Jay Leno recently let us into his garage featuring his Monteverdi Highspeed 375S. It's a fabulous vehicle with tons of incredible history, design, and engineering that will impress you. Built by a professional racer out of Switzerland with roots comically similar to those of supercar builder Lamborghini and its famously impetuous originator Ferrucio Lamborghini, Jay clearly has a soft spot in his heart for this ultra rare ride.

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A Dark Horse

Via Jay Leno

Jay calls his Monteverdi a Plymouth Roadrunner that went to grad school in Europe. In fact, he saw this exact car when he was twenty years old at the London Auto Show. When he purchased it in the 80's the car had been painted a new color but he loved it nonetheless. Today, he's released what is his second video on the vehicle and told us a great many details about his personal appreciation and enjoyment of the car.

One Of Jays Favorites

Via Parabrisias

Monteverdi actually was a successful Ferrari salesman and at one point got into a dispute with Enzo Ferrari himself who apparently told Monteverdi that if he thought he could build a better sports car that he should go and do that. While nowhere nearly as successfully as Lamborghini, the power output was more than adequate. The drivetrain is a 440 Chrysler V8 and a Chrysler 4-Speed so Jay practically gushes over how reliable and easy to maintain the car is. He would know too, he drives it often he says.

In addition, he mentions the reasoning for the moniker "Roadrunner that went to grad school in Europe". While the Roadrunner and other contemporary vehicles like the Chevelle, Fairlane, and GTX are sincerely powerful and fast in a straight line, the 375S can manage the same acceleration, but also stop and turn like a European car of the time.

While the Monteverdi Highspeed 375S has the same kind of power, it features far better handling and braking than really anything mainstream here in the USA at the time. He also mentions that it's incredibly practical and a joy to drive, even at high speeds. That can't be said of most cars from the late 60s' or early 70s.

Underrated Classic

Via Jay Leno

The Monteverdi HighSpeed was made for 9 years and examples today sell for anywhere from $176,000 to the moon. While that's pretty expensive for the vast majority of us, Leno mentions that when he purchased the car nobody seemed to appreciate what it was or how special it was. Jay espouses the value of a reliable, beautiful, and rare car. It makes one wonder if there's a similar option available for half, or less than that. If you know of one, leave me a message in the comment section. I promise to reply.

Sources: Jay Leno's Garage

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