The Jerrari is a car that might not please Ferrari enthusiasts. However, it exists and one must come to terms with it. It combines a Ferrari engine with the body of a 1977 Jeep Wagoneer. Recently, it paid a visit to Jay Leno’s Garage, where he explored its history and characteristics.
Ferrari inside, Jeep Wagoneer outside: introducing the Jerrari
The famous American television personality, owner of a dream vehicle collection, lent his expertise and verve to narrate this extravagant vehicle, which might make Ferrari supercar enthusiasts turn up their noses. In the video, you can experience the Jerrari‘s unique qualities, both statically and dynamically, following Leno‘s usual format.
The star of the footage, as mentioned, is a car, more precisely an SUV, that uniquely blends a 1977 Jeep Wagoneer with a Ferrari 365 engine. The footage offers a comprehensive overview of the model and tells the story behind its creation, which was due to Bill Harrah, a great car collector and overseas casino magnate.
The latter had asked Enzo Ferrari to build him a four-wheel-drive vehicle, but Enzo, obviously, refused, despite the wealthy client’s good credentials. Dissatisfied with the response, the American entrepreneur decided to take matters into his own hands, having a group of mechanics specifically build him an all-wheel-drive vehicle somehow connected to the sporting heart of Maranello’s automotive company.
He indulged this whim twice, with a pair of specimens, built on the same Ferrari engine base but with profoundly different aesthetics. One was based on the 1969 Wagoneer, the other on a 1977 Wagoneer. Today we’re focusing on the latter, which unlike the other one that was Ferrari-styled, maintained the original American vehicle’s style without variations. The engine, transmission, and other elements from the Ferrari 365 were transplanted into it.
With this vehicle, the wealthy client often traveled between his casinos in Reno and Lake Tahoe. Under the imposing front hood, the 5.9-liter AMC V8 heart gave way to a 4.4-liter V12 Ferrari engine, paired with the Ferrari 365 GT‘s 5-speed manual transmission. Today, the 1977 Jerrari is permanently displayed at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.