Jay Leno's Garage is quite special among car collectors; every car here is special in its own way, not just because of its rarity, as some cars aren't very rare. But it's the variety and story behind each of the cars and how Jay came to acquire them that truly make most of them special. But when asked to picture his garage, your mind probably goes straight to the exotics. The McLaren F1 is the most valuable car in this collection, which has made headlines for years alongside his Lamborghinis and McLarens; there are no Ferraris for obvious reasons. UPDATE: 2026/03/12 07:08 EST BY JARED SOLOMON This article has been updated to add more context about how Jay Leno’s Toronado helped influence the modern restomod movement and why builds like this have become more significant in today’s collector car market.But Jay also has some special project cars he has built over the years, truly turning some dull muscle cars into hot rods or making them more desirable than before. Jay has taken what would be considered an accountant's car in the '60s and turned it into one of the most ferocious muscle cars in the world. From the outside, it looks like a beautifully restored American classic, but under the skin tells a whole different story. The Original Toronado Was Built To Be A Luxury Car MecumIn the mid-1960s, big personal luxury coupes were becoming a trend among young executives and professionals who didn't just want a big-looking sedan. They still wanted a big car but needed it to look stylish and cool. Other automakers already had some cars in this segment, like the Ford Thunderbird and the Buick Riviera. So Oldsmobile decided they wanted to be part of this market also, and in 1966, introduced the Oldsmobile Toronado.It was a big, heavy, stylish, boxy coupe with some cool design features. It had pop-up headlights neatly integrated into the body, flared wheel arches, and a fastback silhouette that gave it this sporty stance. But despite having a sporty look and a big V8 up front, it was never meant to be a sports car or drag car. It was meant to be a sophisticated luxury cruiser that moved effortlessly and was a statement piece wherever it went. This Car Was Kind Of an Odd Vehicle Mecum This was a full-on luxury car, but the drivetrain was a bit odd. While every other American car of the era followed the standard with a big engine up front and rear-wheel drive, the Toronado was front-wheel drive. This was a unique layout for a car like this because the last time America had seen a front-wheel-drive car was the Cord 810/812 in the late 1930s. This Toronado was the first mass-produced American car to feature front-wheel drive in nearly 30 years.It was powered by a 425 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Rocket V8, which made 385 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque with a heavy-duty three-speed automatic transmission sending power to the front wheels. At the time, you also had the option of a larger 455 cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8 making 375 hp, but also a more powerful 400 hp version. It was a well-engineered car but not one that enthusiasts would lust over, so why would this car interest someone like Jay Leno? Well, he loved cars that are well-engineered and dared to go against the norm and execute it well. While it was a good car, it wasn't great, and Jay knew he could make it better. Jay Leno's Toronado Makes 1,000 Horsepower Jay Leno's Garage As mentioned previously, the most powerful engine you could get for this car was the 455 cubic-inch 400 hp version, which was plenty for the time. To put that in context, a new Mustang GT makes 486 hp 60 years later. But that wasn't enough, so Jay partnered with GM to create his version of the Toronado, and this is one of the cleanest and fastest stock-looking classic cars you'll find.The engine block was the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 from the C5-R. This naturally aspirated engine would normally make 610 hp and 570 pound-feet of torque, but Jay wanted more. They slapped on two massive turbochargers, and the result was a mind-numbing 1,070 horsepower in 2004. While everyone was raving about the Bugatti Veyron making 1,200 hp from a quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, Jay Leno's car was making a bit more. It is still more powerful than most modern supercars like the Lamborghini Revuelto and Ferrari SF90. But the engine wasn't the only place they made major changes. It Also Had A Complete Mechanical Overhaul Jay Leno's Garage Sending a 1,000+ horsepower through the front wheels would not be ideal, so this Toronado was converted to rear-wheel drive, which made the car much more exciting. To make this possible, Jay’s team at the Big Dog Garage used a modified chassis of the C5 Corvette and put the Toronado body on top of it. This was the best route to go because the Chassis of the original car was pretty old and would not be able to withstand the forces of the new engine without twisting itself apart.They also used a lot of parts from the C5 Corvette, which included the transaxle, which wasn't out of place since the original one was still a transaxle setup, and the car achieved a near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution. It also got brakes, suspension, and some supporting components from the Corvette with new 17-inch aluminum wheels made to look just like the stock 15-inch