If someone ever utters the phrase, "Do you want to see my class-winning Le Mans race car?" to you, the answer is always yes. It's unlikely that you'll hear such a phrase, however, unless your first name is Jay and your last one Leno.
Such a phrase was said to Jay, and thankfully he answered correctly. That's why we get to watch him and his pal Bruce Meyer ogle a gorgeous 1965 Bizzarrini race car in the latest episode of "Jay Leno's Garage."
Bizzarrini is the automotive company founded by one Giotto Bizzarrini. An Italian engineer who originally worked for Ferrari, Bizzarrini was fired in 1961 during the infamous Palace Revolt time period. He responded by taking his design and engineering skills out the door and provided work for other Italian automakers while also producing a few of his own cars.
If you've heard of the automaker Iso, then you've seen some of Bizzarrini's lovely work. Also, Bizzarrini is the man responsible for the amazing Ferrari 250 GT that became the famed Breadvan. His own cars resemble some manner of design boasting the sort of lines you'd also find on Ferraris and Isos of the same period. One of Bizzarrini's cars is the 1965 red beast you see here in Jay's garage. It competed at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it won the 5,000-cc and over class. It also finished 9th overall.
This specific car features an engine up front though set way back in the chassis for optimal weight distribution. The engine is also just as much a work of art as the car itself. You'll see eight individual throttle bodies wearing trumpets. They all sing together to create beautiful music, and it pairs perfectly with the low-slung shape of this gorgeous Bizzarrini.
