We’ve been following Jay Leno’s Garage since it was first launched seven years ago. Jay Leno, that late-night funny man and automotive enthusiast, decided he would like it better if he shared his 200-car fleet with his fans and general car people from all over the world.
It seems almost every week, he features another toy in his garage – whether they’re his or someone else’s, Jay doesn’t discriminate against just about any kind of machinery. European exotics, classic musclecars, and even custom, one-off vehicles find their way into a feature on Jay’s Garage.
A few months back, he had John Hennessey at his shop with a 700 horsepower CTS-V700 coupe. Nicknamed the “Coupe De Thrill” by Hennessey, the CTS-V initially gets ribbed by Leno for being a Cadillac. You see, when Jay was growing up, a Cadillac was a car for the “old man, or the landlord” as Leno put it.
Hennessey was quick to remind him that that this particular Caddy is very unlike those old Fleetwoods and Coupe De Villes. The standard 556 HP LSA has been modified for an additional 150 HP with modifications like ported and polished heads, a more aggressive camshaft, a smaller blower pulley, and an upgraded air intake, and exhaust system.
Thanks to cars like the CTS-V, and tuners like Hennessey pumping up their horsepower output, those days of landau roofs, velour interiors, and the word “Brougham” are soon going to be forgotten memories. When the kids of the ’70s and ’80s generations come to power, we would like to think that Cadillac will once again be the car of choice for the wealthy and sophisticated.