Tag: Jay Leno’s Garage

  • Jay Leno drives a 1957 Chevrolet Step Van with a unique story

    When choosing cars for his “Jay Leno’s Garage” YouTube show, Jay Leno sometimes pulls from his own collection, or gets pitched by owners and manufacturers. Sometimes, though, he stops owners on the street, which is how this 1957 Chevrolet Step Van got on the show.

    The van was built by Diosely Pino, who emigrated from Cuba about five years ago, taking a Greyhound bus cross country to reach Los Angeles, where he now resides. It now serves as a work vehicle for his restoration shop. Pino gained experience working on old cars in Cuba, where 1950s American cars never died, and turned that into a business.

    Before it could be put to work, the Chevy van required some restoration work of its own. Rusted bodywork was repaired and repainted with the current fake police livery in between customer jobs, Pino explained. He also added a police light and siren, and the front emblem from a 1959 Chevy Apache pickup truck. Crystal doorknobs serve as a budget replacement for the original (missing) sliding-door handles.

    The Cuban Style 1957 Chevrolet Step Van on Jay Leno's Garage

    The Cuban Style 1957 Chevrolet Step Van on Jay Leno’s Garage

    He kept the stock inline-6 engine and 4-speed manual transmission, adding shelves and drawers in the back to keep tools and parts (and the odd firearm) organized.

    While he did put his Instagram handle (@The_Cuban_Style_88) on the side, Pino said he doesn’t want the van to serve as a rolling billboard for his shop. He’s currently a one-man operation, and already has lots of work, he explained.

    Watch the video to hear the rest of Pino’s story, and to see his van cruising around the streets of L.A.

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  • 2021 Ferrari 812 GTS prances into Jay Leno’s Garage

    After checking out the mid-engine Ferrari SF90 Stradale, Jay Leno switched to the front-engine 812 GTS for a recent episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage.”

    The Ferrari 812 GTS is a convertible version of the 812 Superfast, sporting a retractable hardtop in place of the Superfast’s fixed roof. So it’s perfect for Leno’s Los Angeles locale.

    Like the 812 Superfast, the 812 GTS is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V-12, producing 789 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque. The engine drives the rear wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Ferrari quotes 0-62 mph in less than three seconds, with a top speed of over 211 mph.

    2021 Ferrari 812 GTS on Jay Leno's Garage

    2021 Ferrari 812 GTS on Jay Leno’s Garage

    When it was unveiled in 2019, the 812 GTS was the first V-12 Ferrari convertible since 2014’s limited-edition F60 America. In terms of regular production cars, it was the first since the 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider of the early 1970s. However, Ferrari has since unveiled the 812 Competizione A, a more hardcore targa version with 812 hp.

    Leno was impressed by the design, noting that the V-12 front-engine cars are Ferrari’s traditional bailiwick. He liked the driving dynamics too, praising the smoothness of the V-12, the comfortable ride, and the handling precision of what is a fairly large car. A four-wheel steering system, shared with the 812 Superfast and originally from the F12tdf, likely helps with that.

    A hardcore version of the 812 Superfast is expected to be a swan song for the naturally-aspirated Ferrari V-12. So watch Leno take the 812 GTS for a spin, and listen to that V-12 wail.

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  • Jay Leno checks out the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4

    Jay Leno’s vehicular interests aren’t limited to cars. For this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he switches from four wheels to two, getting the details on the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 from Jason Chinnock, the company’s North American CEO.

    The Multistrada is designed as a multi-purpose bike (the name means “many roads” in Italian), so it’s proficient in off-roading, city riding, touring, and the sporty style of riding Ducati is known for, Chinnock said. Leno views it as the motorcycle equivalent of performance SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX. Programmable modes change the riding character; they consist of Urban, Sport, Touring, and Enduro. The bike’s suspension pre-load can also be adjusted to accommodate a passenger or baggage.

    Ducati launched the Multistrada in 2003 with a 2-cylinder engine, but the 2021 model sports a V-4 making 170 hp. The transverse-mounted engine has cylinder deactivation for the rear bank of cylinders, but for rider comfort not fuel economy. Shutting off two cylinders reduces heat, helping to keep riders from baking while sitting at stoplights. Winglets direct cooling air toward the rider while underway. The Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) allows clutchless shifts up and down despite the manual transmission.

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno's Garage

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno’s Garage

    The 2021 Multistrada is also the first production motorcycle with radar (the unit is located between the headlights), Chinnock says, which enables blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Those features are common in cars these days, but not as widespread in motorcycles.

    The bike’s various features are controlled through an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Creature comforts include a heated seat and heated handlebars.

    Ducati has been able to add more features to its newer bikes in part because it’s part of the Volkswagen Group, and can use the massive automaker’s engineering resources. VW was thought to have considered selling off Ducati (along with Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini) as it shifts focus to mass-market electric cars, but the automaker announced in December 2020 that it was keeping Ducati, along with Bentley and Lamborghini.

    Click on the video above for much more information on the Mulstistrada V4 and to see and hear Jay and Jason go for a ride.

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