Jay Leno Hits the Canyons in Subaru-Engined 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster Replica

Jay seems to have no issue whatsoever with the puzzle build behind the 1957 Porsche Speedster appearance of the vehicle. To be more precise, the Volkswagen Beetle floorpan, which has been shortened, appears to make a great combination with the fiberglass body and the Subaru flat-four at the back of the thing.

The 2.5-liter boxer, which comes from a 1990s Legacy and packs around 200 hp (this the the output at the crank) thanks to an ECU remap, works with a four-speed tranny, with the owner explaining he doesn't feel the need for an extra ratio.

Since the original 356 Speedster was basically born for the US market, the replica we have here looks right at home with Jay carving the canyons in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page - keep in mind that it's almost impossible to tell this is a replica just by driving past it.

And while the open-top model doesn't pack any racing-style aerodynamic element, the whole car acts as a giant splitter. An opinion splitter that is.

Heck, even if this were an actual Zuffenhausen machine, the supplies in the frunk would be enough to infuriate purists - mixing a more balanced weight distribution with the need to protect his family from nature's caprices, the owner uses the luggage compartment to store a massive earthquake survival package.

So yes, the 1,800 lbs car does get hooned with a Rambo knife hidden in its nose, which is there for safety-related purposes, of course.