Jay Leno's 1931 Duesenberg J LaGrande Coupe

A black 1931 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Coupe from the car collection of Jay Leno leaving the 2023 Holiday Motor Excursion presented by the Horseless Carriage Club (HCCA) of Southern California. Built on a 153.5-inch wheelbase, the LaGrande Coupe was designed by Gordon Buehrig and featured a two-seat closed cabin and rumble seats. This car, chassis no. 2432, was one of two LaGrande Coupes originally built. Both original bodies were eventually destroyed. After Leno purchased this car, which was fitted with a custom replacement body at the time, he had the original LaGrande Coupe body recreated by Duesenberg historian and restoration expert Randy Ema using original factory plans, a process that took around ten years.

Jay Leno has so many cars that he not only can pick the perfect era of car for any event, but also can show up each time in something different. This Duesenberg was an excellent choice for a cold morning drive to the latest Holiday Motor Excursion (which Jay attends regularly), where there were already numerous Lincolns, Silver Ghosts, and other Dueseys in attendance. Sure, it may not have an original body. But neither of the original LaGrande bodies still exist. So if you have unlimited time and money like Jay, why not start with an authentic chassis/engine and faithfully recreate what would otherwise be a lost piece of automotive art and history? I confess I didn't see this car until near the end of the event, and I didn't realize it was Jay's until afterwards. But I'm glad I took some time to stop and admire its generous wheelbase, beautifully sculpted bodywork, and straight-eight engine painted in signature Duesenberg green.

Do you prefer this car over an open-bodied Duesenberg? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!