Jay Leno Flexes 1999 C5 Corvette "Paycheck" in Excellent Condition

Leno's collection includes all kinds of priceless antique cars and even some exotics. Yet we find ourselves strangely drawn to anything that's American and neither old nor new. The C5 Corvette fits that perfectly, as it's in immaculate condition and has an interesting story to tell.

A 1999 'Vette in dark blue isn't anything special, but Jay Leno got at a "paycheck" from GM. The comedian and famous talk shop host was asked what he wanted in return for driving the Indy 500 pace car. Most celebrities wanted money, and while Leno would have done it for free, this Corvette caught his attention.

It was a demonstrator and already had a bunch of miles on the clock, but has been lovingly looked after all these years and still shines under the studio lights of his garage. Other than that, the story of this car is the same as any C5.

At the time, Detroit was considering pulling the plug on the Corvette instead of coming out with a successor for the C4. But engineers worked tirelessly behind the scenes, from the mid-80s right up until its debut in 1997.

One of their crowning achievements is the frame, which was created by hydroforming. Jay explains the process of using aluminum and forcing water through it at 7,000 pounds per square inch while forming the shape needed. This made the frame extremely strong, compared to the previous generations.

Also, the rear-mounted transaxle was a pioneering feature in such a cheap sports car, used to improve weight distribution. Under the hood is the LS1 version of GM's V8 engine, a 5.7-liter producing 350 horsepower. The presenter calls it "bulletproof" as it just runs and runs, but he's also impressed with its average fuel economy of between 18-27 miles per gallon.

Listen, we wouldn't go as far as to call it "bulletproof," as the cost of maintaining a car like this can be a little much for the average person. But we get what Leno is saying: America found a way to mass-produce something as good as an Aston or a basic Ferrari, and those things could be a nightmare in the servicing department.