wheels. This was necessary to fit the bigger brakes from the Vette. But the best part is that it looked completely stock. Jay wanted it to look this way, and it would fool anyone into thinking this was just an old, well-restored classic. A Unicorn In A Sea Of Special Cars Jay Leno's Garage In a collection that houses many special and significant cars like Jay Leno's, it would be very hard to stand out. This garage has some of the most important muscle cars and supercars in automotive history that would easily grab your attention. But just being told the Toronado makes 1,000 horsepower is a conversation starter. Restomods are becoming really popular these days, but this car was built way before that concept became mainstream, and the engineering behind it is top-notch. The fact that this is the world's most powerful and only rear-wheel drive Toronado in existence makes it one of the most unique cars in this collection. Unique Classic Cars Like These Can Command Premium Prices Jay Leno's Garage Classic supercars have become blue-chip investments in the automotive world. But significant American muscle cars are also going up in value pretty fast, as demand for some of these special classics keeps rising, and so does the price. It isn't uncommon to see many special supercars sell into the millions, but we now see the same prices for muscle cars. Ultra-rare, high-spec American icons is catching like the 1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda Convertible, Bullit Mustangs, and C2 Corvettes have sold over $3 million, which are prices only special cars like this can command. These prices are significantly higher than those of modern-day supercars and are approaching the realm of hypercars.Jay's Toronado fits into this unicorn category. This is a GM-backed project and is a complete one-off car, from the chassis and engine to the driveline. The Toronado was never special, but this car is, and no one may ever attempt to build such a car again. It's a piece of automotive history, and in the world of high-end collecting, one-of-one is the most powerful selling point for a car. A Build That Was Years Ahead Of Its Time When Jay Leno built this Toronado in the early 2000s, the restomod scene looked very different from what it does today. Back then, most classic car restorations focused on originality, keeping everything as close to factory spec as possible. Radical upgrades like modern chassis swaps, forced-induction engines, and full drivetrain conversions were far less common than they are now. What Jay and his team did with this Toronado was essentially take a forgotten luxury coupe and apply engineering normally reserved for race cars and high-end supercars.Today, that philosophy has become the foundation of the modern restomod movement. High-end builders like Ringbrothers, Icon, and Singer now create cars that blend classic styling with modern performance, reliability, and technology. These builds often feature modern suspension geometry, powerful fuel-injected engines, and upgraded braking systems while maintaining the timeless look of the original vehicle.Jay’s Toronado followed that same formula years before it became trendy. Instead of chasing concours-level authenticity, the project focused on making the car dramatically better to drive. The Corvette-based chassis, modern drivetrain, and massive turbocharged LS engine transformed the Toronado into something Oldsmobile engineers in the 1960s could never have imagined. This Must Be The Most Valuable Toronado In The World Jay Leno's Garage So, what is it actually worth? This is a difficult question to answer because Jay Leno rarely sells his cars. Apart from the car itself, Jay is a prominent figure in the automotive industry, and any car attached to his name would command a slightly higher price. However, if this car were to cross the auction block at Barrett-Jackson or RM Sotheby's, there would be a bidding war. This is the only one to exist using factory GM parts and is a custom car built by Jay Leno, and it makes 1,000 horsepower. These stats are enough to make people want to own this car. The build alone would have cost around $500,000 back in 2004, which is crazy for a car that no one really cared about. This car could easily sell for $1.5 million or more simply because it is the only one that exists. How Much Is A Toronado Worth Today? Bring A TrailerTo reiterate, the original Toronados weren't that special. If you want a standard 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado today, you can actually find a decent one for a bargain. Good-driving cars can sell between $15,000 – $20,000, but highly original, concours condition cars are still affordable at $45,000 – $60,000. The most expensive Toronado ever sold is the 1967 custom Mannix Toronado convertible, which sold for $101,000.While the stock cars are relatively affordable, Jay Leno's version exists in a different league. Given technical stats and massive engineering changes, it is already the most famous Oldsmobile on the planet, as it has been featured by many publications and is a well-known and well-documented vehicle. Speculating that this car will sell in the millions is realistic. In a world full of million-dollar supercars that all look the same and anyone with enough money could go out and buy, you can't just buy this car, even if you have enough money.Sources: Oldsmobile, Jay Leno's Garage.
