Jay Leno was spotted driving his rare, aircraft-engined 1930s Bentley through LA traffic, stunning onlookers surrounded by modern Teslas and SUVs.
There are few places on Earth where a 1930s Bentley can look more out of place—or more spectacular—than in the middle of Los Angeles traffic. Yet that’s exactly where comedian and lifelong car enthusiast Jay Leno was recently spotted, effortlessly cruising his one-of-a-kind pre-war Bentley among a lineup of Teslas, SUVs, and everyday commuters as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
A passerby captured the moment and shared it on social media, instantly sparking excitement among car fans. The clip shows Leno behind the wheel of what many online described as “history on wheels,” and the response was a mix of disbelief, admiration, and pure joy. For some Angelenos, casually encountering Jay Leno and one of his cars is almost a rite of passage, but this particular sighting was something special.
This isn’t just any vintage Bentley. Leno’s car is a 1930s machine powered by a massive 27-liter Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 aircraft engine—the same type that once powered WWII fighter planes. Only around 100 examples of these aircraft-engined specials exist, and Leno’s is famously one of the most extreme. Weighing in at over 3,500 pounds and stretching longer than some trucks, the Bentley has the presence of a battleship and the mechanical soul of an airplane. Even the interior resembles a cockpit, filled with gauges that look like they belong on a Spitfire rather than a boulevard cruiser.
As if the sight of the Bentley weaving through modern traffic wasn’t surreal enough, the moment that sealed it for viewers was the sound of its classic horn—an old-world flourish that cut through the monotony of everyday commuting. “That horn is the icing on the cake,” wrote one commenter, while another joked that spotting Jay like this is “the most LA thing ever.”
Leno has featured the car on Jay Leno’s Garage, but seeing it out on public roads—not pampered in a museum or hidden in a private collection—reminded people why Leno is admired by enthusiasts. He doesn’t just own rare machinery; he uses it. He preserves history by putting it in motion, not behind velvet ropes.
A 27-liter pre-war Bentley rumbling past EVs and crossovers in 2025 is a scene that almost feels like time travel. And yet, for Jay Leno, it’s just another sunny drive in Los Angeles—proof that great cars are meant to be experienced, not stored, and that even in a city obsessed with the newest tech, a bit of rolling history can steal the show.
