Jay Leno Auctioning His Fiat 500 for Charity
It takes a lot for Jay Leno to let go of one of the cars from his extensive collection; but the Tonight Show host is doing just that, auctioning off his 2012 Fiat 500 Prima Edizione with all proceeds going to benefit the Fisher House Foundation.
The Fiat 500 will be heading to the Gooding and Co.’s Pebble Beach Auction on August 18th where Leno hopes it can fetch a good amount for the charity. The Fisher House Foundation has established residences of eight to 21 suites close to VA hospitals around the country. It gives the families of wounded vets a place to call home while the vet recovers nearby.
Now you’re probably thinking that a brand new Fiat 500 barely tips the scale at over $20,000 brand new. So why would anyone even pay a premium for one? Pessimist you are, with Jay Leno on stage during the bidding, anything can happen. That, and knowing that you’re purchasing a car that once belonged in Leno’s garage has some value of prestige to it.
Leno also chose the Fiat 500 since he wanted a dependable and safe car to go to a new home.
“We’re grateful to Jay Leno for his exemplary and unwavering support of our military families, to help them when they need it the most,” said Ken Fisher, CEO of Fisher House Foundation in a statement. “Knowing Jay’s passion for cars, and what this one represents to him, we recognize that he is sacrificing something special for what he believes is a greater good.”
[Source: USA Today]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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