Jay Leno is no stranger to obscure American classics, but his latest Jay Leno’s Garage episode puts the spotlight on one of Pontiac’s rarest forgotten muscle machines: a 1967 Pontiac 2+2 HO convertible, a full-size bruiser that Leno calls a true “muscle car unicorn.”Unlike the more famous GTO, the Pontiac 2+2 was built for buyers who wanted big-body comfort with serious V8 performance. Often nicknamed the “banker’s hot rod,” it blended luxury-car size with muscle-era horsepower. In Leno’s latest garage feature, the already rare Pontiac gets a thoughtful modernization that makes it even more usable on today’s roads. A Rare Full-Size Muscle Car With Serious Factory Power Jay Leno's Garage / YoutubeThis 1967 Pontiac 2+2 HO is powered by Pontiac’s legendary 428-cubic-inch V8. Leno explains that while Pontiac marketed it as a “428,” it was partly a branding move during the displacement wars of the 1960s, when Chevrolet had its 427 and Chrysler had its 426.From the factory, this high-output version delivered around 376 horsepower along with massive torque, making it surprisingly quick for such a large convertible. Leno notes the car could run low-13-second quarter-mile times, putting it in legitimate muscle car territory despite its luxury-car proportions.What made the Pontiac 2+2 unusual in its day was its mission. While younger buyers chased GTOs and smaller street machines, the 2+2 catered to drivers who wanted performance without sacrificing size, comfort, or highway presence. The 6-Speed Swap That Completely Changed the Car The biggest focus of the video is not added horsepower, but drivability. Leno says his team removed the original four-speed manual and installed a modern Tremec Magnum six-speed transmission, a modification he says transformed how the Pontiac behaves on the road.According to Leno, no major performance upgrades were made beyond the transmission swap. But the impact was dramatic.At highway speed, the original gearing reportedly had the engine spinning close to 4,000 RPM. After the Tremec swap, revs dropped to roughly 2,100 RPM at 70 mph, making the massive convertible quieter, smoother, and far more practical for cruising.“It really makes it drivable now,” Leno says during the road test.That overdrive-heavy six-speed setup effectively turned the car from a thirsty weekend novelty into something closer to a legitimate grand-touring muscle car. Leno also reveals this Pontiac was not a flawless collector example when he bought it.He found the car at the Audrain auction in Newport, Rhode Island, but the previous owner had heavily altered it. Large police-style spotlights had been added, parts of the front-end trim had been changed, and the electrical system turned into a headache after Leno discovered wiring issues hidden behind the dash. His shop reversed many of those cosmetic modifications while keeping tasteful upgrades that improved reliability and usability. The result is a car that largely preserves its original 1960s character while quietly benefiting from modern mechanical improvements. Why Jay Leno Loves Big American Muscle Cars Like This Jay Leno's Garage / YoutubeThroughout the drive, Leno repeatedly emphasizes how unusual—and enjoyable—it is to row gears in something this large.He describes the Pontiac as feeling like “driving your living room,” a giant open-air cruiser with surprisingly strong handling and serious torque. One of his favorite features remains the hood-mounted tachometer, which he jokingly says he likes more than a heads-up display.For Leno, the appeal isn’t just rarity. It’s the old-school involvement. In a world of 10-speed automatics and increasingly computerized performance cars, he says there is something deeply satisfying about manually controlling a nearly 4,000-pound V8-powered convertible.