Jay Leno has had a lot of titles in his career. From being an average Joe like the rest of us, he slowly rose to fame by doing what he always wanted to do – stand up comedy. He started his career as a writer before he became a guest host in one of America’s favorite comedy shows.
It was then that people discovered him for the comedy genius that he is. After being a replacement for the retired host Johny Carson, Leno became more and more famous while hosting The Tonight Show. It didn’t take long for him to come up with his own spin-off. Still, he came back to the original show where he came from in 2009.
But aside from his comedy career, gearheads love him for being a car enthusiast and having one of the sickest car collections in Hollywood. He also has a show in which he gives educational information about the cars he owns. One of his favorite cars in his collection is the Ecojet and this, by far, is what we know about it.
10 It Has 650 Horsepower and 583 Foot-Pound Of Torque
Because the engine used in the Ecojet is the same one used in aircraft, it can offer a tremendous amount of power. The Honeywell LTS101 engine is mated with a 4-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter crafted by the same people who work on the C5 Corvette. The jet engine alone can cost up to $160,000 which makes the Ecojet one of the vehicles most people can't afford.
Manual transmission is simply not possible with the Ecojet since it needs to run on a constant load to drive safely. If a clutch and manual gearbox were used, it can cause the Ecojet to over-rev.
9 They Used Cruelty-Free And Earth-Friendly Materials
Of course, it wouldn’t be named “Ecojet” if it wasn’t, in any way, eco-friendly. But one of the things most people don't know about Jay is that he actually wanted his car to be as friendly to the environment as possible, so he did. Rather than using expensive and lavish materials like leather for the interior, he opted for a purely artificial option.
As featured in an episode of Jay Leno's Garage, the team made use of synthetic suede from the brand, Alcantara instead. It’s made of completely different materials but looks quite close to the real thing. He also pointed out how the paint doesn’t pollute the atmosphere.
8 It Can Run On Fossil Fuel But Leno Would Rather Use Biodiesel
Fossil fuel may be renewable, but it takes a lot of time for the earth to create more; plus, burning it contributes to global warming. So what better way to make an environmentally-friendly car than to have it run on biodiesel? It’s indefinitely available, replenishes quickly and can be produced almost anywhere in the world. Also, it burns cleaner than other fuel types.
The Ecojet can still run on fossil fuel though. However, Jay insists on making it run purely on biodiesel so that he’ll feel less guilty.
7 It Has Two Tanks
The Ecojet comes with two separate fuel tanks. One carries the biodiesel while the other tank is filled with kerosene. The latter gets the car to a good start before it shifts to burn the biodiesel as it runs.
Before hitting the garage, a flip is switched to get the kerosene flowing into the fuel line again. This is necessary to clean the system after every run. Biodiesel can clog up the Ecojet’s fuel line but kerosene does a good job of breaking it down.
6 The Ecojet Has No Side Mirrors
The team had a rough time designing the car and thinking which part should go where – all while still keeping in mind their goal for the vehicle. In the end product, they figured there wouldn’t be space for a few parts like the rearview mirrors. Thanks to the scissor doors, sideview mirrors also weren’t possible. But it did make the Ecojet one of the sickest cars Jay owns.
The team decided to use cameras instead. The connecting screens were installed right next to the steering wheel so it was easy for Jay to see what the cameras captured.
5 It Took 2 ½ Years To Make It
The making of the Ecojet took a lot of brains, time and money. Jay Leno first told then General Motors Vice President of Design, Ed Welburn about his idea. Since Jay knew nothing about automotive design, Ed made the suggestions until they went further into detail. Alcoa Aluminum, the company that makes chassis for Corvettes, later made the chassis and the wheels for the Ecojet.
After the Ecojet was starting to look like a car, it was only a matter of time before it all came together. After 2 ½ years, the Ecojet was finally a running machine.
4 The Turbine Determined How The Car Would Look Like
Who knew that the drawings on a napkin in Jay Leno’s kitchen would soon become something to be featured in one of the greatest car shows worth binging? But in this case, it’s rather small if we’re talking about space. Thanks to the massive turbine, the cockpit was positioned too forward.
Since the makers didn’t want the Ecojet to be too long, they had to put the seats at just above the middle of the front axle. Everything had to follow the turbine’s shape and placement. This made the Ecojet’s nose stubby and short.
3 The Computer Runs On Windows Vista
We know, a Windows Vista would be turtle slow these days. But considering the Ecojet was released in 2006, it wasn’t really a bad idea. The Ecojet came with two screens. And even though that was surely an old model as well, it still kept the car computer connected to the internet and provided navigation when necessary. It was also capable of streaming videos and playing audio.
Nevertheless, it still doesn't topple the fact that the Ecojet is one car that we can't even dream of.
2 There’s No Graceful Way To Get In It
The team was incredibly determined to stick to their goal of making a powerful car. That’s why they had to keep the Ecojet’s size limited. They sacrificed not only typical elements of a regular car but also the convenience of getting in and out of the vehicle.
Getting into the passenger’s seat is already a chore due to the entrance size. But for the driver’s side, you would have to completely remove the steering wheel. Jay himself had to sit on the driver’s seat sideways first before scooting his bum and then re-attaching the steering wheel back into place. This, however, didn't stop the Ecojet from becoming one of the top cars in his collection.
1 The Seatbelts Are Racing Harnesses
As we already know by now, the Ecojet is no ordinary car for picking up your kids and driving them to school. And since it is made with a jet engine, anyone will immediately assume that it runs fast. Presuming the Ecojet is running at high speeds and happens to crash or get in a collision, things can undoubtedly get pretty messy.
As a safety precaution and since Jay Leno can afford it anyway, he opted for racing harnesses instead of regular belts for both of the seats.