As though the reveal of the NSX Concept at the Detroit Auto Show didn’t garner enough buzz, Acura is looking to reach an even wider audience by showcasing the new hybrid sports car during this weekend’s Super Bowl. And to help out they’ve employed the help of two of the word’s best known comedians, both of whom just also happen to be well-known car buffs: Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno.

The spot pits the two against each other to be the very first to own the new NSX, which isn’t set to go on sale for another three years.

How does it pan out? Watch the video below and see for yourself:

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Very few celebrities have a passion for cars like Jay Leno. The star of late night doesn’t keep his love for all things on four wheels a secret, owning over 200 vehicles. Of the 200, Leno houses 40 various Mercedes-Benz models in his collection, from classics to current sports cars to Mercedes motorcycles. Surprisingly, the only AMG model that Leno has is an E55 AMG, and it looks like AMG wanted to add to that collection by letting Leno tour the AMG facility, test out the SLS AMG Roadster and E-CELL and help hand-assemble one of the SLS AMG’s V8 engines.

After being greeted by the Chairman of the Mercedes-AMG GmBH management board, Ola Källenius, at Stuttgart airport, Leno was allowed to take an SLS AMG Roadster on the motorway and the country roads but the Daimler AG test track in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim was the highlight of his trip.

“The SLS AMG Roadster delivers top performance. Whether the engine, transmission, handling or brakes – you feel that the engineers at AMG are serious! When I was 18 or 19 years old I worked for Mercedes-Benz in America. I knew about the test track in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim from films in which Mercedes sedans like the 220 SE or the 300 SEL 6.3 were driven through the banked curve. I have always wanted to see this for real. It took me over 40 years to do it, but now I’m here! It’s fantastic to drive the latest AMG models here on the test track today,” Leno said.

After a tour through the AMG Studio, Leno paid a visit to the AMG engine shop and assisted in the assembly of an AMG 6.2-liter V8 powerplant for the SLS AMG. And true to AMG tradition, each motor is hand-assembled by a single individual, except for Leno’s case. With the assistance of two experienced AMG technicians, Leno was able to install the crankshaft, cylinder heads, wiring and even carried out the subsequent quality tests. The special engine features an AMG engine plate with his signature on it and then he was able to watch his motor go through rigorous testing.

Highlights from his trip will be posted on his website, www.jaylenosgarage.com, and it would appear that AMG has given Leno enough influence to add one or two more AMG vehicles to his fleet.

GALLERY: Jay Leno Tours AMG Facility

It was only a matter of time before the rich and famous began hopping on the Chevrolet Volt bandwagon, since the Toyota Prius is in imminent danger of becoming passé.

The Volt has found owners among luminaries like Jeff Gordon, Jay Leno, Stephen King and Alyssa Milano. ”I think it’s a great car,” said Leno in an interview with the LA Daily News. “I just like its environmental technology and it is American technology. I like the fact that it’s electric when you want it and gasoline (assisted) when you need it.”

GM previously enlisted other celebrities like Bill Nye, host of a popular children’s science program, to critique the car before it entered production. President Barack Obama also took the car for a famously short drive down the assembly line, but has yet to make the switch from his Cadillac limousine.

[Source: Inside Line]

Jay Leno might be best known as a late night talk show host, but to automotive enthusiasts he’s regarded as a genuine car guy – and one that just happens to have millions of dollars to spend on his hobby.

But instead of packing his garage full of rare Ferraris or the latest Bugatti (even if he has those too), Leno has a preference for the obscure, the wild and wacky and… the Chevrolet Volt.

That’s right, yesterday Leno was one of the first customers in the world to pick up his Volt from Rydell Chevrolet in Nothridge, CA. He even made time to talk to the cameras about the Volt and insisted it would be his daily driver.

Leno is a proponent of the technology behind the Volt, saying that pure electric cars will only, “take you half way to where you want to go,” and that, “electricity is like sex, everybody lies about it.”

See more of what Jay has to say in the video after the jump:

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To millions of people, Jay Leno is perhaps best known as a comedian and host of NBC’s the Tonight Show, but in automotive circles he’s also recognized as a serious car enthusiast and collector, with a warehouse full of 200 interesting vehicles, including 100 cars that are regularly serviced and driven.

The collection includes a tremendous variety of vehicles, ranging from 1906 and 1922 Stanley Steamers to a custom built 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, a one of a kind ‘Tank Car’ and the 1955 Buick he’s owned since 1972. Leno is also an avid supporter of the collector car hobby and in recognition of his dedication, will be presented with the Lee Iacocca Award on stage  after his performance at next year’s running of the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance on Feburary 26, 2011. Guests attending the gala will have an opportunity  to meet and have their photo taken with Leno, along with the Legends of Indy Award winners, which will also be a highlight of the event.

