Jay Leno: Mechanical supercars will retain an audience

Jay Leno thinks electric cars may become the automotive equivalent of quartz watches, while mechanical cars will remain an emotional pursuit and a weekend activity. In his view, buyers will continue to seek supercars with more valves, camshafts and other mechanical components. As an example of his own preference, Leno cited his six-speed manual Challenger: he acknowledged that the 10-speed automatic is quicker, but said he prefers driving the manual.

Leno called the electric Porsche fast and capable of doing what it is meant to do, but suggested Porsche fans may miss the mechanical experience. He also compared a Rimac with a Tesla Model S Plaid: according to Leno, the Rimac costs $2.5 million more and is a tenth of a second quicker, but lacks the sensation of shifting gears. These are Leno’s assessments, not an independent comparison of specifications.