Forget The Purosangue, This Ferrari-Powered Jeep Wagoneer Is A V12 Bruiser

Fast SUVs are commonplace today, but several decades ago, they were unheard of. Harrah needed a fast, capable SUV—but there was nothing like it on the market. So, he had one built to his specifications. This creation, now known as the Jerrari, served his unique needs perfectly.

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Under the hood of this 1977 Jeep Wagoneer is a Ferrari V12 that makes around 320 horsepower (238 kW). A five-speed manual gearbox feeds power from the engine to all four wheels or just to the rear should the driver prefer it that way. Why put a car like this together? According to Jay Leno and Phil McDougal, President of the National Automobile Museum in Reno, it was designed for functionality overall.

Read: When Enzo Said No, One Collector Built His Own Ferrari SUV In 1969

Harrah wanted to have the freedom to shuttle people from Tahoe to Reno quickly and without worry about bad weather. McDougal says that he approached Enzo Ferrari about building a 4WD car, but was declined. So, considering that he had the cash for it, Harrah just had one built for himself. This isn’t even the first one. The original had a Ferrari front end.

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This one flies under the radar far more effectively and actually uses the same engine from the original one. In roughly a year of ownership he put nearly 15,000 miles on the odometer. Notably, the chassis is largely unchanged from the original Wagoneer. What’s wilder is that Harrah evidently took this car up near 150 mph (241 km/h) with regularity.

Leno calls the car a part of his own history as he had a close relationship with Harrah. Those interested in seeing the car can visit the National Auto Museum where it’s on display throughout most of the year.

Just imagine if Jeep or Ferrari had recognized how special this vehicle was when Harrah had it made. Perhaps cars like the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk or the Purosangue would’ve arrived sooner. Whether or not the market would’ve been there at the time could be another story though. 

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Image Credit: Jay Leno’s Garage