The Stutz Motor Company was cranking out sports cars while the rest of the world was impressed with the mobility afforded by the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Model T.

Based in Indianapolis, Stutz produced vehicles capable of hitting 80, 90, even 100 mph at a time when folks were getting by just fine in 20-horsepower machines. Jay Leno is a Stutz fan and he owns the company's greatest street car, the legendary Bearcat.

Stutz first produced the Bearcat back in 1912, and that car was called the Series A. These were not inexpensive machines. They ranged from $2,000 up to around $4,000, which was four-to-ten times more than what someone could spend on a Model T, but they offered far more performance.

Jay clearly loves his Bearcat. In this episode of "Jay Leno's Garage," he takes a lot of time walking us through it and detailing the rather interesting history of this particular car. It was owned by an old recluse living in Vermont. When he died, the car was found under a lean-to on the property. It needed a complete restoration, and that's what Jay and his team did.

The result is one of the nicest examples of an amazing piece of motoring history. This nearly 100-year-old car is still kicking, and it's clear that Jay loves driving it.