[Source: Autoweek]

Jay Leno’s epic car collection has a new addition to the “Ford section” (yes folks, he has a Ford section) of his garage, a brand-new 2011 Ford Mustang 5.0. The car in question, a Black coupe with a tan interior, has Michigan manufacturer plates, leading Left Lane News to suspect that something may be amiss with the situation, but more likely, this was a press car and Jay decided to order one, to keep his Ford GT, Shelby Cobra and Shelby Mustang GT350 company.

Driving impressions from what Leno are what you’d expect. The 5.0 is a big ball of fun and great value, according to Jay. Autoguide’s own Colum Wood is attending a Mustang event today, where he’ll be driving the V6, 5.0 and Shelby GT500 versions, so expect our driving impressions shortly. Hit the jump to check out nine minutes of big American V8 bliss, and Jay Leno’s sentimental musings on the fate of the muscle car.

[Source: Left Lane News]

With his already amazing collection of classic, exotic and rare automobiles, Jay Leno has just added one more specimen – the Koenigsegg Trevita. Number three of three, the Trevita is based on the 1,018-hp CCXR and gets a special Simmering Diamond carbon fiber body, with a diamond coating layered over the special lightweight weave.

Thanks to the folks at JP Logistics we have a selection of photos of the car – and a bit of a look inside one of Leno’s garages. There are even a few snaps of Leno and Christian von Koenigsegg.

Browse our gallery below or hit up the photog’s Photobucket page here.

GALLERY: Jay Leno’s Koenigsegg Trevita

[Source: Luxury4Play]

The 2010 Ault Park Concours d’Elegance has teamed up with Jay Leno for a one of a kind raffle, with the winner walking away with a VIP tour for four of the Tonight Show host’s famous Big Dog garage.

Just in case a private tour of Leno’s massive collection of historic and modern cars and motorbikes isn’t enough to satisfy your motoring appetite, the contest winner will also receive tickets to the Tonight Show, exclusive access to The Nethercutt Museum and Collection, a tour with the director of The Petersen Automotive Museum and access to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Each raffle ticket costs $100, with all proceeds going towards the Juvenile Arthritis Alliance. Talk about our kind of fund raiser! You’d better act fast if you want in on this unique car-guy opportunity though, because just 210 tickets remain. To buy yours, click here.

[Source: cincyconcours.com]

Along with a host of wild and wacky Camaros at the General Motors booth at SEMA, the General also built five in-house muscle cars that are noticeably more subtle. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t as impressive. In fact, one of the most original Camaros of the dozens on display at SEMA is included in this bunch. Called the “Jay Leno Camaro” this car was designed by the famous late night prime time comedian himself. At first it doesn’t look all that special, but in true Leno style, the real surprise is under the hood. There you’ll find a V6 in place of the big 6.2-liter V8. That might sound underwhelming, were it not for the two Turbonetics T-3 turbochargers that help boost the V6 engine to about 425-hp (the same as the Camaro SS). Under normal driving conditions, the engine gets V6 fuel-economy, but when required it delivers performance like the V8.

Next up is the Camaro Synergy, which, believe it or not, is a color that Chevy will offer for the Camaro in 2010. Much of the rest of the car’s add-on parts can also be bought though your local Chevy dealer, including the 21-inch wheels, ground effects kit, Cyber Grey Rally hood stripes and a cold air intake. Chevy also plans to offer the rear spoiler in the near future. Along with these modifications, the Camaro Synergy also gets a Pedders coilover kit, Brembo brakes and a custom Jet Black and Synergy Green interior.

Another favorite of ours is the Camaro Chroma, in Summit White with a nice silver stripe package. All the parts on this car are either currently offered through GM or will be offered in the near future. Those parts include a set of 21-inch wheels, a “Blade” rear spoiler, a ground effects package, rear fender graphics and a new front grille. There’s also a cold air intake, shorty headers and a performance exhaust, as well as a Victory Red engine cover and Hurst short throw shifter.

The Camaro Dusk concept is designed to be sporty and sophisticated, with much of the car’s highlights being inside the cabin. The interior gets a stunning Jet Back and Sedona leather treatment that really helps class-up the car. It also features plenty of convenience options for younger buyers with a Boston Acoustics sound system, an iPhone cradle and WiFi connectivity. Outside there’s a custom ground effects package that Chevy says may enter production. Other highlights include a set of 21-inch BBS wheels, a lowering kit and an SS spoiler. To help give the car’s exterior a more premium look, many of the exterior details have also been painted to match the color of the wheels.

