Leno added, “I just never enjoyed dealing with the dealers. It’s not a criticism of the vehicle. Leno thinks Ferrari salespeople mistreat clients given how pricey the cars are.
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Since Jay Leno despises car dealerships, he won’t purchase a Ferrari.
The majority of people may recognize Jay Leno as the former host of The Tonight Show, but in our region, he is likely even more well-known for being a true and dedicated car enthusiast. He still keeps busy with his CNBC vehicle show, Jay Leno’s Garage, after leaving the talk show business, and is hailed as one of the world’s most active car collectors. Jay Leno owns 181 automobiles in addition to 160 motorcycles, according to a duPont Registry list published last year. The exact number of cars in Jay Leno’s actual garage undoubtedly varies regularly.
The late-night legend reportedly does not own any Ferraris despite having a sizable collection, and there’s a good reason for that: He abhors the requirements Ferrari dealerships place on buyers in order to be allowed to acquire a vehicle from Maranello. It’s a little-known fact that dealing with Ferrari can be challenging unless you’re a lifelong, paying Tifosi member with a long history of Ferrari ownership.
Leno remarked on Cars and Culture with Jason Stein that “Simply put, I’ve never enjoyed dealing with dealers. I don’t want to give a man $25,000 in a sealed envelope, you know. I’d prefer not to have to purchase two Mondials.” The Ferrari Mondial, a car made by Ferrari from 1980 to 1993, is used by Jay to illustrate his point, which tells me two things: first, Jay has held this opinion for literally decades, and second, Ferrari has been conducting business this manner for at least as long.
Then he contrasted Ferrari’s “prove your worth” strategy with its bitter competitor McLaren’s significantly more customer-focused outlook.
“The dealer service is one of McLaren’s smart features. I purchased my McLaren and paid the sticker price in full. The purchasing process was excellent. My MP4-12C was the car I owned for about six or seven months. They informed me by phone one day that there had been an increase from 592 to 617 horsepower. Do you desire the upgrade? When I inquired about the cost, they responded, “It’s free.”
He continues with another incident about how Leno was once talked out of purchasing carbon brakes by a McLaren salesperson who suggested that they might not be necessary for street driving, thus saving Leno $20,000. Jay contrasts the BDSM experience with the Ferrari dealership visit. It’s like when wealthy men visit a dominatrix and say, “Oh, she kicked the snot out of me, it was terrific.” I mean, some men are like that.
Leno does not, however, deny his admiration for the vehicles themselves. “They’re great vehicles. Just the fact that you’re spending so much money is not a criticism of the car. You ought to be treated like a client.”
It’s strangely heartening to realize that “screw car dealers” is a sentiment that can actually transcend tax rates, even though the ordinary car lover like you or I may not have anywhere near the amount of vehicles that Jay Leno does.
Jay Leno doesn’t own a single Ferrari because of this.
He does not, however, possess a Ferrari despite owning more than 180 automobiles and 160 motorcycles. He has tasted many Prancing Horses over the years, including, to name a few, the 1972 Ferrari Dino Monza 3.6 Evo, 1977 Ferrari 275 GTB4, Ferrari F40, the enchanted Ferrari Enzo, and the edgy Ferrari 288 GTO.
The 2021 SF90 was the final Ferrari he drove, and he was really impressed by its hybrid mayhem. But he never actually made the purchase for himself. Why are there no Ferraris yet? was a question Jason Stein was asked during a recent interview for his Cars and Culture podcast. And the response was both enlightening and entertaining.
Although Jay Leno adores Ferraris, he is unable to purchase one due to its pompous and complicated customer experience.
A Ferrari Owner Was Beaten By Jay Leno
Leno concluded their talk by inferring that Ernie was a Ferrari owner. He respectfully inquired as to the model of Ferrari Ernie was driving, to which Ernie replied, “A 348.”
They resumed discussing cars rather than dealerships. Ernie came to the conclusion that he was in awe of one of the largest auto enthusiasts in the world. He understood the reasons Jay Leno does not own a single Ferrari and is dissatisfied with the brand. The last thing Ernie told Ferrari to do was to change their song and start treating people better.
The estimated net worth of Jay Leno is $450 million. Obviously, he could have found a way to purchase a Ferrari by now if he had desired one. He is currently merely abiding by his principles. The fact that Leno has so many incredible vehicles at his disposal that he does not even need a Ferrari or the fact that he is so endearing that he was able to win over a Ferrari owner are both impressive.
It is unrelated to automobiles.
On a recent edition of “Cars and Culture with Jason Stein,” Leno discussed his non-ownership of a Ferrari and disclosed that the experience of Ferrari sales, which he claims is unfriendly to customers, is what turns him off rather than the sticker price of a Ferrari. Leno added, “I just never enjoyed dealing with the dealers.
“You should be treated like a customer because you are spending an amazing amount of money.” Leno gave instances of positive interactions with rival brands like McLaren but avoided going into detail about any particular unpleasant experiences he had in the past at a Ferrari shop. Leno does not appear to be on the famed Ferrari blacklist, either.
