How Many Cars Does Jay Leno Actually Have In His Collection?

For many TV viewers, Jay Leno is — and always will be — one of the most legit icons of the late-night talk-show circuit. He did, after all, anchor NBC's long-running "The Tonight Show" for a total of 22 years, taking over from none other than Johnny Carson. That legend hosted for 30 years before Leno ascended, leaving behind a successful standup comedy career. However, in the years since he retired, Leno has dedicated himself to a more serious, considerably pricey hobby — collecting vintage automobiles from every era.

Leno has been a vintage-car enthusiast for years, and has assembled an assortment of vehicles that would be the envy of any like-minded classic-car lover. His collection has gotten so big, he houses it in a facility that takes up nearly two city blocks in Burbank, California. While precise numbers are hard to come by, as of late 2024, Leno's collection is reported to include more than 180 cars.

Leno has long taken to featuring his favorites from the collection on the popular "Jay Leno's Garage" YouTube series (where there are things the camera didn't show us). And yes, that series is the only place many will see Leno's collection, as the garage itself is not open to the public. 

Cars are not the only vehicles housed in Leno's sprawling Burbank facility, as the famed funny man also keeps about 160 vintage motorcycles there, as well as a fully functional antique steam engine dating back to 1906. Apart from adding such historically important artifacts to his collection, Leno also employs a crack team of mechanics, gearheads, and restoration experts, ensuring each vehicle looks and runs as well as it possibly can.

How can Leno afford to maintain such a collection well into his retirement? His late-night hosting gig paid well — $20 million to $30 million a year – even if he claims to have largely supported himself working as a comedian. Leno also parlayed his love of vintage cars into a separate network gig, with "Jay Leno's Garage" airing weekly on CNBC for seven years before the move to YouTube. All that success has left him with an estimated net worth around $450 million.

Leno's car collection is worth considerably less than that, of course, but the vehicles are reported to be worth over $52 million. It's not all glory, though. While there are numerous cars Jay Leno loves, in 2022 one of his prizes left him hospital-bound when a 1907 White Steam Car caught fire and left Leno with severe burns. Still, he recovered quickly, and continues to spend his retirement working away in his garage.