Last year, Jay Leno took delivery of the second Fiat 500 imported into the United States, and you’ll soon get a chance to bid on that very same Prima Edizione car at an upcoming Gooding & Company auction.
Leno is giving the limited-edition Fiat up for charity, with the proceeds from the sale going to benefit the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing for families of injured soldiers during their recovery.
The car will be auctioned by Gooding & Company at its upcoming Pebble Beach event, scheduled for August 18. As USA Today explains, Leno chose the Fiat 500 as it’s one of the newest cars in his collection, so therefore isn’t likely to leave its buyer stranded by the side of the road.
Despite the Fiat’s modest sticker price, its status as the number-two car in the U.S. and its former celebrity ownership will undoubtedly help pad the selling price. The fact that it’s a charity auction will help, too, and last year a tractor from Leno’s collection raised $550,000 for charity.
Leno’s Fiat 500 Prima Edizione is finished in Bianco (white) with black graphics, and the comedian has only added some 800 miles since taking delivery. As serial number 2 of just 500 produced, the car is likely to appreciate in the coming decades, although we suppose that depends on what the hammer price is.
Gooding & Company’s pre-auction estimate is between $25,000 and $35,000, but we suspect that Leno can do a better job than that of working the crowd.