In what appears to be just another episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, the comedian and television host manages to scrape the front underbody of a Ferrari Enzo. Skip the video to the 18-minute 14-second mark to see (and hear) the honest but avoidable mistake.
“Why would Leno feature the Enzo on his show, now of all times?” That’s a good question, indeed. As we eagerly await the Mercedes-AMG Project One to take road-going performance to the next level, it’s worth remembering that the Enzo found itself at the top of the hill when it was launched in 2002.
Official production stands at 400 examples, with the final Enzo being delivered to Pope Benedict XVI. Subsequently sold for $1.1 by RM Sotheby’s, all the proceeds were spent on humanitarian relief. That’s almost double the original suggested retail price of $660,000, but far less than what an Enzo is worth today. According to Leno and owner David Lee, you’re looking at $3 million.
Similarly to the legendary F40, the Enzo is praised for its no-nonsense approach to performance. The cabin, for example, is so focused on the driving experience, the one and only creature comfort comes in the form of an air conditioning system. Even the windows are of the old-school type, relying on a crank handle because going electric would've meant unwanted weight.
Capable of hitting over 217 mph (350 km/h) without any hybrid assistance, the Enzo is all motor. As a matter of fact, the car that bears the company founder’s name ushered in the F140 V12 family of engines. Displacing 6.0 liters and rated at 660 PS (651 horsepower) and 657 Nm (485 pound-feet), the latest evolution of the F140 V12 can be found in the 812 Superfast.
Probably snag of Enzo ownership is the electro-hydraulic, Formula 1-style semi-automatic transmission, which doesn’t do automatic shifting. At all times, the driver has to pull the paddles to change up or down a gear. But then again, what’s the point of driving a Ferrari in automatic?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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