The cliché says that when it comes to having a unique Ferrari, “No, you don’t pick Ferrari. You are chosen by Ferrari.” Regardless of how rich you are or how well-known you are, Ferrari only chooses its clients if they truly share the brand’s values and are Ferrari enthusiasts. There are even speculations that in order to even be considered for the elusive list that receives the invitation to purchase items like the La Ferrari, you must have a specific number of Ferraris in your garage.
Jay Leno enjoys Ferraris, right?
Without a doubt, Jay Leno could afford a Ferrari, and he values the brand’s automobiles. However, the former Tonight Show host does not appreciate how Ferrari dealerships have handled him.
I had to conduct some research for my 2021 post because Jay Leno had never complained about Scuderia Ferrari or called for a boycott in public. On a forum, I discovered a Ferrari owner by the name of Ernie who claimed to have met Leno in Manhattan and inquired about his lack of Ferraris.
They are a pain in the a-, Jay allegedly informed Ernie. He continued, “Every time I visit a dealership, the price is immediately increased. That is just nonsense.”
These Leno quotes are tough to verify because they are only hearsay from a forum. Fortunately, presenter Jason Stein of the Cars and Culture podcast queried Leno about the lack of Ferraris in his garage when he appeared. But few anticipated Leno’s reply to be even more direct than his rumored Manhattan exchange.
Jay Leno owns how many Ferraris?
The absurdly large collection of vehicles and motorcycles owned by Jay Leno is well-known. Mr. Leno keeps all of his expensive belongings clean, immaculate, and driven, ranging from the classic exemplar to some of the rarest and most current machines available. He does not, however, possess a Ferrari despite owning more than 180 automobiles and 160 motorcycles.
What automobile is Jay Leno’s top pick?
Nothing compares to Jay Leno’s favorite car, the 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor, among the exotic and vintage vehicles he owns. The 600’s design and engineering were cost-free, which accounts for practically all of its silent systems. This is due to the 600’s almost entirely hydraulic windows, trunk, and other movable parts. The fluid, which is circulated throughout the vehicle at 300 psi, is a mixture of mineral oil and a few additional lubricants. It weighs more than 3 tons with a few passengers. To increase the horsepower to 525, Jay fitted a massive supercharger (Kompressor) and fuel injection.
What vehicle lacks Jay Leno?
The variety of brands represented in Jay Leno’s automotive collection ranges from well-known to quite obscure. But Ferrari is absent from the list.
Leno gave an explanation for why he doesn’t own a single vehicle sporting the Prancing Horse logo in a December 2021 interview on the podcast “Cars and Culture.”
Leno added, “I just never enjoyed dealing with the dealers. It’s not a criticism of the vehicle.
Leno thinks Ferrari salespeople mistreat clients given how pricey the cars are. In the short tape, he referenced Ferrari dealers encouraging consumers to buy multiple automobiles in order to secure orders, and said the corporation strong-arms owners into paying for certifications of authenticity. He said that other supercar producers perform better.
Leno remembers a McLaren representative telling him straight out that he didn’t need to spend $20,000 on carbon-ceramic brakes and providing him a free power upgrade for his MP4-12C. Leno is a great supporter of McLaren; he’s driven a P1 for the first time outside of a McLaren and has owned an F1 since it was new. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to argue with service like that.
Leno claimed that Porsche gave him a thorough tour of the Carrera GT after delivering it to his garage (which turned out to be a bit unreliable, admittedly). He asserts that Ferrari would never offer that caliber of service.
Leno claimed that Ferrari still produces “great” automobiles, and he has highlighted several of them on his “Jay Leno’s Garage” YouTube series, including a vintage 1960 250 PF Cabriolet and a contemporary SF90 Stradale. One benefit of having a successful YouTube program is that you can always rent a Ferrari if you don’t want to deal with the hassles of owning one.
Jay Leno, does he own a Shelby Cobra?
According to The Drive, Carroll Shelby was unable to homologate the Cobra 427 in time for the 1965 racing season. In order to make 23 of them street legal, he detuned them and fitted a muffler, windshield, and indicator lights. As Shelby Cobra 427 Competitions, these were offered for sale. And one of them is the one that is presently in Jay Leno’s garage.
However, Hagerty notes that the narrative of how it came to be in Jay Leno’s possession is interesting to read. It was initially purchased by the then-governor of South Carolina’s son for track and street driving. The Shelby was then sold to a number of SCCA racing owners, one of whom turned it over on the racetrack in 1970. However, before that, according to RM Sotheby’s, it was the only Cobra 427 to take home two national championships.
In 1977, a new body and a few extra safety modifications were added to the restoration of the 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 Competition. After thereafter, the Cobra participated in a few vintage racing competitions before finally finding a previous owner. He gave it more TLC by replacing the engine, cleaning the interior and exterior, and rebuilding the suspension and transmission. Finally, it sold for $2,255,00 at an RM Sotheby’s auction in 2016.
Surprisingly, Jay Leno owns a replica of a Shelby Cobra 427 but none of the original models. He didn’t agree with this specific scenario, though. He’s merely providing it with a short-term residence outside of the California flames that are currently raging. And he has been having a great time driving it.
Its unadulterated, visceral quality is what he values most about it. No protection exists; not even windows. Directly beneath you, the side pipes screech, heightening the excitement of the incredible acceleration. This Shelby Cobra 427 still bites hard, to put it simply.