Jay Leno Drives the Vanderhall Venice

No jokes about it. This is a great-looking little car.

Jay Leno is often thought of as the most famous chin in late-night TV, but he’s also well-respected in the world of automotive enthusiasts. Leno’s car collection is world-class, and his YouTube series, “Jay Leno’s Garage,” has posted more than 300 installments, allowing fans and followers to get an up-close look at some of Leno’s favorite rides.

In the latest installment of the web series, Leno checks out an American-made three-wheeler called the Vanderhall Venice. He is joined by the vehicle’s creator, Steve Hall, for an in-depth look at what he calls a modern iteration of boutique manufacturing.

Not Jay’s First Three-Wheeler

If you’ve never seen a three-wheeled car before, they are out there. Notable mentions include Morgan’s 3-Wheeler, which earned an endorsement from Top Gear’s Richard Hammond, and the scary-fast Campagna Motors T-Rex.

If you can call a three-wheeled car practical, the Vanderhall is a more practical alternative to both. Elegantly finished and sporting a reliable GM powertrain good for about 180 horsepower, the Provo, Utah-based company was entirely Hall’s vision.

Hall explains that he cut his teeth importing and modifying England’s kit supercar, the Noble M400. After getting familiar with the licensing and go-to-market strategy for an automobile, Hall designed the unitized Venice around an aluminum tub frame that uses a proprietary tab-and-slot construction.

ALSO SEE: What the Forum Has to Say About the Vanderhall Venice

With disc brakes, a six-speed manual and plenty of power (when you consider it weighs around 1,400 pounds with fuel), the Venice is $30,000-worth of fun and gets 30 mpg on a bad day. It features a sophisticated pushrod suspension up front and a static rear wheel that keeps things stable.

Inside, the Venice features heated seats, hand-made finishing touches and a 600-watt Bluetooth sound system to keep the wind noise off your mind. Compared with a competitive motorcycle, you get all the fun with the added benefit of an extra seat and traction control.

Just make sure that if you’re someone Jay or Steve’s size, you choose a petite passenger. These two guys look quite snug during their brief test drive.