderings. And finally they show him... the P11. But not the final MP4-12C.

Why not? Dunno, but we're guessing this was filmed before all the final revisions to the MP4-12C were made. What we do know is that Leno sits in the prototype P11 and gives us a pretty jet-lagged, lethargic guided tour of the interior. Though he does perk up near the end, when he begins talking about getting one for his already +5 envious collection. Have a watch, after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno (almost) takes a closer look at the McLaren MP4-12C

VIDEO: Jay Leno (almost) takes a closer look at the McLaren MP4-12C originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Jay Leno to put stars in (un)reasonably priced car

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Ford, Celebrities, Electric

Ford Focus EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has confirmed rumors that the new Jay Leno show will use the an electric Ford Focus for its Green Car Challenge. From what we hear, the challenge is similar to Top Gear's "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment, where celebs take to the track and battle for top times. While guests on the British show tackle the track in a Chevy Lacetti, Leno's buddies will use a prototype electric car Ford will launch in 2011.

The crew at Ford Racing has retuned the suspension of the prototype Focus BEV to make it a bit more amenable to track duty and the Focus BEV will be used throughout season one of Leno's new show. Check out our own first drive of the Focus BEV here.

Gallery: ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: Jay Leno to put stars in (un)reasonably priced car

Officially Official: Jay Leno to put stars in (un)reasonably priced car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno promotes new show, damages 1970 Challenger

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:21:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Dodge, Celebrities, Humor

Jay Leno and friend - Click above to after the jump

Ha ha ha! Jay Leno likes cars and has a new show on NBC this fall, which, while not focused on cars, will have something to do with cars now and then. In fact, Jay went ahead and cut a trailer for his new show featuring somebody named "Rich Mantooth," comedian Fred Armisen and a Vanishing Point-style 1970 Dodge Challenger (knowing Jay, it probably is the Vanishing Point Challenger). Just after making fun of Fred for taking subways, Jay bangs up his Dodge and hi-jinks ensue! But for reals, if this is a taste of what Leno's new show has to offer, we'll probably be checking it out. Full trailer after the jump. And thanks for the tip, Andrew!

Gallery: Jay Leno and Bertone Mantide

[Source: thrfeed.com]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno promotes new show, damages 1970 Challenger

VIDEO: Jay Leno promotes new show, damages 1970 Challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Jay Leno's new show to put stars in green cars

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Celebrities, Humor

Unlike many, we haven't been losing sleep over Leno leaving The Tonight Show. Partly because we're in bed by that time. Mostly though, despite Jay's well-known obsession with automobiles, the Tonight Show was essentially car-free, instead choosing to focus on Miley Cirus, American Idol and politics. Yawn. Leno's new show - called the Jay Leno Show - looks to address that serious oversight.

According to new reports, Leno's show will feature celebrities racing against each other in "advertiser friendly" challenges involving green cars. In fact, NBC has already built a racetrack next to Leno's studio. Says Jay, "You can see who is faster, Shaquille O'Neal or Cameron Diaz." We've always wondered.

As to what cars will be used in the segment, or what the races will look like, your wild speculation is as good as ours. And yes, Leno's green car challenge does seem kinda close to Top Gear's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. But in the grand scheme of things, who cares, as car racing on network TV ought to be a good thing over the long term. That said, we'll admit that the very term "advertiser friendly" makes our skin crawl a bit. Thanks to Dali for the tip!

[Source: Car Design Fetish via The Live Feed]

REPORT: Jay Leno's new show to put stars in green cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Reasonably Priced Car

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Videos, Celebrities

Click above to watch video after the jump

Last week we saw AC/DC's Brian Johnson on Top Gear's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment and for the first time ever the consensus was, "no need to fast forward." Now, we're not going to say that the former Tonight Show host and pistonhead extraordinaire Jay Leno is as mesmerizingly fun as AC/DC's front man. But Jay does own two Lamborghini Miuras, which is it's own sort of spellbinding. In fact, the notoriously anti-American Clarkson calls Leno the world's "#1 petrolhead." High praise indeed.

For his part, Jay is affable and halfway laughable. He gives a very strange, inaccurate answer as to why Americans drivers won't let people with their turn signals on into a lane (real answer: because we're jerks), but does tell an absolutely fantastic story about two "gang bangers," his McLaren F1 and the three tunnels on Kanan Road. Yes, fine, but does Leno drive fast? Well, he's quite smooth. And the second fastest American. See for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Reasonably Priced Car

VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Reasonably Priced Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jay Leno could be second buyer of Bertone Mantide

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Celebrities, Specialty, MISC

Bertone Mantide - Click either pic for a high-res image gallery

Following its official unveiling in Shanghai, the Bertone Mantide has begun to make the auto show rounds, beginning with an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed where its designer, Jason Castriota, drove the coachbuilt coupe up Lord March's driveway. The next stop on the Mantide's world tour includes a stint at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August, where the rebodied Corvette ZR1 will either be shipped or driven to Monterey by the Mantide's owner, a British ex-pat residing in the States.

Although the video after the jump doesn't reveal exactly who purchased the first of ten Mantides (he's a gentleman racer who owns a substantial car collection that includes a McLaren F1, and has raced in the Ferrari F430 Challenge Series), according to our sources, Jay Leno is potentially in the offing to receive the next production model.

Leno, who attended Goodwood earlier this month, spent a considerable amount of time with Castriota during the event and apparently fell in love with the Mantide. According to reports, Leno would be the fourth or fifth client to put an order in for the re-imagined 'Vette, at a reported cost of around $2 million. Thanks to Bradley Farrell from Kinetic Fin for the update.

Gallery: Bertone Mantide

Continue reading Jay Leno could be second buyer of Bertone Mantide

Jay Leno could be second buyer of Bertone Mantide originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno confirms Top Gear appearance

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Lifestyle, UK, Celebrities

Jay Leno and The Stig - Click above to watch video after the jump

Those previously unconfirmed rumors of Jay Leno making an appearance on Top Gear? Consider them now confirmed, courtesy of The Man himself. According to Jay Leno's Garage, the popular American late-night comedian, talk show host and all around cool guy did in fact visit Jeremy Clarkson, The Stig and the rest of the crew to film a piece for the show's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment.

From the sound of things, Leno had lots of fun in the U.K. and he specifically calls Top Gear his favorite show on television. With due respect to Conan, we'd have to agree. In addition to filming a few teaser shots of his trips around the TG Test Track, the comedian takes us into the Top Gear Production Office - and let's just say its pretty much exactly as you'd expect from a bunch of car-obsessed men. Click past the break to watch the video. Thanks for the tip, Stephen!

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno confirms Top Gear appearance

VIDEO: Jay Leno confirms Top Gear appearance originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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