Jay Leno drives a beast that used to cost the equivalent of several luxury homes and he doesn't want to stop

Comedian and former chat show host Jay Leno has an incredible array of cars, yet a stunning luxury Packard from the 1930s might be one of the most extravagant, as it used to cost as much as several luxury homes.

This amazing car was also known as the ‘banker’s hot rod’ for reasons which will become clear, and not only was it full of luxury, but it was fast too.

Leno showcased this particular Packard on his Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube channel and got to take it out onto the road.

Usually based at The Nethercutt Collection, Leno was excited to get behind the wheel of a 1930s classic.

This is how much a 1930 Packard would cost in 2026

The car in question is a 1930 Packard 734 Speedster, and collection curator and vice president Cameron Richards brought it to Leno’s garage.

This example is the only Speedster known to survive in 2026.

Cameron Richards also spoke to Supercar Blondie about the car.

“Now, the Victoria is the only one believed to ever be built and exist today,” he said.

In total, 113 of this type of car were built across five different body styles.

These were the runabout, roadster, sedan, phaeton, and Victoria that Leno drove.

Packard built it as a rival to the Duesenberg luxury cars, and at the time, the car cost $6,000.

“With an original asking price of $6,000 in the height of the Great Depression, nobody was interested in such a car at the time,” Richards explained.

Roughly changed for inflation, that is potentially as much as $155,000 in today’s money.

Back in the 1930s, that was enough to buy several luxury homes.

To put the price into context, at the time, a Ford Model T would cost around $300, a huge price gulf.

Under the hood was a 6.3-liter straight-eight engine making 145hp and 250lb-ft of torque.

With a top speed over 100mph, this is how it earned its ‘bankers’ hot rod’ nickname.

“Performance-wise, the Packard was basically an in-house factory-built hot rod,” said Richards.

The Netercutt Collection acquired the car in 1984, and it then went through a 40-year restoration.

“It’s almost 40-year restoration appears as if it was done just months ago,” Richards said of the work done.

Why Jay Leno loved the car so much

“It accelerates like a car from the ’60s,” said Leno in the video on his channel.

This is one of the reasons the comedian loved the car so much, with its performance ahead of its time.

“You feel like John Dillinger in this thing,” he added, referencing a notorious gangster from the Great Depression.

The speed made it perfect for bank robbers and gangsters, allowing them to get away from the scene of their crimes rapidly.

But it was also comfy and full of luxury.

“It’s just the sexiest car, I think,” Leno also said, and it is easy to see why he thought that.

Making this car even more special is the Victoria coachwork.

It featured all sorts of cool technical innovations, too, such as its updraft carburetor, a key safety feature at the time.

Not every feature on the car was discussed in the video, as Cameron Richards told Supercar Blondie.

“I recall not mentioning the cigar lighter on the dashboard,” he said.

“It is connected to a wire inside the dash, which allows you to simply release the lighter from your hand so it can return into the dash all on its own.”

Combined with its rapid acceleration and the sporty handling, this Packard is one very special machine.