Finally, there’s the Camaro Graphics car, which will showcase one of four potential new grahics packages on each of the four days of the SEMA Show. Chevy launched a graphics campaign in October to let customers and enthusiasts choose the next graphics package and this car is being used to showcase the four finalists. Chevy also launched a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/chevycamaro) dedicated to the campaign where you can vote for your favorite.

GALLERY: The Jay Leno Camaro

GALLERY: Camaro Synergy

GALLERY: Camaro Chroma

GALLERY: Camaro Dusk

Official release after the jump:

The Jay Leno Camaro
Powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6L direct injected V-6 that is standard in Camaro LS and LT models, Leno’s Camaro blends high performance with surprising efficiency in a racing-ready package. A pair of Turbonetics T-3 turbochargers blows through a custom air-to-air intercooler, force-feeding the engine about seven pounds of boost and lifting its horsepower level to about 425. That’s about 40 percent greater than stock and in normal driving (when the turbochargers aren’t making boost), there’s virtually no penalty in fuel economy over the non-turbocharged 3.6L engine.

“Jay’s Camaro offers style, performance and efficiency in a big way,” said Dewar. “It delivers the power of a Camaro SS on demand, but with the fuel economy of a V-6.”

Supporting upgrades for the turbo system include a larger-capacity Be-Kool radiator and a custom exhaust system, as well as a Centerforce-supplied clutch and pressure plate for the six-speed manual transmission. The tubing for the turbo system is powder-coated blue. The powertrain was designed to deliver consistent, controllable power for both the street and race track. In fact, road racing was a primary mission for the car during its development.

Additional vehicle also support its racing intent:

* Brembo six-piston brake package
* Pedders coil-over lowering kit
* New front fascia with custom fog lamps and integral brake cooling vents
* Air extractor-style hood

The exterior styling of Leno’s car is the most radical of all the Camaro concepts at SEMA. The front fascia and hood are one-off creations, as are the unique upper and lower grilles and the ground effects package (including a rear diffuser). The heritage-inspired vent styling in front of the rear wheels has been replaced with functional brake cooling ducts.

Camaro Synergy
The Camaro Synergy concept previews a new Synergy Green production exterior color that will be offered on a special-edition Camaro in the first half of 2010. It also features a host of the latest Camaro accessories offered through Chevy dealers. They dramatically enhance the performance appearance of the car, demonstrating the personalization possibilities open to Camaro owners. Designers took liberties with the accessories, creating a totally unique package. Details include:

* 21-inch wheels, with a black center finish and polished rim
* Ground effects kit
* Cyber Grey Rally hood stripes
* High wing rear spoiler (future accessory)
* Performance air intake

The ground effects include pronounced rocker moldings, a rear diffuser-type styling piece and a front spoiler. They, along with the rear wing spoiler and rally stripes, are finished in the production Cyber Grey color, although the ground effects and spoiler can be painted to match the exterior of the car. The Rally stripes are adhesive-backed and are offered in grey, black or white. They’re part of a broader range of heritage-inspired graphics that also include “hockey stick” stripes for the front fenders.

Chevy designers further enhanced the concept with a Pedders coil-over lowering kit and a set of large, Brembo brakes, as well as color-coordinating the Jet Black interior with Synergy Green accent stitching, piping and other accents. The lowering kit, brakes and interior accents are not among the accessories offered for the Camaro, but represent common and popular aftermarket upgrades. Chevrolet will gauge public interest in the features for possible inclusion in future accessory offerings.

Camaro Chroma
It looks like the custom creation of a tuner shop, but the Camaro Chroma simply demonstrates how carefully selected accessories available through Chevy dealers can create a look like nothing else. The Camaro Chroma is based on an SS/RS model in Summit White and uses a combination of current and not-yet-released components, including:

* A new silver stripe package
* 21-inch wheels (future product, with silver-painted spoke centers and a Victory Red stripe)
* “Blade” rear spoiler (future product)
* Summit White ground effects package
* Rear fender vent graphics
* Accessory front grille with body-color outer frame (future accessory)

“With its silver graphics on the Summit White paint, this car has a tailored, tone-on-tone appearance that is simultaneously racy and subdued,” said Todd Parker, design manager, GM Accessory Studio. “It is a sophisticated-looking car that is easily duplicated by any customer, because all of the parts are available to build it.”

