Jay Leno has a car collection worth some $52 million, with 286 vehicles in total; reports suggesting some 169 cars and 117 motorbikes. Clearly, the man loves cars, but not just any cars, some really cool ones.

So if you were stopped by an excited Jay Leno because you had an awesome car, you had to have done something very, very right with your ride. This is exactly what happened with Savant Young, a professional MMA fighter of some repute, who loves to tinker with cars when he’s not busting kneecaps or knocking teeth out of an opponent’s jaw.

Not only did Leno stop and talk to Young, he then went on to feature the car in his TV show, Jay Leno’s Garage as well, although it isn't as crazy an entry as some of the other cars on the show. The classic car in question is a gorgeous 1973 Mazda RX3 Restomod and looks so good, it makes us cry tears of envy as well.

Here’s what we know about Savant Young and his gem of 1973 Mazda RX3 Restomod so featured in Jay Leno’s Garage

The Mazda RX-3 Savanna

The Mazda RX-3 Savanna Was Sold In The Us From 1971 To 1978 As A Rotary-Engined Wonder
via YouTube

The Mazda RX-3 Savanna was sold in the US from 1971 to 1978 as a rotary-engined wonder, part of the 808 Grand Familia. At the time, it was considered almost race-car like in performance, due to the 105 horses it cranked out, a big number in those years especially in a car this light.

The 0-60 mph sprint in a Savanna was a cool 10.8 seconds, and it ran a quarter-mile in 17.6 seconds, mostly because the car was a featherweight and ran like a dream. It was particularly successful for its time, as it gave a good fuel-economy. Another reason why it was one highly-valued Japanese sports car of its time; was because the American muscle car was dying, slowly, under the dual swords of emission control and the oil crisis.

RELATED: These Classic Japanese Cars Are More Badass Than Muscle Cars

Savant Young’s RX-3

Jay Leno Met Savant “Black Superman” Young Outside The Peterson Automotive Museum In LA
via NBC

Back in August 2015, Jay Leno’s Garage featured this car, and it still retains its uber-cool factor and then some. Let’s talk about this car now, as gnarly as the MMA fighter himself.

Jay Leno met Savant “Black Superman” Young outside the Peterson Automotive Museum in LA and was thrilled to learn, as are we, that while this RX-3 did support a rotary engine, the original mill had been swapped out for another. This, even though a Mazda RX-3 is not the kind of car that Jay Leno likes.

Now usually, we’d expect GM’s LS engine to be inside this car because it definitely has been done before. But in this car, the engine swapping has been limited to a rotary engine from the Mazda line, from an RX-7.

And the modifications were not limited to just the engine itself. It now had a bridged-port intake with methane injection which gives the engine a rough idle and made it produce a horsepower of 400 horses, turbocharged, of course. This, on a car that weighs little more than a motorcycle, can mean a scary amount of acceleration and speed.

But then again, Savant Young is no stranger to danger, do excuse the pun, as he lived his life on the edge as an MMA fighter. If you get could control his opponent's blows and punches, a car came easy peasy...

Of course, even the outward appearance of the car has been changed, most specifically the rear end, taken from a Toyota Hilux half-ton pickup. The wheels and tires are new as are the aerospace-grade brakes, needed to be able to stop all the extra power this punchy little car can make. The car’s color comes off Lamborghini’s color palette for extra oomph. Plus all that no-chrome look matches the nearly dark-arts appeal a rotary-engine car from Mazda has, perfect for a tough as nails MMA fighter.

RELATED: Jay Leno's Garage Shelters Rare 1 Of 23 Shelby Cobra Competition 427s From Wildfires

Why The Mazda RX-3 Savanna

Jay Leno's 1973 Mazda RX3 Restomod Is No-Frills, Mean, And Can Take On Just About Anything
via YouTube

Today, Savant Young has had this car for more than 15 years. And that’s some serious time, and money invested into a classic that’s old enough to not be recognized by many who are not big fans of the Mazda rotaries.

So why this car for Young? Apparently, Young’s uncle used to race the RX-3 on the streets of California, in Compton, and even then Savant remembered how this little and somewhat unassuming looking car could soundly trounce the big American muscle cars of its time, even though the latter came armed with V8s.

So 15 years ago, Young put down for the same halo car he remembered from his childhood days, but much like him, toughened it up to pure business. The weaker engine was swapped out and other modifications were put in place to turn this car into a winner.

The car is cool, of course, but what makes it all the more special is the appeal it holds for its owner, Savant Young, even after so many years of togetherness. Obviously, there are faster cars in the market, and the RX-3’s cornering was also never a star. But for Young, this is the car for him. It’s no-frills, mean, and can take on just about anything. Just like Young himself.

Sources: Autoblog, Carscoops

NEXT: What People Don't Know About Jay Leno's Car Collection