From a performance standpoint, the Camaro Chroma’s standard LS3 V-8 engine is equipped with current accessories, including a performance intake, shorty headers and performance exhaust system. There’s also a Victory Red engine cover and a Hurst short-throw shifter for the six-speed manual transmission, as well as red-painted Brembo brake calipers.

Inside, the black-and-grey leather seats feature red accent stitching, as do the shifter boot, floor mats and door trim. Accessory inserts for the dashboard and door panels (in silver) are also included as available accessories.

“What’s great about the Camaro Chroma is it speaks to the almost unlimited possibilities that the accessories offer,” said Parker. “You can build your Camaro mild or wild, but build it your way.”

Camaro Dusk
Inspired by the style of young, urban professionals, the Camaro Dusk concept rolls with a contemporary tuner aesthetic. It is understatedly aggressive looking, with a lowered ride height, new 21-inch wheels, the rear spoiler from an SS model and a custom ground effects package.

“This is a car with an international flair, bringing the Camaro to a place it hasn’t traditionally been,” said Parker. “It is a very tailored look that is stylish and sophisticated, but with a distinct American accent.”

The ground effects package includes a racing-inspired front splitter, rocker extensions and a rear diffuser. They are prototype parts that may enter production as dealer-available accessories at a later date; the same goes for the 21-inch wheels from BBS. Many of the details, such as the taillamp and fog lamp bezels, match the finish of the wheels, lending a more premium look to the car.

The Camaro Dusk’s body is painted Berlin Blue, while the ground effects are painted a contrasting color. Additional performance items include the exhaust system and Brembo brakes from a Camaro SS (with painted calipers). The interior is trimmed in stylish Jet Black and Sedona, with complementing features including footwell lighting, premium door sill plates and other details.

Today’s young professionals expect advanced technology and premium audio options and this concept delivers with a crisp, well-tuned Boston Acoustics sound system, WiFi connectivity and a convenient cradle for an iPhone.

Camaro Graphics
Camaro designers dreamed up half a dozen proposals for accessory graphics packages, with the intent of soliciting feedback from Camaro enthusiasts for possible production. Chevrolet then launched the graphics campaign in mid-October, asking Camaro fans on Facebook to pick their favorite design.

The top four designs were produced and brought to the SEMA Convention, where a Silver Ice Metallic Camaro will wear each contender on a different day. At the conclusion of the convention, after thousands of enthusiasts see the graphics on the car in person and on Facebook, another round of voting will occur. The top vote-getter will be considered for future production.

“Camaro has thousands of fans on the various social media sites and this is a great way to demonstrate that Chevrolet is connected to our customers,” said Dewar. “With so many great designs to choose from, we’re sure the voting will be close, but whatever the outcome, the real winners will be the customers who personalize their Camaro with the winning graphics package.”

The Camaro Graphics display vehicle will be located prominently in the GM display during the SEMA Convention, starting on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. At the close of the convention each day, the graphics package will be changed.

All of the proposed graphics packages can be viewed and voted on by logging onto Camaro’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/chevycamaro.

Jay Leno has confirmed that he will make an appearance on the most famous (and infamous) car show in the world, Top Gear. Leno has been traveling through the U.K. all week, including introducing the world to the new Jaguar XJ yesterday.

Leno will appear in “The Star in the Reasonably Priced Car” segment, where the legendary comedian will get to try his skills around a race track in an econo-box. Leno was even coached by The Stig.

The spot is scheduled to run in a few weeks and will also include an interview with Leno by Jeremy Clarkson.

[Source: JayLenosGarage]

A lot of vehicles at the Barrett-Jackson auction garner attention and fetch ridiculous sums of money, but even the vast majority of them are not as rare a a bird as the Raven Black 1955 Thunderbird that hit the auction block on Saturday. Verified by the Ford Motor Company as the very first Thunderbird to ever roll off the production line in Michigan, this restored T-Bird fetched no less than $660,000.

Final assembly of the car was completed on September 9, 1954 and this Raven Black with black and white interior T-Bird is equipped with the 292 Y Block and Fordomatic transmission. It is also well-equipped with power steering, windows and seats.

Now former owner George Watts found the car in 1965 and restored it to its original condition. Since then the car has been featured in books, magazines, promotions and tv shows. FoMoCo continues to “borrow” the car, often for events at Ford HQ. Generations of Ford execs have had their picture taken next to it, as have the likes of Carroll Shelby and Jay Leno.

[Source: Barrett-Jackson]